This is the story of my husband, Buddy — an emotional support human in every sense of the phrase — who volunteers at FOTAS, the Aiken County Animal Shelter. About a year ago, he started spending time with the dogs and cats there, simply sitting with them, talking to them, and giving them the gentle attention they often never knew they needed.
It’s amazing how much a little kindness can change an overwhelmed or frightened animal. Some come in unsure of people, unsure of the shelter, unsure of themselves. Buddy meets them where they are. Many begin their first visit pressed against the door, scared and uncertain.
But slowly, they thaw. Week after week, he sits quietly, offers treats, plays a little, and lets them set the pace. Before long, the same dogs who once trembled in the corner are pulling me out of their kennels and trotting happily to Buddy’s room, tails wagging like little metronomes keeping time with their excitement. They know it’s Buddy Time, and they’re all in.
And here’s the sweetest part: Buddy gets just as much joy from these moments as the animals do. Loving a cat or dog — and being loved back — is a happiness that knows no limits. Those four to six hours he spends at the shelter each week? They’re his favorite hours of all.
Like Champ. He was a challenge even getting through a door, and now look at him — sitting on the couch getting loves.
Or his best friend, Fred. Fred wants nothing more in the world than a lap to cuddle up on, and as you can see, he is in his happy place, too.
If you’re someone who loves cats or dogs and has a few hours to spare, I hope you’ll consider joining him. Just reach out to the Aiken County Animal Shelter at info@fotas.com to ask about volunteering. I promise you won’t regret it.
I hope to see you there — maybe during Buddy Time.
To volunteer with FOTAS please email us at fotasaiken.org.
Their Lives Are In Our Hands.
by Letty Dempsey, FOTAS volunteer