Blog

News & stories

Blog

News & stories

Keep up with all things FOTAS! Meet adoptable pets, hear from volunteers, and stay informed about events taking place in your community.

2023, adopter feedback, Adoption

Successful adoptions bring joy and save lives

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Purrfect pair Maverick & Goose
01
Dec

After pets are adopted from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, staff members follow up to see how they are doing in their new homes. Here is some recent feedback from our adopters.

Tulip is a cuddle bug.
Tulip is a cuddle bug.

Jasmine FKA Tulip is spoiled every day
Jasmine aka Tulip is doing very well. She takes her heartworm meds like a champ. She loves to snuggle and doesn’t like storms. Jasmine and her older sister love to play tug of war with their toys. She doesn’t like walking on a leash, but we are working on that. We tell her every day that God brought us to her and that we love her and nothing will happen to her. She’s perfect and getting spoiled every day.
Cora and Mark Carrico

Van the man.
Van the man.

Mixed breed Van is the man
We are in love with Van! He is so sweet. He was timid at first, but he is a wonderful addition to the family. He is such a cuddler and we love it! We are planning to adopt one more. Thank you so much for making the adoption process easy! We have two older Rottweilers, and whenever we stated that, everyone was turned off to letting us adopt. Van and our other two dogs get along well and even play with each other. We love him!
Shannon Dayton

Kitty Maverick is a champion fetcher
Kitten Rusty is now Maverick and Batman is Goose. They adjusted well to our home and have stolen our hearts! It took no time for them to settle in. Both are healthy and very playful. Maverick is a champion at fetch, better than any dog.
Allison Hayes

Bam Bam went on family vacation to Florida

Bam Bam loves his new family.
Bam Bam loves his new family.


Bam Bam’s (now Zeus) fur has grown in and he is so pretty right after a bath. We’re learning together, he has some behavior issues, but I would expect as much from an older dog that maybe wasn’t always treated right. He loves the kids and is super protective of them! He went to Florida with us and did fantastic in the car and at the Airbnb.
Misty Arthur

Pixie (on left) is a cuddle bug
Pixie (on left) is a cuddle bug

She drove from Indiana to adopt little Pixie
I was the crazy lady who drove over 23 hours to and from Indiana to adopt Pixie! We cannot thank you enough for allowing us to adopt our sweet and spicy baby girl. She fit into our household almost immediately! She is still learning that new people are okay and that even the neighbor dog isn’t so bad. We are lucky to have her be a part of our home! We can’t thank you guys enough for doing what you do. You are making a difference!
Megan Alberts

Many more wonderful homeless pets at the County Shelter need a second chance for a good life. Please go to fotasaiken.org to see them or stop by and visit them at 333 Wire Road. During our Empty the Shelters adoption event, which continues through Dec. 16, dogs and pups are just $25, while cats and kittens are only $10. All of our adoptable pets are vaccinated, microchipped & spayed/neutered.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2023, Donate, donations, Where your donations go

Giving Tuesday: making a difference for the County’s homeless animals

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Jen with Gertrude at adoption station.
25
Nov

This Tuesday, November 28th, is Giving Tuesday, which kicks off the annual Christmas-giving season with a world-wide celebration of selfless generosity. If you are charitably inclined, how do you decide which of the many worthy local charities are worthy of your generosity?

If you’re an animal lover (and I know you are) and you want your hard-earned dollars to make a difference, then FOTAS, the private partner of the Aiken County Animal Shelter, is an excellent choice for your charitable urges. Here’s why.

  • FOTAS, working with the county shelter, saves more animals than any other 501(c)(3) organization in the CSRA. Period. Full stop. For the past FIVE years, every adoptable animal at the shelter was saved, and FOTAS has kicked into overdrive to do the same this year.
  • FOTAS AND AIKEN COUNTY fund more spay/neuter pet surgeries for folks in financial need than any other charitable organization in the CSRA.
  • FOTAS AND AIKEN COUNTY fund more TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) surgeries for community cats than any other charitable organization in the CSRA.

     

  • FOTAS saves more heartworm positive (HWP) dogs than any other charitable organization in the CSRA.

     

  • FOTAS supplements adoption fees for active military personnel and veterans.

     

  • FOTAS helps county animal control take dogs off the chain by funding humane runners for distribution to county residents.

     

  • FOTAS GIVES OUT MORE PET FOOD TO AIKEN COUNTY PET OWNERS IN NEED THAN ANY OTHER CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION IN THE CSRA. This critical assistance makes it possible for folks to feed (and, thus, keep) their animals in hard times.

     

  • FOTAS also funds the costs of flea medication, toys, leashes, and pet food supplements, as well as subsidizing equipment and extraordinary medical needs at the shelter.

FOTAS is 100% supported by private donations, and we need your help now more than ever. The shelter, like all public shelters post-Covid, is overwhelmed with shockingly high intake. More people are abandoning their animals than adopting new ones. Here in Aiken County, the problem is compounded by an explosion in population growth (I’m sure you’ve seen all those housing developments springing up all over the county!), and a severe shortage of veterinarians and low-cost spay/neuter services. This means more and more animals are joining the ranks of the unwanted and the homeless—a heartbreaking tragedy after so many years of progress.

But, you ask, have all those private donations to FOTAS really made a difference

Absolutely! An incredible difference! In 2009 (the year that FOTAS was created) 95% of the animals consigned to the shelter were euthanized. Today that number has been turned on its head. From 2018 through this year, 2023, every adoptable animal at the shelter was (and will be) saved. That’s over a 90% save rate. 

Our success is your success: FOTAS’ ability to save so those thousands and thousands of shelter animals is the direct result of your generosity. From our hearts to yours, thank you and God bless.

Please send your much-appreciated donations to FOTAS, PO Box 2207, Aiken SC 29802, or go to fotasaiken.org to make your donation online. By the way, when you donate to FOTAS, you can be certain that 90% or more of every dollar of your donation will go to our life-saving programs. 

Their lives are in our hands.
By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice-President

 

2023, Adoption, Military Veterans, Veterans

Veterans urged to adopt a pet from ACAS, compliments of FOTAS

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Young Lorenzo is calm, sweet and loves other dogs.
09
Nov

Today is Veterans Day, a national holiday that honors U.S. veterans for serving and protecting our country.

FOTAS strongly supports our armed forces and recognizes the benefits that veterans and active military personnel can experience from the company of a shelter cat or dog. We launched our Veterans Adoption Program in 2015 that allows U.S veterans and active U.S. military personnel to adopt a dog or cat from the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) for no charge, year-round. It is our way of showing gratitude to the people who serve our country and make sacrifices to defend our freedoms.

We just wish more veterans would take advantage of this offer. There are so many wonderful dogs and cats at the County Shelter who would make amazing pets for them (or any home), including:

Brolee is playful, cuddly, loves other dogs and will make a fantastic family dog.
Brolee is playful, cuddly, loves other dogs and will make a fantastic family dog.

Brolee. This four-year-old, 61-pound mixed breed is white with soulful blue eyes. He was rescued from a cruelty case but is one of the sweetest dogs at the shelter. Brolee loves other dogs and will make a terrific family pet.

 

Cutie-pie Groot is an active, medium-sized mixed breed who desperately needs a good home.
Cutie-pie Groot is an active, medium-sized mixed breed who desperately needs a good home.

Groot. Cutie-pie Groot has a soft white and black coat and a playful spirit. He is four years old, just 45 pounds and enjoys the company of other dogs. Groot is always up for an adventure.

Harriet & Nessie. This mama Tabby and her kitten are a bonded pair that needs a loving home together. Two-year-old Harriet and her seven-month-old daughter Nessie are housecats who have never been outside but do wonderfully indoors.

Kodak. Calm and cute, two-year-old, brown and white mixed breed Kodak is 50 pounds and adorable.

Kodak is a calm, sweet boy who will make an excellent canine companion.
Kodak is a calm, sweet boy who will make an excellent canine companion.

This poor dog was abandoned on a highway and rescued while dodging speeding cars. He likes other dogs and enjoys cuddling on the couch with volunteers.

Lorenzo. Handsome stray Lorenzo is just one year old and has a gorgeous bronze and white coat. He is 39 pounds, athletic, loves other dogs and walks wonderfully on a leash. This dog is a gem waiting to be discovered.

Reese. Red Retriever mix Reese is high energy, playful and loves other dogs. He is three years old, 53 pounds and enjoys car rides and visits to the park.

This is just a small sampling. There are so many more fabulous pets at the County Shelter in need of loving homes – a list too long to fit in the space allowed for this column.

If you are a veteran or active in the military, please take advantage of your complimentary adoption and help us spread the word about this program. The shelter is at full capacity and there are so many sweet pets desperate to find loving homes.

Their lives are in our hands.
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

By the Numbers
During the month of October, the Aiken County Animal Shelter received 400 Aiken County animals, bringing the total to 4,006 Aiken County animals this year.

2023, adopter feedback, Adoption, Bully Dogs

Beau Roland

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Beau found his family
03
Nov

I saw Beau’s photo on Instagram, another pit bull in a sea of pitties looking for love. Looking back, I see there was nothing remarkable about his photo, but I felt a deep pull to rescue him. I’ve always been an adoption advocate yet had never had a Pitbull until moving to SC and seeing their numbers in the shelters. Truffles was my first adoptee (a stray momma dog) and it’s because of her that I have fallen especially hard in love with this “breed”. Let me first dismiss the deception. They are not fighters but lovers. (I call them aggressive snugglers) They are fiercely loyal and loving and big couch potatoes, often called, “house hippos”. Once you spend time with this type of dog, you’ll fall in love too.

Beau came into the Aiken County Animal Shelter as a stray, as many do. I surmise he escaped his previous dismal circumstances as he has scarring on his legs and his ears have been chopped. But the scars on his heart healed and his easy-going, chill personality was able to shine through. His favorite activities are daily walks, playing with his girlfriend, a yellow lab named Lucie, and being anywhere with me. All good dog owners love to show off their dogs, but as a pittie mom, I am also passionate about dispelling misconceptions about these dogs, so I bring Beau with me, where appropriate, so more people can meet my canine “good citizen”. With his handsome good looks and affectionate demeanor, Beau’s become my ambassador for pitbulls and he makes friends wherever we go.

Each dog that comes into our lives brings a different kind of love and joy. They are unique in their personalities and the lives they live with us. Having loved and lived with dogs my whole life, I still miss every single one that I have lost. Oh how I loved, Askim, a large shepherd mix who also came from a shelter and whose heart was so big and love so contagious that he became a therapy dog. Together we visited nursing homes, schools, hospitals, and libraries. We met many who wanted to stroke his soft fur and remember their own dogs of days gone by. How rewarding it was and how easily he adapted to his “job” and brought so much joy. Seeing how well suited to therapy work Beau would also be, I registered him with the ATD (Alliance of Therapy Dogs) program and made our “Aiken visitations” official! We can be seen at the usual therapy venues, including funeral homes. There Beau is the first official therapy dog on call for grieving families to benefit from the unconditional love and affection that only a dog can give.

Shelter dogs are a special “breed” and it is true that they know when they have been rescued. What they give back is hard to quantify. How do we measure love? For me it’s with 4 paws.

Written by Debbie Roland, FOTAS Supporter

2023, Foster, Volunteer

FOTAS partners with USC Aiken to help County Shelter animals

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
USC Aiken students visited the Aiken County Animal Shelter to learn more about FOTAS volunteer opportunities.
29
Oct

We have been very lucky to be partnering with staff and students at the University of South Carolina, Aiken.

This summer, I was contacted by Logan Sharpe, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Engagement, who had some students that needed volunteer opportunities. We set up a time for them to visit the Aiken County Animal Shelter on September 14. These students blew my mind, they were so kind, they asked all the right questions and sincerely cared about how the shelter works and why it is important.

This was the beginning of our partnership.

We were then invited to the Volunteer Fair on campus in October. Volunteer Kathy Samaha and I took an adoptable dog Tina to meet students and explain how EASY it can be to volunteer.

Volunteering doesn’t come natural to everyone. It can be uncomfortable calling, setting up training, making time. So, we handed out flyers showing students how they can “check out” a dog through our Doggie Dating Program.

Many students living on campus miss their pets left at home. We offer a program in which all people have to do is call the shelter and set up a pick up time. They can then come get a dog, take it to the park, take it to Dunkin Donuts, wherever! It’s just fun and stress relieving for both the students and the dogs. (Plus let’s face it, their generation is way better at taking pics and displaying them on social media to reach our leading adoption market.)

Kaydence Moore is a student at USC Aiken who recently became a volunteer and foster for us. She and her friends have been walking dogs and now she has fostered two dogs!

“I enjoy volunteering and fostering so much,” she said. “I get the chance to improve these dogs’ lives as much as I possibly can and I think that is rewarding enough. I decided to help out at FOTAS because, for one, I saw that they needed volunteers and fosters. All of my pets growing up have been adopted from a shelter or as a stray. With how much they have helped me, both emotionally and physically, I wanted to help and give that back as much as I could.”

This past week, I was invited to speak to students on campus at their Paws 4 a Cause seminar. The students were so great and asked good questions. They were shocked by the number of animals we have and I hope feel motivated to change this community for the better.

We look forward to the administration members coming in November for their volunteer training as well.

We are grateful to be invited to schools in our area. If we are ever going to change the constant flow of unwanted, neglected and abused animals in Aiken County, it will have to be through education.

Their lives are in our hands.
By Kathy Cagle, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

Adoption, Volunteer

Volunteer Mr. Kennedy inspires new FOTAS program for shelter dogs

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Volunteer Bob Kennedy sits with timid one-year-old Lucy.
14
Oct

When Mr. Robert (Bob) Kennedy visits the Aiken County Animal Shelter each week, it makes everyone happier. He is a senior citizen who has become a valuable member of our volunteer family.

“His patience and gentleness put the dogs at ease and brings out their affection,” said Volunteer Kari Dawson-Ekeland. “He loves getting them to snuggle with him and most times they are fast asleep when I go check on him. The handful of kibble, water in the bowl and his calm voice all contribute to his positive influence. A shy dog is confident with him, and a silly dog is calm with him.”

Sadly, three years ago Mr. Kennedy’s wife passed away. When he speaks of their life together, it melts your heart. The couple met in seventh grade, married at 20 years old and raised three children together. Mr. Kennedy’s work moved his family around the world from France, Cape Town South Africa, Columbia, Dubai and more! They rescued dogs in other countries, making them part of their family. He talks about the street dogs that he and his wife took in while living in Dubai and brought back to the states with them.

Each dog they owned was different from Great Danes to Shepherds and Labradors. Their last dog, Poppy, just passed away this year. The sadness of losing his wife and his dog led him to helping shelter dogs.

When Mr. Kennedy came to the shelter, he knew he would not be able to walk the dogs. He has trouble at times and uses a walker for balance. The volunteers encouraged him to watch our dog playgroups as a way of getting involved.

However, everyone started to fall in love with Mr. Kennedy and found that he is more valuable with helping the shy, scared, or insecure dogs.  “He is so willing to sit with those dogs that need extra attention while they transition to the shelter,” said Volunteer Valerie Johnson. “It’s clear the difference he has made with many a dog. There is no mistake that he is a wonderful asset to FOTAS. He also leaves with a full heart and big smile with every visit. He is a treasure!”

We are always in need of caring, loving volunteers and we are hoping to expand our volunteer base to include more individuals that may not be physically able to handle the dogs.

If you are not able to walk dogs but you would like to spend time with them, please contact us and we will set up a time for you to come and sit with pets that need extra attention. This program, the “Mr. Kennedy Program,” will be by appointment. This way, we can make sure that an adoption room is open for you to come and spend an hour with a dog or two! Please contact us at fotasaiken.org to learn more. This program is available on weekday mornings between 9:00 and 11:00.

Their lives are in our hands.
By Kathy Cagle, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

Adoption, Home-to-Home adoption program

Need to give up a pet? Try Home to Home

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
07
Oct

This summer, a friend approached me with a problem. He needed to find a new family for a cat that had come into his household. The cat, Simon, belonged to his son, who had recently had a change in his living situation. Simon was a 4-year-old neutered male tabby who was not accustomed to living with other cats. My friend’s resident cats were not happy about their new roommate, and the feeling was mutual. Simon wasn’t getting the attention he desired, either. He needed a different situation.

I told my friend what I tell everyone who asks me about rehoming a pet: Try Home To Home™.  Home to Home is a national website that connects animals needing homes with people seeking pets. There is a local chapter here in Aiken managed by volunteers from Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS). People with an adoptable pet simply write a description and email it along with a picture or two to FOTAS.HOME-HOME.ORG.  FOTAS organizes all the listings before publishing them to their website, and they promote the local Home to Home adoptable animals on their Facebook page. The Aiken County Animal Shelter also keeps an updated book with all the Home to Home listings to show potential adopters who come to the shelter looking for a pet.  People seeking new pets can search the online listings just the way they might look on any pet adoption website. The entire service is free of charge, and there are no rehoming or adoption fees allowed. (Contrary to popular opinion, multiple studies have shown that charging a rehoming fee does not correlate with successful adoption or ensure that the pet is going into a good home.)

I knew about the Home to Home website, and I always thought it would be an excellent way for a pet to find a new family. It would certainly be better than surrendering a pet to the shelter, which is traumatic for the animal and his owners, and is difficult for the shelter too, which should be reserved for animals with no homes at all. But I had no idea if anyone would have any interest in Simon and I was skeptical. It was the height of kitten season and shelters were filled with adorable little fluff balls. Who would want an ordinary middle aged tabby cat who demanded to be the only cat in the home?

But I helped my friend by writing a description and sending in the pictures he gave me. That was on a Thursday. By Saturday, we had our first inquiry. By Tuesday we had three, all from local people who just wanted a nice cat to sit on their laps. The following Sunday, 10 days after I sent in Simon’s information, my friend and his son delivered the cat to his new home. They continued to get updates about him throughout the summer, and all of them, cats and people, are very satisfied. 

I am happy too. I have recommended the Home to Home website many times, but now I know that it really works. Many animal lovers can’t imagine giving up a pet, or act as though anyone who does is acting irresponsibly. But in the real world, there are times when it is better for everyone if an animal moves on to a place where he or she will be happy and loved. Home-to-Home can help that happen. 

Their lives are in our hands.

By Pam Gleason, Editor of The Aiken Horse

2023, Lost pets, microchipping

Here’s what to do if your pet goes missing…

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Some of the many lost pet flyers posted at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. On Oct. 14, County residents can get their pets microchipped for free to help them avoid losing their pets forever.
29
Sep

It is every pet owner’s fear that their dog or cat will vanish from their sight, yet it happens every day. A dog escapes through an open gate, an adventurous cat scurries out the front door, a scared dog wriggles out of his collar while being walked and runs off…there are so many ways this fear can become a reality.

If this nightmare does happen to you, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to locate your lost pet. If you act on them right away, your chances of reuniting with your lost pet are greatly improved.

  1. Contact the Aiken County Animal Shelter at (803) 642-1537. Be prepared to provide the following information:

    – Your name and telephone number
    – Where the pet went missing / was found (cross streets & city)
    – The date your pet went missing
    – Name, sex, age, size, color(s) and distinguishing marks
    – If your pet has a collar, state the color
    – Mention if your lost animal has a microchip

  2. Post your lost pet on your social media as well as the Aiken Pets Reunited Facebook page. Be sure to include the same information you provided to the shelter and a high-quality photo or two of your pet.
  3. Visit the County Animal Shelter (and other local animal shelters and rescue groups) to see if your pet is there… and keep checking. It may take a few days or even weeks before your animal is turned in.
  4. Put flyers up in front of your house and throughout your neighborhood. Many people drive around looking for the owner of an animal they’ve found. A large yard sign will help them locate you. Email or hand deliver flyers to your local shelters and rescues.
  5. Check with local workers. Be sure to alert your local postal workers, delivery drivers, bus drivers and garbage collectors. They are in the neighborhood daily and may spot your pet.

Microchip your pet for peace of mind
A tiny microchip could be the difference between losing your pet forever or getting them back home safe and sound. It is so essential, in fact, that FOTAS and the County Shelter are sponsoring a Free Aiken County Pet Microchipping Event on Saturday, Oct. 14, from noon to 2 p.m. If you live in Aiken County, you can bring your dog or cat to the County Animal Shelter, 333 Wire Road and get them microchipped for free (normal fee is $25 at the shelter). Dogs just need to be leashed and cats must be secure in carriers.

The chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is a permanent form of ID, registered to a recovery database that holds pet and owner information. It can be read by a scanner when the pet is found and brought to a shelter, rescue or veterinarian. The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades, and your pet won’t feel a thing. We will even register your information, give you an ID tag and take care of the paperwork. All you have to do is show up with your pet and their proof of rabies vaccination.

For more information about the Oct. 14 Free Aiken County Pet Microchipping Event, please call (803) 642-1537, option 3 or email info@FotasAiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2023, Adoption, Training

Free dog training session helps adopted pets get great start

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Certified Dog Trainer Karen DeCamp gives a free, one-hour training session to folks who adopt a dog from the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
21
Sep

When you adopt a puppy or dog from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, you receive a free training session for your new pet with Certified Professional Dog Trainer Karen DeCamp. She is the President of the Palmetto Dog Club and works closely with the dogs and FOTAS volunteers at the shelter every week.

Many dogs adopted from the County Animal Shelter do wonderfully right out of the gate. They get to their new home, fit in immediately and –with the minimum of growing pains – go on to live their best life and become a cherished member of the adopter’s family.

But sometimes there are some hiccups to address early on, while the shelter dog is adjusting to their new environment. That’s when DeCamp’s expertise and professional counsel are invaluable.

“It is so important to take time to put oneself in your dog’s place during the adoption experience!” DeCamp explained. “Their life has been turned upside down. First, when they were brought into the noisy, busy shelter environment and, again, when adopted by you. All of a sudden, they live in a new home with a new daily routine with new people and perhaps new animals. Like people, some dogs adapt to change more easily than others.”

In most cases, the training involves showing the adopters standard obedience techniques such as teaching their dog how to: heel and walk well on a leash; stop jumping up on people or furniture; sit on command; or follow proper housebreaking practices. But DeCamp also helps solve more complex behavioral challenges, such as a Welsh Foxhound with confidence issues and a shy, previously abused Staffordshire Terrier who was terrified of men.

In addition to receiving the one-hour training session, adopters are provided with DeCamp’s contact information so they can call and check in with her if they have questions or need additional training advice.

“Just like with people, each dog is an intelligent individual with different strengths and a unique personality,” DeCamp said. “In addition to resulting in a well-behaved companion to live with, obedience training improves your relationship with your new pet by increasing your communication with them.”

The free dog training session is just another benefit FOTAS provides to help ensure the adoption of your new pet is successful and as easy as possible. There are many amazing dogs at the shelter who desperately need homes. Each wonderful canine is just $35. If you are thinking of adding a new pet to your home, please stop by 333 Wire Road in Aiken or go to fotasaiken.org to see all the pets available for adoption.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2023, Foster, SOCIAL MEDIA, Volunteers

Power of social media saves Jax and Crystal

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Aiken stray Crystal (left) and her new sister, Remy, found each other through FOTAS’s social media platforms.
16
Sep

While young, pretty, fluffy dogs at the Aiken County Animal Shelter typically are adopted in short order, less stunning homeless canines with physical imperfections need time and help to get noticed.

Their positive qualities cannot be captured in a photo. Their stories need to be told and the right adopter has to be reached through social media and word of mouth. This requires close teamwork between FOTAS and the shelter, as well as lots of shares and likes on Facebook and Instagram.

Take Jax for example.

Nine-year-old, brown and white, mixed breed Jax arrived at the County Shelter in bad shape. He was starving and looked like a walking skeleton. He also had an old back leg injury, likely from being hit by a car, which caused him to limp. Fly bites had scarred his ears and he was full of fleas. The senior stray had the saddest eyes, but they brightened when people greeted him.

Jax found his forever home thanks to the power of social media and a network of fosters, volunteers and FOTAS friends.
Jax found his forever home thanks to the power of social media and a network of fosters,
volunteers and FOTAS friends.

Terrified at the shelter, Jax needed a calmer environment in which to decompress. Thankfully, FOTAS Volunteer Christine Harmel took Jax home to foster him and his sweet personality began to shine as he gained more confidence under her care.

Over the next month, we posted Jax all over our social media. Still, no one came to visit him. Then his luck changed. Debbie Roland, a local realtor, saw Jax online and shared his photo and story with her uncle Dennis in Pennsylvania. His dog had recently passed away and Jax was just the kind of dog he was looking for! FOTAS arranged Jax’s transport to Dennis and the sweet dog is now living his best life.

“This morning was the first day of school up here, so all the kids were at the bus stop during his morning walk,” Dennis said. “Of course, Jax had to greet every kid.”

Another homeless dog who benefited from social media is Crystal. This three-year-old, white 46-pound mixed breed needed a home with a fenced-in yard. A true gem, Crystal loves other dogs and playing in water. Crystal just has one so-called imperfection. She is deaf.

Even after weeks of posting a myriad of videos and photos of Crystal on social media, no one came to visit her. However, just as we were losing hope of adopting her out, the right person saw Crystal on Instagram. Faye Brothers, a woman with a deaf dog in need of a friend, saw a video of Crystal shared by her daughter. When Faye learned Crystal was deaf, she knew she was the dog for her family. FOTAS arranged Crystal’s travel to Faye’s home in upstate New York and now this amazing stray and her new canine sister, Remy, are besties!

There are other homeless pets at the shelter just like these two special dogs – animals that need extra support and promotion to ensure they get good homes. Please follow FOTAS on Facebook and Instagram and share our posts with your friends. With one click, you just might save a homeless pet’s life.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director