Category Archives: Cats

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News

The extra mile

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

18 January 2015

The extra mile

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

In late November, a tired and emaciated Pomeranian was picked up on the side of the road by a good Samaritan and turned into the Aiken County Animal Shelter. The tiny black dog was scrawny and frightened; her coat matted and crusted with dirt. She was examined by Dr. Levy, the Shelter Vet, and in addition to being malnourished, dirty and generally roughed up from her experience as a stray, several of her back teeth were broken.

Plus, she was no spring chicken – at least 10 by Dr. Levy’s calculations – making her medical prognosis and ultimate adoptability even more uncertain.

Betty Erickson and Sandy Larsen, the two experienced staff on duty, cleaned and fed her before setting her up on a soft blanket in a kennel in the medical suite. She was warm and safe.

The plight of the little dog plagued Betty. The dog was too sweet, too trusting and too old to have been on her own very long – she must have been someone’s pet. So Betty checked the online lost and found websites for the local area.

She hit pay dirt on AikenPetsReunited.com, where she discovered a notice for a lost black Pomeranian named Tori who had been missing since late September. Squinting at the tiny image on the screen, Betty thought, “Yeah, add a little weight and a shiny coat, that could be Tori!”

Betty called the owner’s number and left a message on voice mail. When she hadn’t heard back by closing time, she called again. This time, a breathless Darlene Tarvin answered the phone.

“I was so excited,” says Darlene, “I just knew it had to be my Tori! I had been frantic with worry for two months.”

The next morning, Darlene and her husband Charles were at the door when the shelter opened, and to everyone’s delight and relief, Darlene was reunited with her beloved Tori. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Tori was lucky, not every story ends this well, but it’s not for lack of trying. The amazing shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers always go that extra mile.

Whether it’s Betty making calls on behalf of one little lost dog, or Sandy Larsen organizing a pre-dawn pickup to feature adoptable animals on the local news at 6 a.m., or Annette Van Der Walt, the shelter adoption coordinator, giving up a day off (without pay) during the busy holiday season, or FOTAS volunteers like Girl and Caroline Conger taking shelter dogs to a special event on a rainy Saturday, or Ray Eckenrode fostering a hard–to-place dog whose time is running out, or Toni and Gary Urben mounting special appeals to the Aiken equestrian community to find a deserving dog a home – the amount of effort expended to place these unfortunate animals is nothing short of breathtaking.

And here’s the good news – it’s working. Last month a record number of animals, 262 to be exact, were adopted from or transferred out of the shelter, thanks in large measure to the success of our heartworm positive, transfer, foster and off-site adoption programs and the depth of commitment by staff and volunteers.

Back at the Tarvin home, the amazing little Tori (who, as it turns out, is actually 14) is safe and sound and dearly loved.

“She’s been my constant companion since she was 6-weeks-old,” says Darlene, “I was heartbroken when she was lost, but my kids, my grandkids, my husband – we never stopped searching. I never gave up hope.” She pauses. “It’s a miracle.”

Yes, it is – a miracle made possible by love, resolve and commitment.

BY THE NUMBERS

December stats 2014

Total dogs and cats received – 458

Total dogs and cats adopted/transferred –  262

Totals dogs and cats euthanized – 184

Percent euthanized- 41%

PETS OF THE WEEK

SARA    Female, retriever mix, 1 years old, 44 lbs — $70

ANJA    Female, tortoiseshell, 3 years old, 8.3 lbs — $35

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News, Volunteers

New Year’s resolutions worth keeping

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

11 January 2015

New Year’s resolutions worth keeping

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

Every New Year’s Eve since I turned 40, I have resolved to launch a rigorous exercise program in the upcoming year. Now that I am 60, it doesn’t seem like such a lofty goal as much as a practical necessity, but somehow the commitment wanes as January turns into February turns into March turns into . . . well, you get the picture.

I am not alone –“ exercising more” is a common New Year’s resolution, so why is it also the one so quickly abandoned with such minimal guilt? I’m no psychologist, but I’m going to hazard a guess here: resolutions that involve tending only to the physical body are perhaps too shallow to be taken seriously.

What if, then, we were to resolve to exercise in a way that satisfies both body and soul, makes homeless animals happy and saves lives at the same time?  Based on the experience of our FOTAS volunteers, those resolutions might just be winners.

Susan Hilderbrand began volunteering at the old Aiken County Animal Shelter in 2008, the year before FOTAS was founded. At first she played and walked with the animals. Now, twice a week, Susan takes pictures of the shelter residents, talks to volunteers and staff about their personalities, gathers some data such as age, weight, gender, and uploads this information to PetFinder, a national database for animal adoptions, and to the County shelter’s website.

“I love taking those photos,” says Susan. “I can help find these animals a forever home by expanding the potential pool of adopters, which is so satisfying. Some of my friends say, ‘How can you go there two times a week, every week, and see all those poor animals?’ And I say, ‘How can I not?

She continues. “Plus, the new shelter is such a bright and welcoming place, it’s a pleasure to spend time there with the animals, the other volunteers and the County staff, who are just plain wonderful.”

Kathy Jacobs and her 9-year-old son Noah have been walking and playing with the shelter dogs since last May.

“It’s something I always wanted to do,” says Kathy, “but I wasn’t sure I could. I was afraid I’d be too upset seeing all those homeless dogs. I was wrong. It’s so easy to make them happy and so rewarding when they finally go home with that special someone.

I spend a lot of time hugging the dogs. These animals have been abandoned or abused or alone for so long, I feel like it’s my and Noah’s job to teach them how to be loved.”

In addition, this year Noah performed odd jobs around the house between Thanksgiving and Christmas and donated the money to FOTAS. Talk about dedication.

Karen Peck began volunteering for FOTAS at the County shelter 4 years ago as part of a Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound Program. Since then, in addition to walking the dogs, she baths, grooms, takes photos of the animals for FOTAS social media and assists with transfers. Karen injured her leg last year, so now she works the front desk, greets visitors, helps with adoption counseling, and performs the thankless job of filling out paperwork for adoptions and transfers.

Karen and her family have also fostered over 50 dogs in the last 18 months. “I love fostering,” she says, “We get to care for and love them for a short time knowing they’re already spoken for. It’s magic.”

So there you have it. These FOTAS volunteers and their colleagues in the FOTAS volunteer army, exercise their bodies, exercise their hearts, exercise their humanity, and exercise their civic duty, and in the process, saved the lives of hundreds of the County’s most vulnerable animals.

Proof positive that resolutions involving a commitment of body and soul are the most enduring.

Make your resolutions count this year; join us in this important work. Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

162 dogs and cats adopted during the “No Place Like Home” adoption special Nov. 29, 2014 – Jan. 3, 2015

PETS OF THE WEEK

DARYL     Male, Shepherd mix, 9 months old, 44 lbs — $70

PIPPA   Female, Domestic short hair, 1 1/2 years old — $35

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Fundraisers, News, Volunteers

FOTAS community: making a difference for homeless animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

21 December 2014

FOTAS Community: making a difference for homeless animals

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Director

What makes the Aiken County Animal Shelter a true community shelter?

It’s not just because it’s owned and operated by a public body and funded through taxpayer dollars. It’s not just because it’s obligated by law to serve all of Aiken County, which is 50 times larger than the City of Aiken (1071 square miles versus 21) and serves a population almost 5 times larger than the City’s.  It’s also not just because the County shelter is legally obligated to accept and care for all County strays, all County and City owner-surrenders – a whopping average intake of 400 dogs and cats per month.

Those are the legal technicalities that define the basic nature of the County shelter, but to me, it is a community shelter because the Aiken community itself has claimed the County shelter as its own. It is the heart that makes the shelter tick, the force that breathes life into the daunting task of caring for thousands of homeless and abandoned animals every year.

That’s why the Friends of the Aiken County Animal Shelter (FOTAS) was created in 2009 – to marshal the private resources of the Aiken community to supplement and support the County shelter’s limited budgetary and operational needs.

FOTAS formed an army of committed community volunteers, who perform the jobs equivalent of 9-10 paid staff positions. Volunteers organize, coordinate and implement transfers to no-kill sister agencies in other parts of the country, on-site events such as Woofstock, the Dog Ears Reading Program, puppy socials and off-site adoption events. They recruit and support local citizens to privately foster animals in their homes.FOTAS volunteers developed and manage a website and social media to keep the community informed. They create and run fundraising community events like Play Fore the Dogs, Broadway Sings for the Pets, and the FOTAS Hunter Pace. They coordinate spay/neuter services through FOTAS Fix-a-Pet and Lenny’s Brigade. They love-up the cats and walk the dogs at the shelter 6 days a week and on holidays. They work with and train difficult-to-place dogs. They write thank-you notes, make phone calls, keep the books and greet visitors at the shelter.Because FOTAS is an all-volunteer organization funded solely by private donations, virtually every dollar contributed to FOTAS is used to improve the lives of and outcomes for the County’s homeless animals.

In addition to funding improvements to the shelter itself (play yards with appropriate drainage and irrigation, a separate feline facility with a hot water heater, stainless steel kennels with guillotine doors, surgical equipment, etc.), FOTAS dollars also fund essential needs (heartworm medicine, flea and tick treatments, toys, leashes, collars, supplies for foster families, vet clinics for pets and citizens in need, an off-site adoption van and the like) and the programmatic costs of transfer and spay/neuter.

Here’s the good news: all this effort and support is making a difference.

In the last 23 months, FOTAS organized and funded the spay/neuter surgeries of 859 dogs and cats and transferred 1339 dogs to sister agencies. As of the end of November, there has been a 14% reduction in shelter intake and a 43% increase in adoptions and transfers over 2013. The average monthly euthanasia rate has dropped from 90+% in pre-FOTAS years to 55%. That’s huge.

This Christmas, make your holiday gifts count: donate to FOTAS to save a life in honor of your family and friends. A $45 gift will fix a pet cat and $80 a dog. A $75 gift will treat a heartworm positive dog. A $90 gift will help FOTAS fund the transfer of an animal to a no-kill facility and a forever home.

Seriously, does Dad really need a new tie? Call us at 803-514-4313 or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com to discuss the possibilities.

And don’t forget to take advantage of our special Holiday adoption rates until January 3rd ($35 for dogs and $10 for cats).

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and God Bless you and your family.

BY THE NUMBERS

January 2013 through November 2014:

1339 dogs/cats— FOTAS worked with the Shelter and transferred these animals to partner rescues/shelters ( this is in ADDITION to local adoptions from the County Shelter )

876 pets & community cats were spayed/neutered, organized and paid for by FOTAS ( this is in ADDITION to those animals spayed/neutered through the County’s voucher program )

 

 

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News

Walking the Walk

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

23 November 2014

Walking the Walk

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

Over the past 5 years, the Aiken County and FOTAS have partnered in a quest to make the lives and prospects of the County’s homeless and abandoned animals better. It’s a public/private partnership that works.

Everybody wins: the County, the citizens, the taxpayers and, of course, the animals.

What makes the County/FOTAS partnership so formidable?  The commitment of the animal-lovers who work in County government, that’s what.

They don’t just talk the talk – they walk the walk.

The commitment starts at the top. When County Administrator Clay Killian, his wife Carrie and his granddaughter Hailey attended the Grand Opening of the new Aiken County Animal Shelter last March, Hailey became crazy smitten with a lab-cross puppy on the adoption floor.

They didn’t need another dog; they already had Daisy, a 14-year-old rescue.  Hailey “laid it on thick,” according to Carrie, but it didn’t take much to persuade Clay, who also fell for the pup on sight.  They took her home that day, and now Zoie sleeps in Hailey’s room each night.

Assistant County Administrator Brian Sanders, his wife Erica and their two children share their home with two rescues dogs.  Josie, their first, was a neighbor’s dog and a determined escape artist.  When Animal Control picked up Josie, the neighbor decided he’d had enough and was not going to claim her.  Brian and his family, who had returned the dog so many times they had become attached, drove to the shelter immediately and brought her home.

Special circumstances, right?  They already knew Josie.  It was easy. They didn’t need another dog.

Ha!  Love trumps practicality every time.  On Christmas Eve, the family lost their hearts to a puppy fostered by Father Grant Wiseman and his family.  That’s how the Sanders’ became a two rescue-dog family.

Barbara Strait, who works for Assistant County Administrator Andy Merriman, visited the shelter last February after her beloved Chihuahua died.  She wanted another Chihuahua.  As she ambled through the Adoption Wing, she made eye contact with a quiet, timid little pit bull named LucyLou, and it was love at first sight.  LucyLou, definitely not a Chihuahua, went home with Barbara.

P.S.: Barbara went back to the shelter later to find that Chihuahua, but she came home instead with a little black dachshund named Amber.

What’s that saying?  Man plans and Cupid laughs? Jayne Smith in Public Works adopted a little black and white terrier puppy named Patches, who Jayne renamed “Chase” because he chases her all over the house. Chase has a black dot on his head, like an on/off switch, says Jayne, that doesn’t work so well. Bobby Arthurs, the Chief Animal Control Officer, and his wife Lisa have adopted 3 Chihuahuas from the shelter that they were fostering, despite a hard and fast rule that they would never, ever adopt a dog they were fostering.Annette van der Walt, the shelter Adoption Coordinator, has adopted 3 dogs and 4 cats and fosters special needs dogs.

Sandy Larson, the Senior Vet Assistant, also has adopted 3 dogs and 1 cat from the shelter.  One of the three is Lucy, who Sandy fostered until her puppies weaned. When the time came to take her back, Sandy just couldn’t do it.  Lucy stayed.

And of course, there’s Dr. Lisa Levy, the County’s vet, who fell in love with and adopted an abused three-legged dog named Trinity.

I am profoundly touched by the love and generosity of spirit of these folks: they opened their homes and hearts to unfortunate, abandoned animals.

As we move into this season of thanking, sharing and giving, we ask that you join them. There are so many loving dogs and cats at the Aiken County Animal Shelter that need a new home.

They need you.

Come on over.  Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

OCTOBER 2014 statistics:

FOTAS organized the transfer of 59 dogs & cats to partner rescues, as well as numerous local adoptions were completed

FOTAS’ Fix-a-Pet and Lenny’s Brigade programs paid for 80 spay/neuter surgeries of local pets and community cats at the SPCA

PETS OF THE WEEK

ANGELINA     Female, Lab mix, 2 years old, 46 lbs      $70

AMMO     Male, Domestic Short Hair        $10

Adoption, Cats, News

Fantabulous felines

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

16 November 2014

Fantabulous Felines

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

“What greater gift than the love of a cat.”

Charles Dickens

I love cats, I really do – so if cats have gotten short shrift in this column over the past year, it’s only because I am obsessed these days with my beloved shelter dogs and constant companions, Maggie and Jack.

Actually, my very first animal loves were cats.

When I was in grade school, a long, white cat named Gussie kept my sister April and I company when our mother was at work, stretching out on the couch between us while we muddled through our homework.

There was Nicky, a big yellow tabby who terrorized my mother into feeding him into obesity because he tackled her ankles when she walked through the kitchen.

My heart of hearts was Poo Cat, a tuxedo cat of advanced years who appeared on my doorstep one bitterly cold December day in 1978 while I was cramming for law school exams.  She quickly made herself at home, settling on the table and playing with my pencils while I read, perching on the toilet each morning as I dried my hair, and curling up on the pillow next to me while I slept. To this day, the thought of Poo Cat makes me weep.

Personable, affectionate and mysterious, it is no wonder cats are the most popular pets in the world.  They were considered sacred in ancient Egypt and revered as exalted souls in various ancient religions.  In Norse mythology, the goddess of beauty, love and fertility, Freyja, traveled the skies in a chariot drawn by two cats.

Pam Borger, who recently adopted Bubba, a white and gray cat with emerald eyes, from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, has been a cat lover all her life.

“Cats are so easy,” says Pam. “They are meticulously clean, affectionate and low maintenance – you don’t have to walk them three times a day or spend weeks house-training them. You don’t have to take them to obedience school.

Plus, cats are less needy than dogs – more independent, happy to be with you, but perfectly content without you.”

“You think they’re as smart as dogs?” I ask.

Pam laughs.  “I once read a quote by Jeff Valdez [a popular television writer and producer]?  He said, ‘Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.’”

Think about it; he has a point.  Plus, cats make ideal companions for people who don’t have room or outside facilities for a dog, people who work, and people who live alone. Cats are terrific pets for children – playful, kind and non-aggressive.

Thousands of cats and kittens pass through the doors of the Aiken County Animal Shelter every year.  In fact, cats and kittens make up the majority of animals at the shelter at any given time, which means, sadly, more adoptable cats are euthanized each year than dogs.

But here’s the good news: it also means you will have lots of choices when you decide it’s time to bring one of these regal creatures into your home and heart.

Here’s more good news.  During the month of November, you can adopt a fully spayed/neutered, wormed and inoculated cat or kitten for only $10.

That’s a small price to pay for so much love; just ask Julie Seremak and her newly adopted kitten, Gretchen.

BY THE NUMBERS

On Nov. 12, FOTAS’s Fix-A- Pet program organized the pick-ups of 28 pets and funded their surgeries.

On Nov. 11, FOTAS organized the transfer of 11 dogs, three on the “urgent” list, to a northern partner humane society.

PETS OF THE WEEK

Peppermint—  Female, Terrier mix — 2 years old — 23 lbs  — $70.00

Crunch —  Male, Domestic Short Hair adult cat — $10.00

Adoption, Cats, News

Bubba makes friends

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

02 November 2014

BUBBA MAKES FRIENDS

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

Bubba was one cool cat.

A large fellow with a striking white and gray coat and dazzling emerald green eyes, Bubba was a favorite among FOTAS volunteers and shelter staff at the Aiken County Animal Shelter because he was so affectionate and intelligent.

Bubba was also one bad dude in the jungle of shelter cats. The mere sight of another cat sent Bubba into a frenzy of hissing and spitting. Too aggressive to be set loose in the cat colony, he had to be segregated in a cage.

Bubba’s time was running out at the shelter when he was adopted by Pam Borger and her two boys, Austin and Chance. Although the family already had two cats, Pam was undaunted by his past history.

“He had been in the shelter for a very long time,” says Pam. “He had been declawed. It didn’t surprise me he was fearful and aggressive. I was certain I could make it work.”

Here’s what she did.

When she brought him home, Pam segregated Bubba up in a small, quiet, sunny guest room with a soft bed and a clean litter box – a safe place for Bubba to adjust to his new surroundings.

She rubbed clean socks all over her other two cats, Jeter and Wally, which she scattered around Bubba’s room so he could get used to the scent of the other cats. (She also left Bubba-scented socks around the house for Jeter and Wally.)

She first tried putting a gate up instead of closing the door, but Bubba hissed and arched at the first sight of the other two cats.

Too much, too soon, she decided. Bubba had been through a lot. She closed the door to let him settle in to his new home.

For the next several days, Pam and the boys just hung out with Bubba – stroking his ears, playing with toys, and watching TV. Bubba was in cat heaven; content with his surroundings, thrilled with the company.

On night 3, Pam let Bubba sleep with her. She woke up to find Bubba’s head on her pillow and his paw on her cheek.

On Day 4, she let Bubba roam the house in the morning while the other cats and her dog, Lucia, were outside. He spent the next 3 mornings exploring his surroundings. He slept in his room in the afternoon, he watched TV with the boys in the evening, and he slept with Pam at night.

After 7 days of settling in and getting used to the smell and sounds of Jeter and Wally, Pam let Bubba out of his room under supervision. After a brief period of slight hissing and circling by Jeter and Bubba and a total lack of interest by Wally and Lucia, the cats settled in different parts of the room and watched each other warily.

By the next day, it was done. Little by little, Bubba and Jeter began to play and sleep together, and as you can see by the photo, the three cats have become great friends. All it took was a time, patience, common sense and kindness.

Bubba has found a home.

There’s a Bubba waiting for you at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. For the month of November, you can adopt a spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated cat for only $10.

Please don’t wait. Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

 

8/1/14-9/30/14                    VS                            8/1/13- 9/30/13

 

Received – 864 dogs/cats                               received- 894 dogs/cats

Adopted/transferred- 378 dogs/cats          adopted/transferred- 232 dogs/cats

Euthanized – 436 dogs/cats                             euthanized- 697 dogs/cats

PETS OF THE WEEK

CHIPPER — Male — Lab retriever mix — 2 yrs old — 35 lbs. — $70.00

BELLA — Female — Tabby — 2 yrs old — 5.4 lbs — $10.00

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News

Balancing hope and despair

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

19 October 2014

BALANCING HOPE AND DESPAIR

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

It’s not easy writing a weekly column about a public shelter like the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

I could write every single week on the issues of overpopulation of animals in the County due to unplanned and indiscriminate breeding, the need to spay and neuter pets, animal abuse, overcrowded shelter facilities due to off-the-charts intake, or the 69% euthanasia rate, and then attach a photo of a desperate, sick and beat-up animal staring pitifully out of its kennel with a caption like “Why won’t someone love me?”

But that’s only half the picture, and really, isn’t the world scary enough these days without me adding a little Sunday sadness to your lives?

Here’s the other half of the picture: there are so many wonderful things happening at the new County shelter. I could also write every week about that and attach a photo of happy owners and happy dogs, children reading to puppies, Girl Scouts cleaning up the grounds, and dedicated FOTAS volunteers socializing the dogs and cats.

It’s a balancing act – making sure that you, the community, know that your extraordinary efforts and generosity have made a life-saving difference in the lives of the County’s homeless and abandoned animals without creating a false sense of job done, mission complete.

Because the job is not done: the intake numbers at the Shelter are still dismally high, nearly 5000 animals last year alone. It’s like sweeping back the ocean with a broom – they come through the door faster than we can move them out.

And the mission is not complete: 69% of the animals that pass through the County Shelter’s doors are euthanized.

So, I have to remind myself, and you, that significant, steady headway is being made in reducing overpopulation and increasing adoptions.

In September, FOTAS’ Lenny’s Brigade and Fix-a-Pet spayed and neutered 66 dogs and cats in the month of September; funded and organized 3 group pickups of pets and 1 group pickup of community cats from Wagner to be driven to the SPCA clinic, neutered and returned home; and funded 23 supplemental spay/neuter vouchers to qualifying citizens who called the FOTAS hotline.

Regular specials like the Silver Paws Program, $9 for 9 Lives and Back in Black have been wildly successful in increasing adoptions.

The FOTAS/County Heartworm Positive Program is also gaining momentum. In that program, heartworm positive dogs that are not sick are moved to the adoption floor (rather than euthanized), and FOTAS pays the first six months of heartworm medicine for anyone who adopts a heartworm positive dog. So far, 6 heartworm positive dogs have been adopted and saved.

FOTAS volunteer trainers Jay Lyda from Veterans K9 Solutions and Susi Cohen from Palmetto Dog Club work with other volunteers and high-energy dogs to teach basic obedience skills, which makes those dogs more adoptable.

In the past 4 months, Veteran’s K9 Solutions has placed 4 Shelter dogs with veterans to be service dogs.

Sixteen children attended the second Dog Ear’s Listening Program, where young children hone their reading skills by reading out loud to the attentive Shelter dogs.

So you see, lots of good things are happening at the Aiken County Animal Shelter – things that make a difference, things that save lives. We should all be proud of that.

But let’s not rest on our laurels.  Coconut, Rosa, Molly, Fiona, Mary Kate, Ashley, Mama Cass, Melissa, Bella, Onyx, Rufus, Ellie Mae, Chad, Lottie, Deno, Dale, Sassafras, Pal, Carrie, Wally, Romeo and a whole lot more fabulous dogs and cats at the County Shelter still need homes.

IT’S ALL PART OF FOTAS‘ MISSION

FOTAS’ Lenny’s Brigade and Fix a Pet programs funded the spay/neuters of 66 County dogs and cats in need  in month of September!

PETS OF THE WEEK

RUFUS — Male — Chow Chow — 4 yrs old — 42 lbs — $70

MOLLY — Female —  domestic short hair — 4 yrs old —  $35

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Events, News

Wagener Cares

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

24 August 2014

Wagener Cares

By Joanna Samson, FOTAS Board of Directors

On Saturday, August 16th, CTFK (Churches Together for the Kids Ministries) hosted its annual Back2School Bash in downtown Wagener to ready area students for the upcoming school year.

It was a beautiful day.  Friends and families gathered to catch up with their neighbors and have some lunch, while children of all ages lined up for free school supplies, haircuts and health screenings.

FOTAS was on-site to provide information about its Fix-a-Pet Program, which provides low or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries for pets in the Wagener area.

“I bet we saw 600 people,” says Carol Miller, one of the FOTAS Fix-a-Pet coordinators. “We ran out of stickers, coloring sheets and animal cards after lunch.  We handed out all of our Fix-a-Pet fliers and spoke to lots of people who were interested in taking advantage of the program.”

“It was a huge success,” she continues. “20 people scheduled spay/neuter surgeries for last Tuesday. We have had so many calls, we are already scheduling the next pick-up date.”

Wagener is a town that has preserved a strong sense of community and tradition. It has not fallen prey to the nondescript modernity of chain stores and fast food restaurants.  In so many ways, Wagener is a picture of Americana, representing the small-town values upon which this country is built.

Yet over time, Wagener has become a hotspot in the County for problematic overpopulation of dogs and cats, resulting in a disproportionately high number of homeless animals euthanized in the County Shelter every year.

Over the past three years, FOTAS has worked closely with Mayor Miller’s office to address this issue by providing low or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries for pets in the Wagener area.

Once or twice a month, depending on the number of people who have signed up at the Mayor’s office, FOTAS volunteers arrange the pick up, transportation and return of the animals to and from the SPCA’s spay/neuter clinic, and FOTAS pays the costs of the surgery.

“We know how hard it is for families and working folks to find the time and resources to spay or neuter their pets,” says Colleen Timmerman, another FOTAS Fix-a-Pet coordinator, “so we try to make it as financially and logistically painless as possible.”

The hard work is paying off.  In 2013, FOTAS paid for 379 spay/neuter surgeries, the majority of which came from the Wagener area. This year should be even better as the FOTAS Fix-a-Pet Program (which also supplements the County Voucher Program for all County residents) gains traction in the community.

Every spay/neuter surgery does make a difference.

According to theoretical breeding statistics, that is, the number of kittens or puppies an un-spayed female and her offspring are capable of producing over a 7 year period, one un-spayed female cat and one un-neutered male cat can produce 420,000 kittens in 7 years.  For dogs, one un-spayed female and one un-neutered male can produce 67,000 puppies over the same period.

While it’s true these numbers are theoretical and assume maximum health and reproduction capabilities and longevity, they are nevertheless mind-blowing. The population of unfixed animals in the County is the reason for the shockingly high number of homeless animals (4800 last year, down from 6500 in the past) consigned to the County shelter each year and the correspondingly high euthanasia rates.

Pope Paul II once said, “A community needs a soul if it is to become a true home for human beings,” and that it is the people of the community that give it that soul.

Wagener is a community with soul.  As evidenced by the Back2School Bash, it is a place that cares deeply for its people and its children. The increasing success rate of the FOTAS Fix-a-Pet Program demonstrates Wagener is a place that cares deeply for its animals as well.

 

MAXIMUS    Male    Germand shepherd mix    9 mos   40 lbs

SCOOTER     Male   Domestic Medium Hair    8 wks    1.6 lbs.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Events, Fundraisers

Raining golf balls in September

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

17 August 2014

Raining golf balls in September

By Edie Hubler, FOTAS Director

There are so many things to love about Aiken. It is a quaint southern town, full of tradition, historic homes, shaded parkways, and cool shops.

And then there are the citizens of the Aiken community: active and generous people who love their sports as much as they love their animals. Among other things, Aiken boasts the oldest continuously used polo field in the country, one of the few court tennis facilities in the country, and one of the oldest fox hunting drag hunts in the country.

And then there’s golf:  Aiken is a quintessential haven for golfers because of the rolling country and temperate climates.  Courses ranging from the iconic Augusta National just across the state line to the oldest golf course in the country, Palmetto Golf Course, so many people move or retire here solely for the golf.

So when FOTAS volunteer Sandy Staiger proposed organizing a golf tournament to raise money for FOTAS and the animals in the Aiken County Animal Shelter, we were thrilled.  What a great way to combine the community’s fervor to help its helpless animals with its fever for fun.

On September 22, 2014, FOTAS is sponsoring Playing Fore the Pets at the popular Houndslake Country Club, with lots of prizes and surprises.

The tournament will be played as atraditional 4-person Captain’s Choice, and the first player who sinks a hole-in-one on a Par 3 hole will win a car from Honda Cars of Aiken.  There will be other hole challenges, various trophies & prizes for the golfers as well as food and drink. Plus, all registered golfers will receive a coupon to receive a FREE Razor Golf Club valued at $120.

But wait, that’s not all, folks, there’s a twist.  In fact, it’s a

$1,000.00 Twist.

It’s going to rain golf balls.

That’s right – golf balls.  In the early afternoon, and never before seen in Aiken, a helicopter will drop pre-numbered golf balls from 300 feet over a designated hole.  If you donate $10.00 to FOTAS for a corresponding ticket to one of the pre-numbered golf balls, you will have a chance to win $1,000.00.  The first ball that goes in the hole or lands closest to the hole is the winner.  There are a limited number of ball tickets being sold and you don’t have to play in the tournament or be present to win.  Tickets can be purchased at Aiken Dry Goods, Aiken Saddlery, Family Pharmacy (Price Ave. location), Aiken County Animal Shelter, Houndslake Country Club, Honda Cars of Aiken, or by contacting golf@FOTASAiken.org.

All proceeds from this action-packed event will benefit the Aiken County Animal Shelter, because, as you know, keeping the County’s homeless animals is not fun and games.

Virtually every dollar FOTAS raises is dedicated to those animals. Through fundraisers like this, FOTAS buys necessary medicine and equipment, like flea and heartworm treatments, leashes, collars, grooming supplies and training treats.

The money buys food and supplies for our animals in foster care and veterinary treatment for animals with special needs.  It supplements the County’s spay/neuter voucher program and provides manpower and resources to fix pets and neuter community cats in County hotspots.  It pays the cost of transporting animals to no-kill partner shelters in other parts of the country.

Join us on September 22nd at Houndslake.  Play golf, watch the festivities, meet some of our adoptable animals.  Your participation and donations will make a difference in the lives of the dogs and cats at the County Shelter.

For more information on the event, activities and sponsorship opportunities, go to fotasaiken.com.

 

PET OF THE WEEK

BUDDY   Beagle … Male … 2 yrs… 21 lbs. — $70

COCONUT   Tabby … Male… 4 ys .. 8.9 lbs. — $35

Adoption, Board of Directors, Cats, Dogs, Events, News

A Triumphant History and a New Era

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

10 August 2014

A Triumphant History and a New Era

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director

Last week was a banner week for FOTAS, the Aiken County Animal Shelter and its animal residents.

Adoptions were at a record high: 15 dogs and 7 cats were rehomed to loving families.  Sixteen dogs were transferred to one of our partner shelters.  The FOTAS Fix-a-Pet program assisted County citizens in need and organized and funded the spay/neuter of 33 dogs and cats at the SPCA’s clinic.  FOTAS celebrated its fifth birthday, and Martha Chadwick became the first Shelter Manager.

These events represent a remarkable journey of hard work, persistence and perseverance and the dawn of a new era for the County Shelter.

FOTAS was officially formed on July 28, 2009 to help the County with the wretched conditions at the old shelter.

At that time, the annual intake often exceeded 6000 animals.  Up to 95% of the animals surrendered to the shelter or picked up by animal control were put to death.

The shelter was hopelessly outdated – open trenches for waste, no outdoor facilities, no ventilation systems for proper air exchange, no isolation facilities, as many as five to six animals housed in one small indoor crate. The shelter was a breeding ground for anxiety and contagious diseases.

Fast forward five years. Through the innovative and effective public/private partnership forged by the County and FOTAS, a modern, healthy new shelter was built – a facility in which the community can take pride. The partnership also has developed and established successful adoption, volunteer, training, foster, transfer, and spay/neuter programs.

The result? The euthanasia rate has dropped from a haunting 95% to a still haunting, but significantly improved, 69%.

But wait – it gets better.  The County recently restructured it’s animal control/shelter program to better coordinate the County’s staff and private resources, ensure better care of the animals, and meet the needs of the shelter and the community.

First, animal control and shelter management have been separated, allowing Chief Animal Control Officer Bobby Arthurs to be out in the community solving problems, interacting with County citizens, enforcing state and county laws, and educating the public about responsible pet ownership.

“No one has been more committed to the care of the County’s unfortunate animals or more supportive of the changes at the shelter than Bobby,” says Jennifer Miller, the President of FOTAS.  “He is a tremendous asset with an amazing depth of experience, equaled only by his amazing depth of compassion.”

Second, the County created a Shelter Manager position that reports directly to the Assistant County Administrator’s office and hired Martha Chadwick to fill the position.

Martha, who moved to Aiken five years ago from Virginia with her husband and three children, has the people skills, management experience and love for animals necessary to continue to develop the shelter’s programs, increase adoptions, and further reduce the euthanasia rate.

Martha also wants to encourage greater community involvement with the shelter.  “I want folks to know that they can make a difference, either by adopting their next pet from the shelter or joining the FOTAS volunteer program or both.”

That’s a tall order, but Martha is certain she has the right people to make it happen.

“I am so impressed with the shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers, who have managed to do so much with so little for so long.  They have welcomed me with open hearts and made my transition into this new position effortless,” says Martha.

“I am so excited about this job.”

She pauses. “ I can hardly believe I am getting paid to do it.”

Joanna Dunn Samson is a retired attorney and environmental administrator who specialized in the development of large public projects and public/private partnerships. Appointed to the FOTAS Board in 2012, she and her husband David, their two dogs and two ponies moved to Aiken in 2006.

Pets of the Week:

JOSE — Male, American bulldog mix — 4 months old — 20 lbs — $70

LEMON – Female, tabby kitten — 12 wks old — 3.1 lbs — $35