Category Archives: Bully Dogs

Christmas Heartbreak at the County Animal Shelter

Help! Strays and owner-surrenders are pouring into the county shelter — 47 animals in the first three days of December! While the good citizens of Aiken County embrace a Christmas season of festivities, family, and hope, the shelter is experiencing the kind of intake numbers normally reserved for summer—the kind that keep us up at […]

The Dog I Didn’t Want Might Just Be My Favorite

The oldest of our three dogs, Yoda, died in August from cancer. My wife, Jennifer, wanted to honor Yoda’s memory by adopting another dog from the shelter. I was against the idea. Our other two dogs (Beethoven and Buster) are great dogs, best buddies with established routines, and our pet ownership experience was on autopilot. […]

The Power of Social Media Saves Sweet Tiffany

Adoptions have been slow. Kids are back in school, families are busy with activities and people just aren’t coming out to adopt. This is disheartening for the many adoptable dogs and cats at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Recently, our sweet Tiffany was shutting down and losing hope. When people look to adopt, they want […]

Sick Puppy Saved Through FOTAS/ACAS Teamwork

Brindle and white mixed breed Tiffany arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) with three puppies that were barely one week old. We had no foster volunteers available, so the pups had to stay at the shelter and endure the loud barking of a nearly full intake area. Tiffany was a great mother and […]

Amazing Dogs Struggle to Find Homes Due to Kennel Stress

Last week I walked over to see the new dogs on the shelter’s intake wing. When I see the dog in kennel 8, my heart breaks. He is so scared. He is a larger dog, white with a gorgeous brown spot on his eye. He can’t make eye contact with me; he just turns and […]

Fostering Prepares Pets for Adoption and Saves Lives

The need for foster homes is greater than ever. The Aiken County Animal Shelter is full of puppies, dogs, cats and kittens who are confused and afraid. So far in June, we have taken in more than 400 animals in just three weeks. There are only so many places to put these animals. Fostering saves […]

Doggie Dates and Sleepovers Help Shelter Pets Relax, Find Forever Homes

Did you know you can go on dates with dogs who are waiting to be adopted at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS)? You can! If you live in the County, FOTAS has a program that allows you to take homeless dogs out for an hour or two, on a day-long field trip or even […]

Home-to-Home Program Reduces Stress for Pets and Owners

By Ellen Priest, FOTAS Board Member and Home-to-Home Coordinator Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) is constantly looking at best practices for the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Recently we discovered the Home-to-Home program and thought it would be a perfect way to reduce the number of animals being taken in by the shelter each year. […]

The Struggles of Our Friend, Vegas the ‘Pittopotamus’

by Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director Some dogs at the shelter just can’t seem to catch a break. Take our friend,Vegas. He was a shelter favorite, often referred to as a “pittopotamus” as he clearly had not missed many meals. He would lay quietly in his kennel, no wagging, looking solemn. Very little curb appeal […]

Speaking Out on Behalf of Neglected, Abandoned, and Abused Animals

Adopting a pet can bring years of love, laughter, and companionship into you and your family’s life, but it is also a responsibility that goes far beyond providing food and water. Pets need a safe place to shelter them from the elements. They need to be vaccinated against rabies and other types of preventable diseases. […]