Category Archives: 2020

2020, adopter feedback, Adoption, Dogs, FOTAS, kittens, News

Happy Tails and Adoption Success Stories Reflect the Holiday Spirit

Posted on by Bob Gordon
04
Jan

Our final column for this year celebrates happy “tails” and dreams come true. We thank our volunteers, fosters, donors and adopters for giving these homeless animals a second chance at a great life.

Here are emails received from recent adopters:

AJ (left) and his new best buddy, Lucy.

Rottweiler AJ comes out of his shell
AJ (who my kids have renamed Bubba) is doing great! He made an instant friend with our other dog, Lucy, who is a Black Lab/American Bull mix. He’s come out of his shell quite a bit, but we still have work to do there. He’s a quick learner and is already great with the sit, stay, and paw commands. Bubba is also an excellent guard dog. We love that and feel loved by him as he’s showing us that he’s protecting his pack.

Jarrod Fothergill

Kitty Carly is adjusting well to her new home
Carly is doing great. Eating well. Behaves for the most part, besides being energetic and climbing the curtains. But we just play with her more when she gets so frisky. She has adjusted well and we’re happy to have added her to our family!

Amanda Watson

Winnie stays close to her new sister.

Winnie is adorbs and the kids love her
Allison, who we renamed Winnie, has quickly blended into the family and made herself at home. She gets along with our elderly “grumpy old man” cat, which is no small feat. She also adores our three-year-old and loves to snuggle with her at naptime. She does enjoy chewing on the occasional shoe and stuffed animal, but the kids are learning to keep those out of her reach. We absolutely adore her!

Amanda Hammond

Pampered Bridget got the home she needed
Bridget is doing wonderfully! We love her so much! She’s gotten so spoiled; my son lets her sleep with him, and she loves it!

Lindsay Hammett

Bridget and her new family at home.

Pascal aka Charlie loves everyone he meets
We’ve changed Pascal’s name to Charlie, and he is doing great! He’s playful and still has puppy tendencies such as chewing, but we are working on that. He loves everyone and every other animal he meets. He’s a joy!

Lori McCormack

Charlie aka Pascal: happy in his new home.

Mayhem is just another name for perfection
Mayhem and our other cat, Monster, got along from the start – and now they’re inseparable. He talks to us all the time and is a bundle of purrs. He’s probably one of the cuddliest kittens I’ve ever had. He’s using his litter box and scratching post well, so behavior wise everything is perfect.

Ann Bryson-Eldridge

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2020, Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, News, Pibbles

Christmas Miracle: Fate Brings Family and Dogs Together

Posted on by Bob Gordon
28
Dec

Sometimes things happen that cannot be explained. My wife, Jennifer, and I recently experienced such an event.

About 15 months ago we adopted Meadow, a white Pitbull mix, from the Aiken County Animal Shelter. We had just lost our favorite dog and wanted to honor him by adopting a dog from the shelter that nobody wanted. Meadow was about 5 years old and overbred. Everyone passed her kennel at the shelter without even looking at her.

We were concerned how our two male dogs would respond to a new female dog entering their lives. We also have horses and didn’t know how Meadow would react to them.

Meadow (left) and Chloe are best buddies.

The dogs accepted her, and she soon became the boss. On her first day, we brought our horse, Bruno, into the barn and introduced him to Meadow. We held our collective breaths when, suddenly, Bruno began to groom Meadow like horses groom each other. We had never seen a horse groom a dog! The grooming sessions became a daily ritual. Since then, Meadow and Bruno have been featured in the paper, our local Channel 12, and the story went viral on Facebook.

Meadow is a star; maybe the best dog we’ve ever owned.

The story doesn’t end there. Sadly, one of our male dogs passed away from cancer this past summer, and Jennifer was determined to adopt another dog in his honor.

This is where the plot thickens. In late November, we adopted two-year old Chloe from the shelter who, like Meadow, is a slightly smaller, overbred, white Pitbull mix. Like Meadow, she has the same soft coat and black spots subtly spread over her body. But, unlike Meadow, Chloe has a stunning black circle around one of her eyes. Except for that black spot, it’s hard to tell them apart.

Meadow and Chloe have become best buddies. They play together, cuddle, constantly kiss each other, and are inseparable. Like Meadow, Chloe immediately commandeered a spot on the most comfortable chairs and couches. Like Meadow, Chloe refused her crate and insists on sleeping on our bed.

Like Meadow, Chloe insists on sleeping on the bed.

They have many of the same habits, traits, and characteristics. We have begun to think maybe it’s more than a coincidence.

Think about it! Meadow was overbred; we know she had several litters of puppies, but we don’t know what happened to any of them. Could it be? Was it fate or some higher power that had us adopt Meadow 15 months ago? Was it fate or some higher power that brought Chloe and Meadow together this past November?

Who’s to say? So, we have made our own happy determination: Chloe is Meadow’s daughter.

That’s our Christmas story and we’re sticking to it! How lucky are we to have three, loving, goofy, happy, affectionate Pitbull mixes to make our home a joyful place? Maybe it’s time for your family to adopt the first, the second, or even a third dog and share that Christmas joy. You won’t be sorry.

FOTAS wishes you and your family a Happy Holiday Season. This year the shelter, once again, saved more than 4,000 animals, thanks to our community’s support. Thank you and God bless.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Peter Miller, FOTAS Volunteer

2020, Cats, Dr. Lisa Levy, FIV positive felines, injured animals, neglected pets, News, surgeries

A Tale of Two Kitties: Greg and Torino

Posted on by Bob Gordon
22
Dec

I often wish that animals could talk, so they could tell us what happened to them.

Greg is a complete mystery. He is a big, handsome gray cat but his feet were a disaster when he arrived at the shelter. Three of his feet had big, red fleshy areas on the underside. After sedating him to get a better look, I could see one pad on each foot had split open and what I was looking at was the inside of his pad on the outside! The pad had tried to close around it, so this had been going on for some time.

Surgery was extensive. Two of the pads were toe pads, so it was easier and a better prognosis to remove the toe. He lost a toe on one front foot and one rear foot. The real problem was the other front foot, as that was the large pad he walks on. The excess tissue was removed and the pad sewed closed.

Torino quickly recovered from his surgery and was adopted shortly after becoming available at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

Unfortunately, pads do not heal well and I was worried about his recovery. As predicted, the surgery site opened again – twice! At that point, I just had to bandage it and let it heal on its own. This required weeks of bandage changes, but Greg was the most patient cat I have every dealt with. He is super affectionate, loves to be held and the whole staff loves him.

Greg tested positive for the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), so he needs to be an indoor-only cat. FIV positive cats can live with FIV negative cats if they get along since it is transmitted primarily by bite wounds. But since we don’t know if Greg gets along with other cats, and don’t want to take a chance of infecting another cat, we recommend he be adopted as an only cat.

Torino came into the shelter with the string from a “fuzzy dice” car ornament wrapped around his rear leg, cutting off the circulation. I had already left for the day so when Judith, my vet tech, called, I thought I would just be going in to sedate him and remove the string. But one look at his leg and I could tell the muscles of his leg were dead. Our only option was an emergency amputation. Dead muscles can quickly make an animal extremely sick.

We had no idea if Torino would be friendly and adoptable. If he was feral, he would not be a good candidate for the surgery as he would require antibiotics and follow-up care. What if we couldn’t get our hands on him the next day? I decided to give him a chance and go ahead with the surgery. The procedure went well and he recovered normally.

Young Xander Stefanakos spends time with Greg, a super affectionate FIV positive cat who needs a loving home.

The next day we could touch him but he cowered in the back of his kennel, preferring to be left alone. Amazingly, after three days, when Judith was cleaning his kennel, Torino rubbed his head against her hand and started purring. He became very loving and was adopted quickly after his recovery was complete.

Both of these cats defied the odds and will make great pets for their lucky adopters. Sometimes they just need to be given a chance. Torino is doing great in his new home and sweet Greg is still waiting to be adopted.

— By Dr. Lisa Levy, Aiken County Animal Shelter Veterinarian

2020, adopter feedback, Adoption, ANIMAL CRUELTY, Dogs, FOTAS, neglected pets, News

Stray Dog Toby Escapes Hard-Knock Life to Become Cherished Family Member

Posted on by Bob Gordon
17
Dec

Dogs living in animal shelters remind me of the iconic Broadway play, “Annie”. Early in the show, Annie and the other orphans sing, “It’s a hard-knock life.” With lyrics like “instead of kisses, we get kicked” you quickly learn that these girls, like shelter dogs, have experienced bad things in their lives but they still hope someone will love them.

Toby was just such a dog when a special “guardian angel” named Charlene found him. One February night, Charlene saw a dog with no collar walking in a parking lot by a busy road. Even though she was on her way to Church, she stopped to check on him. She returned later in the evening to take Toby home, but he was gone. Store workers told her the dog had been coming around since a man threw the little dog out of his car in their parking lot. For six weeks, Toby had been living on a few scraps the workers gave him and he was sleeping outside during the cold nights.

Toby relaxes at his forever home.

Charlene came back the next day and found Toby. When she put him in her car, he began shaking violently in fear. Charlene couldn’t keep Toby, but she tried to place him with friends. In the end, she took him to the Aiken County Animal Shelter. The FOTAS volunteers assured her he would be well cared for until a suitable owner could be found.

In the meantime, we were ready to adopt a dog into our family. We didn’t want a puppy, but we did need a smaller dog because of the size of our backyard. In early March, we met Toby shortly after he was brought to the shelter and we instantly fell in love. We proceeded with the adoption and posed for a picture to be placed on the FOTAS Facebook page. As luck would have it, a mutual friend saw the picture and told Charlene. We connected and she shared the sad story of how she found him. Her insight helped us to understand some of his anxiety issues.

Our first days with Toby were a learning curve. He didn’t know how to play with toys nor was he leash trained. His fear of other dogs and people left him shaking and very anxious.

Lyddie and Charlie Hansen adopt Toby.

A visit to Dr. Holly Woltz provided us with some tools to socialize Toby and help him live his best life. Today, Toby loves his daily walks. He nuzzles all of the dogs in the neighborhood and happily greets their owners. His favorite friend is Luna, a large black dog who is equally happy to see our little Puggle. As for toys, he loves to play fetch with his pink elephant!

The story of Toby culminates in much the same way as in the play when Annie sings with Daddy Warbucks, “I Don’t Need Anything but You”. Toby is in his forever home and brings us much joy. We even have his picture on this year’s Christmas card. He completes our family, and we are grateful to Charlene and our friends at FOTAS for bringing us together.

— By Lyddie Hansen, FOTAS Supporter

2020, Donate, donations, FOTAS, GivingTuesday, News, Where your donations go, Where your donations go

GivingTuesday: Please Consider Contributing to FOTAS on Dec. 1

Posted on by Bob Gordon
01
Dec

This Tuesday, Dec. 1, is a global day of giving – an opportunity for people to contribute to the greater good in support of charities that are important to them. GivingTuesday was started in 2012 and always takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. FOTAS is participating in this wonderful event and has a generous donor who will match donations up to $7,500.

Like most organizations, FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) have felt the negative impact of the 2020 pandemic. We had to suspend our big fundraising events this year due to the COVID-19 crisis. The annual FOTAS Playing Fore the Pets golf outing and Woofstock Doggie Derby Day are scheduled to carry on in 2021, but it hurt having to cancel them in 2020. With the pandemic causing such chaos, every dollar you donate is more important than ever and greatly appreciated.

FOTAS Programs Coordinator Kathy Jacobs comforts Roger, a scared Retriever mix , at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

Where your donations go
All FOTAS donations go directly to programs that help save the homeless pets at the ACAS.
Your donations pay for:
• Specialized surgery and physical rehab for adoptable dogs and cats who arrive abused, injured or sick

• Medical treatments such as those for heartworm positive dogs

• Medical equipment and facility improvements at the shelter

• Transports of shelter pets who are not locally adopted. to rescues in the northeast Without these transports, our shelter would be overcrowded and at risk of having to euthanize adoptable pets.

• Fenced-in play yards for incoming dogs

• Flea and tick treatment, leashes, toys collars, beds for the shelter animals

• Spay/neuter for community cats and pets whose owners need financial assistance

• Humane runners to get pet dogs of chains

• Food for community pets in need

• Adoption fees for active military and veterans

We are thankful to the Aiken community
The shelter took in more than 4,000 abandoned, neglected and abused animals last year and continues to receive high numbers of homeless pets in 2020.

KAI, a Siamese kitten, gets used to his cast after an operation that saved his leg. He is now being fostered by a FOTAS volunteer.

But thanks to your donations, the euthanasia rate at the ACA has dropped from 71% in 2013 to less than 5% in 2019. To put it another way, the save rate at the shelter is 95%, a complete turnaround from where we were when we started out 10 years ago. In fact, every adoptable animal has been saved over the last three years.

How to donate to the homeless pets at the county shelter
To donate to FOTAS, please go to our website, FOTASAiken.org. We are a volunteer-based organization and a registered 501c3 public charity and all donations are tax deductible. FOTAS is a recipient of the Secretary of State of South Carolina Angel Award – one of ten, out of 14,000 organizations, recognized as representing the most efficient and effective charities in SC.

Thanksgiving is a time to reach out. We give thanks to our community – volunteers, donors, adopters, the county council, and county staff – as we head into GivingTuesday to continue our life-saving programs.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2020, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, FOTAS Fido Fixers, News, Spay/Neuter, Where your donations go

FOTAS Fido Fixers Program: Combatting Overpopulation of Unwanted Animals

Posted on by Bob Gordon
01
Dec

FOTAS is all about improving the quality of life for the animals in the Aiken County Animal Shelter, increasing the adoptability of the shelter residents and of going the extra mile to find every adoptable animal a home—and it’s worked.

In only eleven short years, the FOTAS/County public/private partnership, coupled with the commitment of you, the Aiken community, has achieved our highest goal: for the past two years, every adoptable animal has been adopted into responsible, loving homes.

That’s right: every adoptable animal. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thank you for helping us make that happen.

But we do more than work on the demand side of the equation—we also work on the supply side to reduce the overpopulation of unwanted pets (and thus the number of animals consigned to the shelter). FOTAS supplements the County’s spay/neuter voucher program, which provides vouchers for citizens who need financial assistance to fix their pets. That program has been so successful that spay/neuter surgeries are sometimes booked two months out, making it hard to get an appointment.

Chestnut, like all of the ACAS’s adoptable pets, is already fixed to reduce overpopulation of stray pets in Aiken County.

Now we’ve added another weapon in our arsenal to combat animal overpopulation. Last year, FOTAS teamed up with Fido Fixers, a group from the Columbia Humane Society that travels all over the state in a mobile clinic offering low-cost spay/neuter surgeries. Colleen Timmerman, one of our board members and long-term FOTAS volunteer, organizes and schedules Fido Fixer events to provide affordable and convenient spay/neuter service in the Graniteville, Langley, Bath, and Clearwater areas.

Generally, FOTAS schedules 20-25 surgeries per month; if someone calls and the schedule is full for that month, they get moved to the next month’s schedule. And here’s the best part: FOTAS pays the full cost for those surgeries.

Our success in reducing overpopulation has been slow but steady over the past decade. Prior to 2009, the old shelter took in over 6000 animals per year. Last year the number was slightly north of 4000/year, which is still way too many.

There is only way to reduce the number of homeless animals, and that is: every single pet owner must spay or neuter their pets. No exceptions. Why would anyone add more unwanted puppies to the thousands of unwanted, homeless, abused, and neglected animals in the county? When there are so many healthy, wonderful animals in the shelter system just waiting to be loved?

Fido Fixers helps folks who need financial and other assistance to spay/neuter their pets. FOTAS pays for all of the surgeries done for County citizens at these monthly events.

Beats me. It makes no sense, particularly when FOTAS and the County have ways to help folks with the spay/neuter voucher and the Fido Fixer program.

So, please, fix your pets! Urge your family, friends, and neighbors to fix their pets, too. Think of all the misery that can be prevented. Think of all the taxpayer dollars used to care for those homeless animals that can be used for other purposes, like, say, public parks, better roads, play yards for schools—you name it.

For more information about the County’s spay/neuter voucher program or Fido Fixer, please call the County Shelter at (803) 642-1537 or the FOTAS Hotline at (803) 514-4313. Alternatively, you can email us at info@fotasaiken.com.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

2020, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, News

Fostering Can Make a Big Difference in a Shelter Dog’s Life

Posted on by Bob Gordon
24
Nov

So, you are ready to foster a homeless pet but you’ve got some questions. No worries. Let me answer some of them for you. In my experience, the following are common questions new fosters have before diving into the experience of nurturing and socializing a pet and preparing him for adoption.

Foster a dog? Are you kidding? How do I then let the dog go? Just like sending a child off to the next step – you’ve kept that child safe, well fed, even a bit spoiled. Fostering dogs is the same. Off they go – and because you fostered, the dog is so much easier to adopt because it’s calmer, loved, and nurtured. Even a week makes a difference!

Betty Ryberg in the middle of foster playtime.

How does the process start? Kathy Jacobs from the Aiken County Animal Shelter gives support, instruction and helpful hints. Once you have decided to foster, your name is added to the list. When an email is sent and it’s a convenient time for you, she will describe and assign your foster friend. There is no pressure. If you are out of town or have a hectic schedule just wait for another time.

But I have a dog. How does that work out? After the initial sniffing and doggie introductions, they all seem to adjust. The foster cavorts around the yard picking up our dog’s scents. They start to frolic, chase, hide, play. Most importantly they wear each other out. I can happily enjoy early morning coffee or afternoon tea while they romp. A good night’s sound sleep always follows. Who doesn’t need a playmate?

Where can I keep the foster? Any space that is safe. A secure fenced yard is lovely. And when you walk your leashed dog you will be surprised how many neighbors you will meet. At night, an inside area of a garage, a porch, laundry or mud room is good. The shelter has crates, towels and toys if you have an area that you want to keep the dog cordoned off at night.

What if the dog cries at night? Just like the advice with a colicky new baby – turn on music, a fan, anything that cushions you. The dog is safe. That is of utmost importance. The next morning, the exuberant greeting wipes out any middle of the night nerves.

What if I get unexpectedly called away? There is a large support group at the shelter. The dog is quickly picked up. Life happens and this is meant to be comforting to you and the dog. The dog is placed in another foster home and you are free to attend to your needs.

Betty R. nurturing, socializing and loving a shelter dog at her home in Aiken.

How long do the fosters stay? An email is sent when there are dogs that can be fostered, and your dog can be picked up when it is convenient for you. We usually foster for 5-6 days. Often the noise of the shelter frightens a dog, so they immediately respond to a calmer home. We have often fostered two compatible dogs, finding they play and exercise in the daytime and comfort each other at night.

Again – how hard is the drop off? There is time for hugs and quick slobbery goodbyes. Just keep the words, “They’ll be fine and dandy” in your heart. You gave them a wonderful vacation and training ground for happy futures and forever families!

More than 4,000 animals are received annually at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. To save every adoptable animal, FOTAS diligently tries to comfort each animal so they are readily adoptable. I write a “profile” with specific information about the foster to ease the adoption process. The dog may be shy or playful, plays well with children and other animals, walks well on a leash – this gives the new families a glimpse of matching their hopes for a pet with the personalities and behavior of the adoptable dogs. I try to write about the dogs’ personalities so the match is immediate and a success.

We had a young dog who was extremely timid and easily frightened. He did not even know how to play. After three days, he picked up a chew toy and took it to his bed. On day four, he let us hold him. Overnight he became a tail wagging, spirited dog. He was ready for his forever family. We made a difference.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Betty Ryberg, Cherished FOTAS Foster Mom

2020, adopter feedback, Adoption, coronavirus crisis, Dogs, FOTAS, kittens, News, Veterans

FOTAS Provides Complimentary Adoptions to Veterans Year-Round

Posted on by Bob Gordon
13
Nov

This Wednesday, November 11th is Veterans Day. Held on the anniversary of the end of World War I, it is an important holiday that honors U.S. veterans and thanks them for serving our country.

FOTAS 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, So, we launched a veterans adoption program on Veterans Day, 2015. At first, we only offered discounts during November and then we offered half-price adoptions for veterans and active military throughout the year. But in 2018, FOTAS decided to make it possible for U.S veterans and active U.S. military personnel to adopt a dog or cat from the Aiken County Animal Shelter for no charge, year-round.

Mason Lamb cuddles with kitten Calli.

“Now, every day is Veterans Day at the County Animal Shelter,” said FOTAS President Jennifer Miller. “It is our small way to show gratitude to the men and women who serve our country and make sacrifices to protect and defend our freedoms.”

Veteran John Corda and his wife adopted Paislee, a senior Bassett Hound mix, last month and were surprised when they were told FOTAS was paying the adoption fee.

“It’s a great program that needs to be promoted more,” John said. “I told my friends about it and let them know the whole experience at the shelter was wonderful and how happy we are with our new pet.”

Larry and Esperanza Lamb just adopted a Calico kitten from the County Shelter and benefitted from the FOTAS veteran/military adoption program. Larry is in the reserves, so the family’s adoption of little Calli was paid for by FOTAS.

“Calli and my 3-year-old son are inseparable,” Esperanza said. “We knew about the veteran special when we went to look for a pet. I think it is a really good program. I know the animals need the homes and I think the veterans appreciate the generosity. It’s nice to be appreciated for what you do.”

The Cordas adopt senior Bassett Hound mix Paislee. FOTAS paid for the adoption to thank John Corda, a U.S. veteran, for his service.

It is always rewarding when pets in need bring joy to their adopters, and the veteran/military adoption program has resulted in many successful match-ups.

“Sable and Shadow are sleeping right under my feet as we speak,” said veteran Jerry Hufnagel, who adopted two senior Pomeranians, Sable and Shadow, from the ACAS in August. “They’ve been really good companions during this time I’ve had to stay in because of COVID-19. They are always nearby me, keeping me company.”

If you are currently active in the military or a veteran, please take advantage of your complimentary adoption. Make an appointment to visit one of our homeless pets by calling the ACAS at (803) 642-1537. The ACAS is nearly at full capacity and these pets are desperate to find loving homes soon.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2020, Cats, coronavirus crisis, Dogs, Dr. Lisa Levy, FOTAS, neglected pets, News, Volunteer, Volunteers

What Are the Rewards of Volunteering at the ACAS? Happiness, Peace and Great Exercise

Posted on by Bob Gordon
09
Nov

What makes Monday the best, most rewarding day of the week? It’s the day I volunteer at the Aiken County Animal Shelter!

People often ask: Isn’t it sad? Don’t you want to adopt every animal? Aren’t you concerned about bringing diseases home to your own pets? Can walking a dog or playing with a kitten really make a difference? The answers: No, No, No and YES!

Volunteer Jeri Wesner spends some quality time with sweet Hudson after a walk.

The most important thing to know is that the Aiken County Animal Shelter is a clean, bright and happy place. For some residents, it is the first time they have known consistent shelter and regular nutritious meals. Every animal has its own safe space, a comfortable bed, at least two toys and regular walks or playtimes. Dr. Lisa Levy, the Shelter veterinarian, makes sure every animal is vaccinated and healthy before being placed on the adoption floor where volunteers first encounter them.

It is an extraordinary experience to see a previously abused and frightened animal sitting on the lap of a volunteer, learning to walk on a leash, learning to play with people and other animals and then departing for a forever home. Without the socialization – and fun! – volunteers provide, it is unlikely some of these animals would ever be adopted.

Not all volunteers work directly with animals. Some staff the front desk, answering the phone and helping adoptive families find their perfect match. Some sew much-needed blankets at home or make toys or help with cheery landscaping. Others staff events or solicit items new pet owners may need. A wide variety of skills are needed. All are efficiently and effectively used. All are genuinely appreciated.

FOTAS Volunteer Peggy Glenn and Lab mix Zeus enjoy each other’s company at the shelter.

Almost 5,000 animals pass through the Shelter each year. For some, opportunities are limited. If an animal is afraid of men or children or members of a particular ethnic group, fewer homes can consider them. This is where volunteers come in. The Shelter is in need of all kinds of volunteers, especially men and minorities. Sometimes just a few walks or playtimes with a kind volunteer can make all the difference. If you can spare a few hours in the morning, afternoon or on weekends, won’t you consider volunteering?

The pandemic is making things worse for animals in our community. Some owners are sick or can no longer afford their pets. Some volunteers are quarantining. The Shelter is one of the safest places you can volunteer. Activities are outside. Social distancing is scrupulously observed. Hand sanitizer is always available. Masks are required if entering a building.

So, what do I get out of it? Joy. Happiness. Peace. Great exercise. Tips from professional trainers I use with my own pets. Wonderful friends I would not have known otherwise. And the satisfaction of knowing that together we saved many more animals than if we had tried to adopt them ourselves! Not once have I ever felt my time was wasted. How often can any of us say that?

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Peggy Glenn, FOTAS Volunteer