By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

“Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.” – Karen Davison, Author & Dog Trainer

Our dearest Ricky,

You were the handsomest dog in the shelter by far: all white with a buff colored triangle on your forehead, a devilish look in your eyes, and vibrating with pent-up energy. Your dad and I thought long and hard about taking you home, not because of the devilish look in your eyes (although in retrospect, perhaps we should have paid more attention to that), but because we were barely a family ourselves and nervous about taking on the responsibility.

In the end, we did adopt you, and it was the best decision we ever made. You made us laugh, you made us love, and you made us a family. Over the next 13 years, despite the countless hours we spent searching for you in the woods, by the river, at the dairy farm and even in the backyards of a suburban neighborhood in the middle of the night while you tormented a skunk; despite the multitude of apologies to our forbearing neighbors for stampeded cows, an expertly excavated hole under a pheasant coop and the missing, prize Chinese pheasants, and untold numbers of traumatized barn cats; despite the small fortune we spent on a state-of-the-art electric fence that couldn’t contain you; and despite the time we spent with you in obedience and remedial obedience classes, we loved you more each day. You will always be our most beloved Valentine.

Your two devoted humans

Dear most worthy humans,

I can’t say I remember the first time you came to the shelter, because there was a lot going on there with my new pals – like who could bark the loudest and the longest without stopping, which modestly speaking, I would have won paws down but for Sparky the terrier in the next aisle. See, in my past life, I had been chained to a stake in a yard, so the shelter was okay by me: two square meals, a warm place to sleep, and lots of friends.

I do remember when you took me for a walk around the play yard that first time. I loved the soft sound of your voice, the way your shoes smelled, and the way you scratched behind my ears in just the right spot. When you took me home, I confess to being a tiny bit worried there was a back yard and a chain waiting for me. Then you gave me my very own wubba, a blanket by the fire and a spot on the end of the bed, and I knew I was the luckiest dog on earth.

Whoa! Did we have fun or what over the next 13 years or what? While it’s true I had a nose for adventure after being chained up for so long, I always came back to you – every single time (except for that one unfortunate incident when you had to bail me out of the city pound for treeing that blasted cat – hardly worth mentioning now).  Plus, no matter what time I came home or how bad I smelled, you never left me outside by myself, and that meant the world to me.

You are the only humans I ever loved. If I knew what a Valentine was, believe me, you’d be mine.

Your adoring Ricky

Adopt the love of your life at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Remember, their lives are in our hands.

God Bless you and your family, and Happy Valentine’s Day.

PETS OF THE WEEK

DANTE   Male, American bull dog, 3 years old, 64 lbs — $70.00

BRADY   Male, Domestic short hair, 1 year old, 9 lbs — $35.00

By Joanna Dunn Samson, Vice President of FOTAS

An emaciated black lab mix chained to a stake lies in the mud – a dirty, dry water bowl overturned out of reach.  A small female pit bull trembles on a tether attached to a dilapidated shed with a chain so short she can barely get out. Two dogs chained to stakes on a 97°day in a yard with no trees or shelters for shade and no access to water pant uncontrollably in a futile attempt to cool down. A mixed terrier breed staggers under the weight of a heavy chain wrapped and locked around her neck, which is scabbed and raw from jawbone to chest. These dogs are chained to stationary objects 24/7 with no relief, no exercise and no company.

Twenty-one states across the country have enacted some form of anti-tethering or anti-chaining laws for dogs (South Carolina is not one of them).  Although the details of these laws vary from state to state, they share the same basic prohibition: it is unlawful to tie or chain a dog to a stationary object except for brief periods of time. The chain must be sufficiently long to allow the dog to move freely, and the dog must have free access to shelter and water.

It’s a miserable existence, attached to a chain every second of every day for your entire life. Dogs are social animals; they thrive in a pack, whether it be a pack of humans or a pack of dogs or a combination of both. A tethered dog with limited contact to people or other animals and no opportunity to run and play becomes mentally unstable from loneliness and anxiety and physically impaired from lack of exercise. Sometimes that instability expresses itself in a dull, lifeless, dispirited dog; sometimes the instability expresses itself in aggression.

Plus, a dog can easily choke to death if its tether gets tangled in debris or if the dog attempts to escape. I am haunted by the horrific photographs of dead dogs hanging by their necks over a fence or railing.

Yes, chaining a dog to a fixed object all the time is cruel, yet most of the people who chain their dogs are good folks who simply lack the resources, ability or information to make a different choice for their dog. In many cases that’s all they’ve ever known.

Here’s some good news: FOTAS and the SPCA Albrecht Center are collaborating on an exciting new community initiative called Fences4Fido, through which we will build humane fencing for selected Aiken County families in need that currently contain their dogs through tethering and/or chaining or allow their dogs to roam at large. Through this initiative, we hope to educate the public regarding the dangers of chaining and tethering, the need to create a safe, secure space for their dogs, and the joy of making their dogs a real member of the family. Our first fence build is scheduled for February 28, 2015.

Please join us in this effort. Do you or someone you know in the community need a fence? Call us at the FOTAS hotline – (803) 514-4313.

Donate funds to build the fence through Crowdrise CLICK  HERE

Volunteer and help us build the fence, or loan us your fence-building equipment, like a post-hole digger, for the day. Call or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com.

Whatever you decide to do, please don’t wait. Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

In 2013 & 2014, FOTAS organized & paid for 935 spay/neuter surgeries

PETS OF THE WEEK

BELINDA     Female, American bulldog, 5.5 months old, 21 lbs    $70

BENTLEY    Male, tabby, 8 months old, 7.8 lbs     $35