Category Archives: 2022

2022, Adoption, Volunteer

The long, hot, busy dog days of Summer

Posted on by Bob Gordon
15
Jul

The summer months are nerve-wracking at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, and this summer is no exception. Dogs are doubled and tripled-up in the kennels due to extraordinarily high owner-surrenders. We recently heard a shelter in Georgia is euthanizing adoptable animals because they ran out of space. That is our constant nightmare, but FOTAS volunteers and shelter staff are working double-time to avoid that outcome in Aiken.

Last Saturday began at 9:00 a.m. with the monthly FOTAS-sponsored pet food assistance drive. Cars were already lined up before we opened, and by 10 a.m., FOTAS had supplied food for more than 100 pets whose owners simply needed a little help. No owner should ever have to surrender their pet to the shelter because they can’t afford food—not if we can help it.

At 10:00 a.m., our “Dog Ears Listening” event began, which FOTAS sponsors with the Aiken County Library. Young school-age children come to the shelter with their parents and read to the dogs in kennels. It’s amazing how quiet the dogs get as the children read to them. I’m not sure who enjoys the event more: the kids, the dogs, the parents, or the FOTAS volunteers who supervise the program.

Simultaneously, in the outside yards, staff and volunteers were managing play groups of selected dogs as part of our “Dogs Playing for Life” program. Dogs are social animals, and this play time is critical for their physical and mental health, and a happy, relaxed dog is a more attractive adoption prospect.

After play groups wrapped up, the obedience training began, where volunteers, under the guidance of trainer Jennifer Jotblad, teach the dogs basic commands to make them more adoptable. Dogs who have been at the shelter the longest get the most attention. One such dog, Lady, has become a star. Volunteer Malia Koelker takes Lady in her car for doggie-day outings, taking her to Hopeland Gardens and treating her to chicken nuggets at McDonalds. Lady loves the car and next week, if she is not adopted, will go to an offsite adoption event at Dover Saddlery.

At 11:00 the shelter doors officially open for adoptions. The shelter is participating in the “Pick Me” South Carolina adoption event, where shelters across the state waive or reduce adoption fees. I was pleased to see potential adopters come through the door. It also made my day to see a new foster pick up a dog—we always need more fosters.

Then a good Samaritan pulled up with two dogs he found on the street. Both dogs were microchipped, and the kind gentleman agreed to drive the dogs to home. Love those happy endings!

I then had the pleasure of catching up with volunteer Joanne Goble. Joanne had moved to Maryland in 2020 to be close to her family. Although she loved Maryland, she loved volunteering for FOTAS even more. She recently moved back to Aiken and has resumed her volunteer duties at the shelter. How cool is that?

FOTAS and the county staff are working overtime during these hot days to make sure no adoptable animal must be euthanized on our watch, but we need your help. Please adopt, volunteer, foster, and donate.
Their lives are in our hands.

By Jennifer Miller, FOTAS President

2022, Adoption, Dogs

We found our new best friend at the Aiken County Shelter

Posted on by Bob Gordon
07
Jul

Last May, I received a diagnosis that would require either arthroscopic or replacement surgery to correct. I knew it in my heart when I had to give up jogging due to the pain, but now it was named and clouds of gloom filled the not-so-distant future. I reluctantly forfeited my other sports and bitterly sold my riding horse and trailer. When my retired senior horse had to be put down, my bruised heart felt the loss even more keenly when stacked upon all the others. 

My sweet and supportive fiancé Jeremy suggested that we not wait for joy to find us, but hunt the elusive spirit down. What about getting a dog?


Well… I would be working from home more. We did have a fine fenced backyard. Our cats would adjust, wouldn’t they?

It was never a question: we would adopt. The shelters and rescues are overwhelmed with unwanted animals. Both of us had fond memories of family dogs in our homes when we were kids, but neither of us had owned or trained a dog as an adult. We would be ill equipped to handle a dog with significant emotional or physical health problems, but we trusted the staff at the Aiken County Shelter to guide us.

We were drawn to Jeter because of his friendly doggy grin and direct gaze at the camera in his photo on their website. He was clearly part Pit Bull with his beautiful brindle color and boxy head. He was two years old, an ideal age for us because he was housebroken and trained to walk on a leash, but still had youthful puppy-like energy.

When we met him at the shelter, Jeter leapt into Jeremy’s lap like he was a long-lost friend. I knew we had found “our” dog. No way could we send him back to his kennel! He was coming home with us, and his enthusiasm was a balm for my beleaguered spirit.

Once home, he took on the job of looking after us both, following Jeremy from room to room and then dashing off to quickly check on my whereabouts if I wasn’t in his line of sight. He was very affectionate, hardly barked, and happily slept in a crate. He snuggled endearingly with both of us, a 66-pound lapdog.

Our big concern was how he and our two cats would coexist. The shelter sent us home with instructions for introducing new dogs to resident cats. We followed them very carefully and so far have been successful with controlled interactions with minimal stress.

“Jeter” has a new name, Atticus, and we have a house that’s a little messier, but our hearts are more joyful. While horses and cats have always been our main companions, “Atti” has been teaching us the wisdom of the saying, “Dogs are man’s best friend,” and it’s clear how much we needed each other.

Written by Kendra DeKay with Jeremy McCoy

FOTAS note: The shelter is over capacity and there are so many more wonderful dogs at the County Shelter who desperately need loving homes. Like Jeter, they just need a chance to prove what great companions they can be. All this week – through Saturday, July 17 – we will be participating in a statewide adoption event called Pick Me! SC. During this period, the shelter will offer significant discounts and, in many instances, waive adoption fees.

2022, Adoption, Doggie Day Out, Volunteer

Doggie daters needed now more than ever at the County Shelter

Posted on by Bob Gordon
02
Jul

When the County shelter is full, as it has been most of this spring and early summer, the stress level for the dogs rises considerably. The adoption floor is louder with barks and howls, and the dogs become amped up, needing to relieve their anxiety by going on more walks, running in the play yard or spending quality quiet time on the couch with a volunteer.

But even these on-site activities don’t allow them to find complete relief from the pressure of living among so many other confused and scared homeless pets. They crave a brief escape. They need to get out of Dodge. See new sites. Meet new people.

How? By going on a date with a County resident.

Krysta Buchholz and her young son took seven-year-old, 60-pound mixed breed Gwyneth out on a date and took selfies and other photos to post on Facebook

Krysta Buchholz with Gwyneth during her Doggie Day Out.

“We had a fun doggie date!” Buchholz said. “She was promised snow cones but Pelican’s was way too busy, so we opted for a nature walk! It was a little difficult getting her in and out of the car, but overall she did well! “

Tiffany Stapleton and her young son, Brooks also enjoyed their separate dates with shelter dogs Scout and Lex.

“I read about FOTAS Doggie Days Out online and thought it would be great for the kids and a way to help out,” Stapleton said. “We took Lex out to Citizens Park and then to Chick-fil-A for lunch.” Early on, the six-year-old Retriever mix, hopped from the back seat to the front seat, excited but unsure of what to do in a car. But by the time they made their return to the shelter, Lex was more relaxed and cozied up to Brooks in the back seat.

“I think the program is very valuable to the dogs and teaches the kids responsibility and patience,” Stapleton added. “It also exposes the dogs to new experiences and social situations, which prepares them for their eventual home.”

The dogs always come back from their Doggie Dates happier and more relaxed. They often go back to their kennels exhausted and ready to get some much-needed sleep.

If you can help by taking a dog on a day out or even a sleepover, stop by the shelter, 333 Wire Road, or call 803.642.1537, option 3. It’s fun, easy and gives the dogs the break they need!

Their lives are in our hands.

– By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2022, Adoption, FOTAS, Have a Heart, Save a Heart, Heartworms

FOTAS heartworm treatment program saves shelter dog lives

Posted on by Bob Gordon
Heartworm positive dog Stevie Licks is loving her new home and family.
07
Apr

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month, a time to improve knowledge of heartworm disease and promote early diagnosis and treatment.

Heartworm is only contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito; therefore, an infected dog cannot transmit the disease to either people or other pets. However, because infected mosquitoes can come inside, be aware that indoor pets are also at risk.

Heartworm positive Gage and his new dad.

The FOTAS “Have a Heart, Save a Heart” program provides treatment for our adoptable dogs infected with heartworms. Since we launched the program, we have saved more than 1,000 dogs that tested positive for heartworms but were otherwise healthy and adoptable.

Unfortunately, heartworm infection is common in this area. The warmer weather makes dogs more susceptible to being bitten by mosquitos and the infection getting transferred into their bloodstream and heart. It is easily prevented with prescribed monthly chewable pills, but you only have to miss one month to make your dog vulnerable to infection. Heartworm disease is very curable but the medication for treating it is not cheap. That’s why giving your dog monthly heartworm preventative is so important.

Of course, when a dog is neglected or surviving on the streets as a stray, preventative isn’t available to the animal. So, many of the dogs that arrive at the Aiken County Animal Shelter are heartworm positive.

In the past, these wonderful dogs would have been euthanized because the County didn’t have the funds to treat them. However, thanks to our donors, FOTAS is able to pay for the treatment of every heartworm positive dog on the adoption floor.

So far this year, we have already adopted out 35 heartworm positive dogs. They are all doing well and should be heartworm free after completion of their treatment.

Here are just a few testimonials from recent adopters:

“We love Thatcher and he’s doing great,” said Erin Baird. “He’s getting along well with people and other dogs. He’s working hard on his manners and come really far. Very smart and eager to please. We are continuing his heartworm treatment and he is doing great healthwise.”

“Gage has acclimated very nicely & has become a great playmate with our goldens,” said David Tavernier. “We love him dearly.” 

“Penny, who we’ve renamed Stevie Licks, is settling in just great,” said Sarah Roudsari. “We adore her, and she is so wonderful with the kids. She’s lit a spark in our two older doggie boys, and the whole house is filled with a new energy!”

For more information on heartworm prevention, please email info@fotasaiken.org. You can also donate to the FOTAS “Have a Heart, Save a Heart” Fund at fotasaiken.org to help treat heartworm positive dogs at the County Animal Shelter.

Their lives are in our hands.

– By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2022, Adoption, Children, Donate, donations

FOTAS inspired by students’ enthusiasm to help homeless pets

Posted on by Bob Gordon
Adoptable dog Sophia enjoys a warm welcome from students at Gloverville Elementary School.
30
Mar

Our education programs are back! We are visiting schools, meeting students, parents and teachers. This is so important when you see the numbers of homeless pets that come to the Aiken County Animal Shelter each day. We need to educate more young people in our community about responsible pet ownership. They are our future leaders and animal advocates.

Starting with the youngest, we’ve been lucky enough to be included in programs at local preschools.

Aiken’s First Baptist Preschool invited us to meet with their students and bring an adoptable dog with us. The children loved having the furry visitor and held a month-long donation collection for the shelter pets. Their kindergarteners delivered the items to the shelter at the end of the month and brought along their reading books, too! They spent time reading to the shelter dogs and making it such a joyful day!

We also visited Trinity United Methodist Preschool with a shelter dog for Pet Week. Their sweet students gave us pet food donations and made a lovely picture for the shelter.

Our most recent school visits occurred on the same day and let me tell you, it was a memorable one.

Each year, the Gloverville Elementary School Beta Club holds a collection for items from our shelter’s Wish List. I was invited to bring a dog and meet with these students. The students had great questions and were all super respectful young people. The students will be coming to the shelter in May to read to the dogs. Such a treat for our homeless pets!

Byrd Elementary, which has always shown its support to the shelter, has been going through a difficult time. One of their beloved teachers, Dana Foster, was murdered on Feb. 16. The entire school felt an incredible loss. What did they do to honor her? They collected items to help shelter pets because their teacher and friend was a big supporter and loved four-legged friends. Shelter Manager Bobby Arthurs and I were invited to pick up the items and we were overcome by their generosity. We brought along adoptable Sophia who gave hugs to some of the students who just couldn’t hold back their tears that day.

Our older students have also been pretty amazing!

Tall Pines Stem Academy has sent many students over to read to dogs as well as take part in our Doggy Day Out program. Students and their families have been taking shelter dogs to the park, for car rides and visits to Starbucks.

Mead Hall students from their Interact Club invited me to come and speak with their group. They were such amazing young people who wanted to help! Some group members came and helped us with our Community Pet Food Drive-Thru just a couple of weeks ago.

We also have been lucky enough to be part of a program at the Aiken Scholars Academy on the last Friday of each month, Furry Friends Friday. Volunteers bring adoptable dogs to meet the students and they are welcomed with such love!

Hound mix Scooter (who’s since been adopted) visits Aiken Scholars Academy.
Hound mix Scooter (who’s since been adopted) visits Aiken Scholars Academy.

Sometimes we forget how powerful children are and how much they can change the world. Over the past few months. I have had the privilege of meeting incredible young people. Some have brought their families to the shelter to adopt dogs they have met at school; some ask how they can help; and others are just eager and ready to support us.

I am truly inspired by the students I have met and cannot wait until more schools allow us to visit and talk to their students about FOTAS and what they can do to help the shelter’s homeless pets.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

2022, adopter feedback, Adoption, Foster, fostering, FOTAS

Love to the Rescue

Posted on by Bob Gordon
21
Mar

Love to the Rescue

by Betty Ryberg, FOTAS Foster

Change of scenery? We certainly experienced the need for that in the last 2 1/2 years.

A day trip on a pretty day? A walk in a just discovered park, or a hike through the woods as the weather turns sunny?

Maybe an overnight? To a cabin, a lake house, a campground? Our walls close in, our life lacks color, our days seem drab.

Take me away! A week away has restorative powers but often it’s those few hours or day trips or quick overnights that adds zest to our lives and brings a calm.

That is the highlight of doggie field trips or fostering.

Aiken County Animal Shelter dogs can come to your house, your yard, your park and it is their Disneyworld. Under your tree, playing with your pets or chewing on your toys is a wish-come-true mini vacation.

Aaah and catching a nap, sleeping late, and snuggling on a new rug – luxurious and QUIET. All the animals at the shelter are safe and well cared for-but it is not quiet. For a dog that is abandoned, oftentimes the barking of other dogs causes distress. Even one day or night away may feel like a much-needed spa.

Why don’t folks take dogs away for Doggie Day Out or foster? Is it because you may feel guilty returning them? Please don’t. A day or night away, a romp in your yard or a nap on your rug may be all that dog needs to restore his spirit and make him more adoptable when he returns to the shelter.

We have had sad, frightened dogs become their happy selves in two days. One dog slept for eight hours the first day he came to our home and then rolled and rolled in the grass for hours. 

If you can’t foster for more than two days, then an overnight or day out is a respite likened to a snow day experience we felt as kids. Yippee!!

We have kept dogs for two nights and puppies for two months. All have been adopted. We didn’t change our schedules We made a safe place to sleep and play. Our busy days continued and we marveled that an animal could show such immediate relief.

Any new parent, caregiver, student or overworked professional knows the phew moment of a babysitter, respite care, a snow day or a day off.

The animals return restored and much more adoptable. It is a picnic for them. How wonderful to know your home is a five-star resort to some!

Their lives are in our hands.

2022, Adoption, Dogs, FOTAS, surrendered pets

Old FOTAS friend adopts, brings happiness to senior dog

Posted on by Bob Gordon
27
Feb

When 14-year-old, 70-pound, Buster was brought in earlier this month, it was sad for all. Buster’s owner had health issues and could no longer care for him. No one was at fault here; just bad circumstances.

Buster was examined by the County Shelter’s vet staff and put into a kennel. I went to check on him and found his kennel soaking wet. He was so nervous, he was lapping up water as fast as he could and shaking in fear. It was so sad; we immediately took his picture and were going to reach out to the public to find help. I wasn’t super hopeful as most people don’t want senior dogs, especially large senior dogs.

Just as I was about to post his picture, I had a visit from an old friend.

I looked over my shoulder and there was John Berk.

John Berk at home with Buster, his newly adopted, 14-year-old canine companion.

John was a daily volunteer with FOTAS and a friend to us all. Just over three years ago, we were all shocked and surprised when John fell for Hobbes (then Milton). Hobbes was a senior dog with fur loss and little “cage appeal.” John started to take him out for overnight visits and doggie days out and realized that the poor old soul never had much happiness. John adopted Hobbes and gave him the absolute best life any dog could have. He was his constant companion. We saw John and Hobbes all over town, best buddies.

When John arrived for a visit, it didn’t take long to see the tears in his eyes. His friend had passed away at home the day before. John wore the pain on his sleeve and yet asked me if we had a senior dog that needed help. How unselfish is that?!

Ok…so these things don’t just happen! I am a big believer that God had his hand in this.

I told John that I had only just met this older lab named Buster less than an hour ago, but he needed help. John took the leash and walked him to his car. He said he wanted to give it a try. It was a little tough for Buster to get in the car, so John pulled out the steps that he had used to help Hobbes get up into the passenger seat.

John and his amazing wife, Sally, have cats and another small dog that they rescued recently, so I wasn’t completely sure this would work. But it just seemed to me there was a plan in play.
Two days later I received a text from John: “Sweet dog and starting to settle in.” Then I started getting pictures of Buster on the bed, at the dog park, in John’s car. It wasn’t a week that passed before John came to the shelter to make it official.

“We’ve made one dog very happy, thank you for picking him for me,” John said.

Some may think that a 14-year-old dog won’t adapt to a new owner or a new home. Some worry about adopting a senior and not having a long time with them. But think of what John does. He takes these older dogs that are scared and homeless, and he gives them friendship. He doesn’t think about how long he has; he thinks about how great the time will be.

This story just touches me more than most. To see Buster’s adoption unfold was inspirational.

In Memory of Hobbes.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

2022, abandoned animals, Cats, Foster

Beautiful, abandoned cats need loving homes

Posted on by Bob Gordon
23
Feb
Simone’s owner moved but left her behind to fend for herself.

The Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) has two gorgeous cats in its feline facility who desperately need loving homes. Both are overcoming the emotional pain of suddenly finding themselves abandoned and alone.

Simone, a stunning, five-year-old Siamese mix with a coat of multiple colors, was brought to the shelter because her owners moved and left her behind to fend for herself. When neighbors saw Simone was abandoned, they fed her for weeks before surrendering her to the shelter. When she arrived, Simone was an unhappy and confused kitty.

Gwen, on the other hand, was heartbroken for a different reason. Her owner’s health declined sharply, forcing her to enter an assisted living facility – a place where Gwen was not welcome. The one-year-old Tiger Tabby went from the warm lap of her owner to a steel kennel in a noisy shelter filled with other scared, homeless pets. When Gwen arrived, she was vocal about her displeasure with being separated from the only human she’d ever known and loved.

Gwen is at the shelter because her owner had to go into assisted living.

Due to their emotional trauma, both Simone and Gwen acted out when they first got to the shelter by trying to bite or scratch people who showed them affection. Simone mostly slapped at folks’ hands when she got nervous or felt overstimulated. Gwen, who wasn’t used to meeting so many new people, seemed to want to be petted but didn’t know how to respond. Sometimes she would get scared and bite to relieve her anxiety.

“Cats are creatures of habit,” said ACAS Adoption Coordinator Hillary Clark-Kulis. “They like their usual routines and sometimes when they have to come to the shelter, their worst traits can come out.”

Simone and Gwen, now living together in the cat facility, are doing much better. Staff and FOTAS volunteers have worked with them every day, helping them to adjust to their new environment and preparing them for their future homes. They will make wonderful feline companions for people who know and love cats.
Simone just needs a home of her own, where she can get a lot of attention and love, and Gwen needs an owner who will help her to trust new people.

“I think living with one person her entire life, Gwen is used to only one way of being treated or given affection,” Hillary said. “She is learning how to reciprocate kindness and attention from different people. She loves to be talked to and would do well in a home with other cats.”

If you would like to adopt Simone or Gwen, please call the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 803.642.1537 (option #3) or email info@fotasaiken.org and make an appointment to visit them. Or just stop by the shelter. Walk-ins are welcome! Cat adoption fees this month are just $10. The ACAS is located at 333 Wire Road, Aiken, 29801. The shelter is full & needs adopters & fosters.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2022, Adoption, SOCIAL MEDIA

Desperate dogs beat the odds to live happy life with loving Aiken family

Posted on by Bob Gordon
15
Feb

Choco is a 2-month-old, black & tan puppy who arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter on Sept. 3 with a life-threatening birth defect. His only chance for survival was expensive, experimental surgery that might not even work. This poor baby needed an adopter willing and able to get him the needed surgery and provide him with a loving home.

FOTAS immediately put the word out, shared Choco’s photo and story via social media, and got him into the arms of foster volunteer Vivian Kram. She took loving care of the pup and gave him the nurturing he needed while FOTAS and the shelter staff worked to find him a permanent home.

Enter Jenna Lubeck and her boyfriend Sam, who had just moved to Aiken from Chicago with four children and 21 horses. They were planning to buy a purebred dog but read a Facebook post about Choco written and shared by Martha Anne Tudor. The family was so moved by the pup’s dilemma, Jenna and her youngest child drove to the shelter to meet the pup.

“When we met Choco, my eight-year-old son looked up at me and said, ‘We have to adopt this puppy! I’ll pitch in my allowance for his surgery.’”

The family adopted the pup, renamed him Dante, and provided his expensive surgery. Before the operation, Jenna and Sam had to prepare the kids for the possibility their new dog might not survive. But Jenna said the children understood and vowed to make Dante’s two weeks before the surgery “the best two weeks possible.” They spent all their free time playing and cuddling with their new family member.

Thankfully, the surgery was a success and Dante made a full recovery.

Just five months later, Jenna saw another post on Facebook. This one featured a chocolate and white, 6-year-old stray dog who was found eating garbage at a trash dump. This skeletal 6-year-old Doberman mix with broken teeth and a sweet face reminded her so much of Dante, she drove to the County Shelter with him to meet her.

The meet and greet between Dante and the new dog, Maggie, did not go well. Maggie was stressed, scared, and mouthy. But since neither dog was being aggressive, the staff and Jenna thought Maggie would do better away from the shelter. Turns out, they were right. On the way home from the shelter, the two dogs cuddled together and slept in the back seat of Jenna’s car.

“Maggie just had to get out of that high stress environment,” Jenna said. “She and Dante became best friends. We can hardly separate these two now.”

Against all odds, Maggie and Dante have beautiful lives in a home where they are loved. “I’m so glad we adopted instead of buying,” Jenna said. “I think I’m going to only adopt from now on.”

Dante and his new family

“I don’t look at these dogs as having issues,” she added. “I think most of the time they’re just misunderstood. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time and didn’t get the love or care they needed because their owners didn’t know better or didn’t care enough. It kind of breaks your heart, you know?”

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

2022, Foster, fostering, kennel stress

FOTAS Doggie dates and sleepovers help reduce kennel stress

Posted on by Bob Gordon
15
Feb

Kennel stress can wear heavily on a shelter dog. Enduring the echo of barking dogs, getting out for limited walks and playtime, and having to look out at the world through metal bars is tough on animals used to being free or with their owners.

Adoptable Bell with Volunteer Lisa Raphaela before heading to Lisa’s home for a sleepover.

The Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) has some of the best facilities you can find: indoor/outdoor kennels, water bowls that refill automatically, soothing music pumping through and central air conditioning and heat. But even with such wonderful facilities and our volunteers and staff spending as much time as possible with these homeless animals and running playgroups every day, there is no way to duplicate the love and security of a home.

That’s why we are asking County residents to participate in our Doggie Dating and Overnights program.

“Overnights take them out of the four walls,” said Marie Gunter, who has taken six different dogs home for sleepovers over the last few months. Four of them — Christopher, Orion, Thatcher, Ducky — were adopted shortly after their home experience with her. She and her husband, Harvey, adopted their fifth doggie guest, Bowie, who they renamed Zeus. The sixth, Hayward, is still looking for a good home.

“The dogs come in and get hugs and kisses from us and get to know our four dogs,” Marie said. “I think spending even a brief time in a home helps them become more relaxed.”

The Simons have been taking in County Shelter dogs overnights for many years. Olga and her daughter, Nicole, often come to the shelter to take brilliant photos of the shelter dogs for Facebook and other promotional materials. They often take a shelter dog home with them to spend the night or weekend. Not only is this break from the shelter a relief for the dogs that bunk with them, but the Simons family also can see and record how their furry guests get along with their dogs and cat. When they took in Romero for an overnight stay, they discovered the injured dog got along with their kitty. That valuable tidbit of information helped Romero get adopted to a forever home, where he now lives with two cats.

Volunteer Lisa Raphaela also is a veteran of County Shelter dog sleepovers. She and her five dogs have hosted overnights with a number of shelter canines and they’ve all found great homes.

Adoptable Ducky with Marie Gunter.

“So far, I’m batting a thousand,” Lisa said with a grin. “They learn to use my doggy door to go out and potty with the other dogs and develop better social skills. It also gives them a bonding experience with one human they can trust. I think all these home experiences help build their confidence.”

If you can help by taking a dog home for a sleepover, stop by the shelter, 333 Wire Road, or call 803.642.1537, option 3. What better time to take a shelter pet on a Doggie Day Date or Doggie Sleepover than Valentine’s month?

“Just try it,” Marie said. “Bringing these dogs home does as much for me as it does for them. “I love animals and it gives me the satisfaction of helping an animal in need without actually adopting them.”