Category Archives: Adoption

Adoption, Dogs, FOTAS, Service Dogs, Veterans

The Redemptive Power of Spontaneous Love

Posted on by Angel Hartline
26
Mar

By Joanna Dunn Samson, Vice President

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, Matt Cummins called his wife Meghan at work to tell her he was going to the Aiken County Animal Shelter to check out the dogs. He didn’t intend to adopt a dog from the shelter—after all, they were waiting for a purebred German Shepherd puppy from a breeder in Georgia—he was just curious. So he hopped into his car and drove from his home in Graniteville to the shelter on Wire Road.

Annie is a 2 year-old, Doberman/shepherd cross who, by New Year’s Eve, had been at the Shelter a very long time. A favorite among the staff and FOTAS volunteers, they were surprised she had not been adopted. Annie is, in the words of one of the volunteers, an old soul: quiet, sweet, wise and attentive. Because a long stay at the shelter is not a good thing for all sorts of reasons, she needed to find a home–fast.

Then the stars aligned just right for a little magic. Matt was seated in the lobby of the shelter waiting to speak to someone at the desk at the same time Annie walked by on her morning stroll with a volunteer. Annie saw Matt, stopped, and pulled her handler over to Matt. She dropped her head in his lap and gazed up at him, with a look that said, “You. You’re the one.” She was right.

“I knew immediately she was the dog for me,” says Matt. “There was no doubt in my mind. I don’t know what possessed me to go to the shelter that day, but I swear, it must have been fate.” By 5:00, after calling his wife and attending to a critical errand, he and Annie were on their way home.

Wait—this story gets better. Two days earlier, FOTAS had contacted Jerry Lyda of Veteran’s K9 Solutions about Annie because we believed she might make a good service dog for his program. Jerry asked Sylvia Igoe, a long-time FOTAS volunteer and foster who trains with Jerry, to assess Annie’s potential as a service dog.

“What we look for in a dog,” says Sylvia, “is a certain temperament. Is she people oriented? Calm? Focused on me or distracted by her environment? It didn’t take me long to conclude that Annie was a natural: inherently kind and instinctively protective. I called Jerry and said, ‘We have to find a veteran for this dog!’”

Sadly, no veteran was looking for a dog at the time, so despite her qualifications, Annie needed to stay at the shelter until one came along. Then, two days later–call it coincidence, call it fate–Matt Cummins walked into the shelter and fell in love.

Matt Cummins is an army veteran.

I call it the work of angels.

As we celebrate the greatest miracle of all this Easter, take a moment to pray that the County’s abandoned and homeless animals discover the healing powers of home and love and belonging, because what we give to them, they give back to us in spades.

Just ask Matt Cummins.

Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS

Diary of a Foundling

Posted on by Angel Hartline
26
Mar

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS VP

Day 1

I can’t remember how I got there; I only remember I was scared out of my wits. I was on the side of a road. It was noisy. Cars and trucks flew right past me . . . so close! My mind went blank. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t stop shaking.

A car pulled over, and a lady got out and ran over to me. I tried to make myself little because, well, I don’t know, I was confused. She held out her hand, and I inched over to her, hoping she was a nice lady. She scooped me up, clutched me to her chest, and sprinted back to her car.

Inside the car was quieter, but still, I was worried. I didn’t want her to put me back on the road, so I sat quietly so she would know I was a good girl.

When the car stopped, I started to shake again, afraid of the road. But she took me inside a place called a shelter and handed me to another lady, who took me in her arms and said, “Poor baby! Look at that! She’s lost an eye.”

I did? An eye? I didn’t think so. I lost a ball once in the yard . . . but an eye? Nope, didn’t ring a bell.

The next thing I know, I’m on a steel table and a lady wearing a white coat poked and prodded and looked into my ears and then flashed a light on my face. After a few seconds, she clicked off the light, scratched behind my ear and said, “Well, puppy, you never had an eye to begin with, did you?”

Exactly! What a relief! The only thing I ever lost was a ball, and truth be told, it was that blasted cat’s fault. It was all too much. I needed a nap.

Day, uh . . . well, some other day

After the whole eye thing was resolved, another lady named Foster picked me up and took me to a nice house with a big yard and two other dogs, who were a little miffed at first, but in no time we were all great buds and chased each other all over the yard just for fun. I had my own soft bed and great food twice a day (never enough food, but I didn’t complain.)

Another day

After a bunch of glorious days, Foster put me in the car one morning without my pals. She seemed sad, so I laid my head on her lap to make her feel better. We drove back to the shelter, where there was another big car with other dogs in crates. Uh oh. Now I was worried.

But Foster hugged me and told me what a good girl I was and how I was going to the best place ever. Could there be any place better than at Foster’s with my pals? I didn’t think so, but I knew Foster would never let anything happen to me. I licked that salt water off her face, hopped into the crate, and settled in for a nap. I was ready for the best place ever. I was ready for a home.

Every year, hundreds of puppies are abandoned in Aiken County. FOTAS and the Shelter provide medical care and place many of them into foster homes until they can find homes locally through the shelter or with a transfer partner.

Their lives are in our hands.

In the photo above, thanks to FOTAS, the one-eyed foundling is growing up in her forever home in New Jersey.

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

Community Embraces County Animal Shelter’s Saturday Hours

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Mar

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

It is Saturday morning at the shelter, and everyone is making final preparations before the doors open at 11:30 sharp. The cats and dogs have been fed and watered, and volunteers have already walked many of the dogs before visitor traffic gets too heavy.

The shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers are in high spirits on this fifth day of March, eager to help dogs and cats find good homes and assist visitors with finding a furry companion. At the front desk, two adoption assistants warm up their computers and prepare for the busy rush they hope will be coming their way. When the doors open, people slowly trickle in; but by the afternoon, the lobby is filled with people and at least four volunteers are needed to escort groups through the dog and cat adoption facilities. By the time the dust settles and the doors close at 4 p.m., ten dogs have been adopted.

“It was an amazing day!” said FOTAS Program Coordinator Kathy Jacobs. “Wonderful families came to adopt, some bringing their dogs with them, and, thankfully, we have dedicated volunteers and staff that work together to make things run smoothly.”

A shy but lovable Chihuahua, Anya, goes home with a great family that volunteers at the shelter; two ridiculously cute black Lab puppies, Claire and Cassie, ride home with a nice woman from North Augusta; Pancho, a Retriever/Setter mix with a long tongue, gets selected by a young boy from Aiken; Kaia, a Great Pyrenees mix, goes home with a war veteran from North Augusta; Monty, a fluffy and chatty adult Chow mix, is adopted to a family from Warrenville; Dee-Dee, a blonde Lab pup, is adopted by an Aiken woman; Lyndie, a white and brown Bully mix, finds a home with folks from Augusta; a sweet, tan Beagle, Honey, goes home with an Aiken woman and her two children; and another black Lab pup, Levi, is adopted by a woman from Grovetown, GA.

Since the shelter reintroduced Saturday adoption hours on Feb. 13, the community has strongly embraced the weekend adoption experience. In turn, FOTAS and the shelter staff have worked hard to make the adoption process not only a satisfactory experience, but a joyful one. Specials are usually offered on Saturdays, often tied to a fun theme. For example, on Feb. 13, the Shelter and FOTAS hosted a “Petcademy Awards” event, complete with free popcorn, a red carpet entrance and nominees for best VIP (Very Important Pet). Those that adopted nominated canines received a FOTAS swag bag that included a toy, leash, collar and dog treats. This Saturday, March 19, the shelter will celebrate “St. Catrick’s Day” and FOTAS will pay the $35 adoption fee for the first three people who take home a cat.

“Saturdays at the shelter are a lot of fun, especially when we get to see so many animals leave here with happy, new owners,” Kathy said.

For more information about FOTAS and shelter events and specials – including our Bully dog Hall of Fame half-price adoption special (last day is Saturday, March 19) and photo contest (deadline for entering photo of your Bully is March 20) – please follow FOTAS on Facebook and visit our website, www.fotasaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands…

 

The Walker family, which volunteers at the shelter on Saturdays, adopted little Anya.
The Walker family, which volunteers at the shelter on Saturdays, adopted little Anya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claire and Cassie get adopted II March 5 2017
Lee Ellis of N. Augusta adopted Lab pups, Cassie and Claire.
Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Pibbles, Volunteer

The Stars come out at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
07
Mar

By Joanna Dunn Samson, Vice President of FOTAS

Last weekend the stars were out at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, where many of the resident Stars came out to walk the red carpet and meet their adoring public. The excitement in the air was palpable.

“Everyone gets so excited about the Academy Awards,” says Ellie Joos, FOTAS Board member and volunteer, “but the real action is happening right here on Wire Road. The canine and feline stars at the Shelter are nothing short of phenomenal.”

Here are some of the winners of the 2016 Aiken County Petacademy Awards.

The award in the Most Affectionate category went to Trey, a 2 year-old black lab mix. Trey is very shy and a Hall of Fame love bug who would just as soon snuggle up to your leg than almost anything in the world, with the possible exception of eating.

“I am most grateful to the Academy for this award,” panted Trey, edging closer and closer to my leg. “I can’t wait to find a home where I can share all this affection!”

The Best Hugger and Kisser award went to Shakespeare, a 3 month-old golden puppy with a huge heart and a long tongue.

“Whoa!” cried Shakespeare, with a wiggle and a shake. “You mean I get an award for hugging and kissing? You think I could get one for scarfing down those tasty little beef treats?”

One of the biggest surprises of the day: 3 year-old, golden brindle Brutus took home an award in The Most Bashful in a Large Body category. Weighing in at 93 lbs, this big boy Hall of Famer and Pet of the Week is so shy, he’d like to spend his life with his head in your armpit. In fact, if you could fit his food bowl in your armpit, too, he’d be a happy man.

“Bffdd?*&&& hnnt!!f3 djjjfddd,” mumbled Brutus.

“Brutus thanks the Academy for its recognition,” interpreted Kathy Jacobs, his agent, “and he hopes one of his fans will take him to a forever home where he will always be safe.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Madam Mim, a 9 year-old, dark gray shaggy terrier mix who was found wandering the streets without identification and with cataracts, tumors, and broken teeth. A sweet, quiet dog, Miss Mimm said, “After the kindness of the folks at the shelter and the amazing medical care administered by Dr. Levy, the shelter vet, my faith in humanity has been restored. I look forward to living out my years basking in the love of my furever home.”

Finally, the award for Most Nurturing to Every Living Thing category went to Lindy, a 4-year old white bully mix with gray markings who loves all people, kids, dogs and cats she meets. Her acceptance speech was extraordinary.

“The world would be a better place, “ said Lindy, giving her fellow nominees a soft nudge, “if everyone would adopt a dog from the shelter and stay home and give hine-y rubs. Then, finally, the world will know peace.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Please don’t wait to make one of the Shelter stars the light of your life. Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, Volunteer

Yeva, a County Shelter “Hall of Famer” speaks out for the Bully breeds

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Feb

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

When that nice FOTAS lady, Kathy Jacobs, asked me, Yeva, a stray nobody from no place, to be a spokesperson for my kind, I was proud to be asked, because my kind are the most misunderstood and mistreated breed of the canine world: we are the bully breed mixes, the pits and the pibbles.

We are easy to recognize, what with our noble, square heads; huge, goofy smiles; long tongues; and muscular physiques. But our truly best attribute is this: we adore our human companions, particularly the little ones, with the steadfast devotion of a canine Mother Theresa.

We are also great Americans. Thousands of my kind served as proud mascots for our troops during wartimes and were celebrated on World War I posters – Hall of Famers! Today, the tradition continues as many of us are trusted service and companion dogs for our veterans. Just like the American people, my kind are brave, generous of spirit, and able to rise above hardship and succeed, no matter how humble our beginnings.

Take me, for instance. My experience with humans had taught me to stay clear at all costs, but to my great surprise, the humans at the shelter were different. They spoke quietly, touched me softly, fed me regularly, and stopped by my kennel frequently just to chat. I began to trust them. I began to love them. They loved me back! I was wild with joy.

In one short month I went from a petrified, lonely stray to a Hall of Fame love bug and a spokeswoman for my kind. Is that an American success story or what?

Would I rather crawl into your lap than lay by your feet? Does my Hall of Fame kissing get a little sloppy? Yes and yes – guilty as charged, but I’m always gentle with the little ones, and I’ll fetch anything you throw all day long.

Then there’s my young friend, ChaCha, another shining example of American resilience and fortitude. She, too, was a homeless scared nobody, but after a little care and kindness from the Shelter staff and volunteers, she overcame her sad past and rose to Hall of Fame status in the Wiggle, Drop, Roll and Love-up a Human category. Whoa! That ChaCha’s downright breathtaking.

You see, it’s not just the brave mascots and the dedicated service dogs that are Hall of Famers – all of my kind on the adoption floor at the Aiken County Animal Shelter are Hall of Famers or else we wouldn’t be there. We are, quite simply, awesome.

FOTAS wants to hear about your Hall of Fame bully dog. Upload a photo to the FOTAS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FOTASAiken, by March 20th and tell us about your Hall of Fame pet. The photo entry with the most “Likes” will win a large gel dog bed and 10 pounds of dog biscuits. How cool is that?

In the meantime, if you are looking for your next best friend at the Shelter, don’t just walk by us Hall of Famers. Yes, we may be very excited to see you, but if you give us a chance, we’ll dote on you forever.

Our lives are in your hands.

Adoption, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

Millennials and Gen Xers make volunteer team stronger

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Feb

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

The core of the FOTAS volunteer team consists of retirees who dedicate their time to help the homeless animals at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). Their commitment and hard work helps the shelter function at its optimal level.

But recently FOTAS has enjoyed an influx of younger volunteers who donate their free time whenever they can, working around their work, school and social schedules to assist the Shelter staff. These Millennials (ages 18 to 34) and Gen Xers (ages 35-50) are learning the ropes from their older peers while adding their distinctive skills, perspectives and energy to the volunteer talent pool.

“I just want to help when I can, so I’ve started volunteering to walk the dogs on Tuesdays,” said Tara Heuberger of Aiken, who often brings along her young son, Tegan. “For me, it is a fulfilling experience to do something for these animals and the community.”

Jackie Anderson of Graniteville is another young blood who is becoming a familiar face at the ACAS. She was working fulltime at a busy medical practice in Maryland until her husband received a job opportunity in Augusta. When the couple decided to move, Jackie had to quit her job but took the opportunity to go back to school and volunteer at the shelter.

“I am lucky enough to have some extra time to devote to a great cause like FOTAS,” Jackie said. “My favorite part of volunteering is seeing the look on the faces of the animals and the adopters when they find their ‘love at first sight!’”

Kelsey Hayes of Aiken is a young volunteer who is also making a difference at the shelter. She comes in four days a week to help walk the dogs and socialize the cats.

“Each dog and cat has something special about them and getting the chance to spend time with them keeps me motivated to find every one of them a home.” Kelsey said.

Another Millennial, Kara Norris of North Augusta, enjoys taking a break from her busy schedule to volunteer at the shelter.

“I don’t worry about anything else while I am with the shelter dogs,” she said. “I just enjoy being able to be a part of their life and showing them the love they deserve.  It is very rewarding to take part in helping these animals start their new lives.”

Saturday and Extended Shelter Hours. Just a reminder that the shelter is once again open for adoptions on Saturdays, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the ACAS is open an additional half hour for adoptions, closing at 5 p.m. On Mondays and Fridays, the shelter closes at 4:30 p.m.

Last Saturday, we celebrated our extended hours with a Grand Reopening, and the community responded in a big way – nine animals were adopted. Thank you to everyone for this great support. Now, let’s keep this adoption momentum going every weekend!

Their lives are in our hands.

For more information about the FOTAS Volunteer Program and the shelter’s new hours, please go to www.fotasaiken.org or call the Aiken County Animal Shelter, (803) 642-1537.

Adoption, Cats, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

FOTAS partnership with PetSmart boosts shelter cat adoptions

Posted on by Angel Hartline
16
Feb

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

Audie Murphy, Felix, Tiffy, Avalon, Kiki, Pip and Pickles are each in their own cat carrier after being examined, vaccinated, microchipped, and given a final flea treatment. Once the pre-prepared adoption forms and other paperwork is checked over and put into folders by Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) staff members, the seven cats and kittens are ready to begin their short journey from the shelter to the PetSmart store on Whiskey Road.

An ACAS adoption assistant transports the chorus of meowing felines to the Aiken PetSmart, and upon arriving is greeted by Store Manager Butch Hampton or one of his friendly employees. The PetSmart team is always happy to see new cats come in and takes pride in its role of helping adopt them to customers.

“Things are going great with the work we are doing with FOTAS and the County Shelter,” Butch said. “Everybody is fully engaged and committed to this partnership, and I think we make a good team.”

The ACAS representative makes sure all of the felines are settled into their PetSmart cat apartments located in the back-left corner of the store. Then, the PetSmart staff takes over, ensuring that any interested customers receive the information and paperwork needed to adopt the cats. The adoption fee is $35, which includes spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip.

Before FOTAS began its direct partnership with PetSmart, the adoption fee for the store’s cats was about twice as much as it is now. Also, adoptions were managed by a rescue that required a home inspection of potential adopters. While a worthy precaution, this added stipulation could take a lot of extra time. Now, folks can adopt a cat and take it home right away.

It is a mutually beneficial relationship. The cats draw customers to PetSmart and the store serves as a second venue for the shelter to showcase its adoptable felines. But the real winners of this collaborative effort are the cats themselves. With the effective teamwork between the organizations, the shelter cats are finding homes quicker, making space for more cats to get their chance at being adopted. Since just mid-December, more than 35 shelter cats have been adopted at the PetSmart store. Since the partnership was initiated, the Shelter has replenished PetSmart with new cats every week.

Also fully committed to the goal of saving the shelter’s cats and finding them forever homes are eight volunteers that help keep the PetSmart cats clean, watered and fed. They follow a strict schedule, making sure that someone comes in to maintain the cats’ living area twice a day, every day. Some volunteers stay for hours to play with the felines, helping to socialize and prepare them for their future forever homes.


“I think having the County’s homeless cats at both the shelter and PetSmart helps the Aiken community see how many beautiful and loving cats are available,” said Volunteer Judy Albert. “They all need permanent and loving homes.”

Their lives are in our hands.

For more information about the PetSmart cat adoptions, please go to www.fotasaiken.org and be sure to check out the shelter cats available for adoption at the ACAS, 333 Wire Road in Aiken or at the Aiken PetSmart, 2927 Whiskey Road.

Adoption, Dogs, FOTAS, Heartworms

Heartworm Positive Dogs Can Be Great, Longtime Companions

Posted on by Angel Hartline
09
Feb

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

Most everyone knows heartworms are a threat to dogs, especially in the warm climate of the South. But what many people might not realize is that heartworm disease is seldom a death sentence. In fact, dogs with this condition can live happy, high quality lives as long as they are given appropriate care.

Of course, it is much easier (and cheaper) to stop this mosquito-borne illness in its tracks by giving your dog a preventative medication. But if a canine is unlucky enough to get heartworms because he is a stray or his prior owner didn’t provide a preventative, there are effective treatments available.

These heartworm positive (HW+) dogs are not contagious and only in the most severe cases do they show any symptoms. So, as long as their condition is managed properly and not critical, they can make wonderful, long-term companions.

Annie, a Hound mix, is a prime example of this phenomenon. Though she tested positive for heartworms upon arrival at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS), the young dog was quickly put on two weeks of doxycycline pills, a drug that weakens the heartworm, followed by a strict regimen of heartworm preventative. The preventative allows the worms to die off at a slow rate and prevent the dog from getting any new heartworms. FOTAS pays for the initial medication and six months of the preventative for all HW+ dogs adopted at the ACAS.

Matt Cummins, who adopted Annie and lives in Graniteville with his wife and young daughter, said Annie has as much energy as any other two-year-old dog and is the most loving pet he’s ever had.

Shuli is another HW+ Shelter dog that is doing well at her new home. Adopted by Keelin Redmond of Aiken in October, the 4-year-old, blonde Terrier mix was also put on the “slow kill” treatment of doxycycline, followed by a heartworm preventative. Keelin, a local veterinarian, said she fell in love with Shuli before she found out about her condition. However, she is thrilled to have her.

“If I had let it [the heartworm infection] put me off adopting Shuli, I would have missed out on one of the best things to ever happen to me,” she said.

Other HW+ dogs recently adopted from the Shelter include Bailey, a black Lab mix, and Mason, a Bassett mix. Both are doing great in their new homes.

To encourage the adoption of HW+ dogs, FOTAS and the ACAS are featuring a Valentine’s Day special in which the adoption fee for HW+ dogs is just $14. This special will continue through Feb. 15.

“Adopting one of these dogs is a commitment of giving medication regularly and we recommend people follow up with their veterinarians for continued monitoring,” said Dr. Levy, the County Shelter’s veterinarian. Dr. Levy herself has two rescue dogs that were HW+ when she adopted them. One is now 13 years old and the other 10 – and both are doing great.

To learn more about FOTAS, The Valentine’s HW+ Dog Adoption Special and heartworm prevention/treatment, please go to www.fotasaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands…

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Why you should spay or neuter your pet

Posted on by Angel Hartline
01
Feb

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President, FOTAS

Last year, 4800 animals passed through the door of the Aiken County Animal Shelter. 3000 of those animals were saved. 1800 did not leave the Shelter alive.

The vast majority of these animals did nothing wrong. They were victims of owners who brought them into this world and then washed their hands of them, leaving the rest of us to pay for their neglect.

And while 3000 is a record number of animals saved thanks to the efforts of the County and FOTAS, make no mistake: it is impossible to re-home all 4800 animals in a pet-saturated community like Aiken or in the communities served by our rescue partners in other parts of the country.

The only way to reduce the shockingly high number of animals consigned to the Shelter is for every Aiken County pet owner to spay and neuter their pets.

Plus, it’s good for your pet. In addition to lowering intake at the Shelter, your pet will live longer. Spayed or neutered animals have significantly less health problems.

Spayed or neutered animals also are less likely to roam, which means they are less likely to catch diseases from other animals, get lost, fight with other dogs, or get hit by a car (it has been estimated that 85% of dogs hit by cars are unaltered).

Spaying your female before she is 6 months of age means you can avoid the messy, noisy heat cycles that typically occur twice a year and that wreak havoc among the neighborhood’s male canine and feline populations.

Your cat or dog will be a better pet – spaying and neutering eliminates unpleasant spraying and marking.

Neutering your dog decreases potentially aggressive behavior to other animals and people – particularly children, who are by far the most frequent victims of dog bites.

Plus, it’s cheaper for the community as a whole. If everyone fixes their pets, it will dramatically reduce the number of homeless and abandoned animals that must be cared for with taxpayer’s dollars in the public shelter system.

By the way, if you are worried that spaying or neutering your dog will make him less protective, don’t be. Dogs are naturally protective by nature, particularly if you love and feed them.

Nor will altering you pet make it fat and lazy – only a bad diet and lack of exercise will do that.

Moreover, the cost to spay or neuter your pet has never been more affordable. Aiken County has a voucher program, supplemented by FOTAS, to provide low-cost spay/neuter services to residents who need financial assistance. The vouchers are distributed at the County Shelter at 333 Wire Road.

Make arrangements to spay or neuter your animal today. Convince your neighbors, friends and family to spay and neuter their pets, too.

There are so many loving, deserving animals in the Shelter that need a home – why bring more animals into a world where their safety and care is so uncertain?

Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Dogs, FOTAS, Training

Free Training Session Included with Every ACAS Dog Adoption

Posted on by Angel Hartline
01
Feb

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

Susi Cohen comes with every dog adoption at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). Or, rather, her expertise and guidance does. As the shelter’s expert dog trainer, she provides a free, private session for everyone who gives an ACAS dog or puppy a forever home.

“When dogs leave from the shelter to their new residence, it is a big, happy change but also can cause stress,” Susi explained. “The dogs find themselves in a different environment, and will often rely on their new owners to direct them. That’s when I come into the picture.”

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

Susi is the president of the Palmetto Dog Club in Aiken and has worked with and trained animals for more than 30 years. She volunteers at the shelter, helping other volunteers and County staff with basic dog training skills and working one-on-one with dogs that need special attention.
In most cases, the training serves to show the adopters standard disciplinary techniques such as teaching their dog how to: heel and walk well on a leash; stop jumping up on people and furniture; sit on command; or follow proper housebreaking procedures. But sometimes Susi takes on and solves more severe behavioral issues such as a Pit Bull mix that chased and scared an adopter’s horses; a chocolate Lab that liked to chew on his adopter’s car interior; and a Terrier that kept relieving herself in the house immediately after being walked outside.
But even such rare and extreme cases are usually resolved relatively fast. Susi said it all comes down to motivating the dog by using continuous, positive reinforcement and building that bond with your animal.

“The biggest mistake people make is being inconsistent,” Susi said. “They do one thing for a day or two, and then try something different, and then go back to the first approach – and the dog gets confused. The dog has to be able to connect the dots.  The key to training success is constant repetition with positive reward”, she explained.

One adopter who recently learned this important lesson is Jim Brownlow of Aiken. He adopted Ruthie, a one-year-old brindle Hound mix, in December and took the free training session with Susi to improve his new dog’s manners.
Ruthie is so friendly, she wants to jump up on people. She also sometimes suddenly stops during her walks because she gets distracted. But Susi showed Jim how to give the appropriate commands for getting Ruthie to follow some simple procedures. Extremely pleased with the session, Jim plans to take more instruction from Susi.
“The training really helped me because I was doing some little things wrong out of habit, and Susi got me on the right track,” he said.
Thanks to such success stories, an increasing amount of people are taking the free training and the shelter’s rate of adoption returns, already low, is dropping.

“When dogs behave well at their new adopted home, it means they become part of the family,” Susi said.

Their lives are in our hands.