Category Archives: Community Pet Food Pantry

abandoned animals, Adoption, animal care education, Community Pet Food Pantry, Spay/Neuter, surrendered pets, Volunteer, Volunteers

Dog 101 – Keep Your Dog at Home

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Flynn is ready for his forever home.
02
Sep

Recently, the Aiken County Animal Shelter has taken in more dogs than normal, and one of the biggest reasons is surprisingly simple: people are not keeping their dogs safely at home.

Dogs are roaming neighborhoods, seeking shade on neighbors’ porches, begging for food or simply wandering because they aren’t properly contained.

Flynn needs his forever home.
Flynn needs his forever home.

As much as we talk about the importance of spaying and neutering, we are finding ourselves having to go back to the very basics of pet ownership: Keep your pets safely contained and provide them with food, water, shelter and veterinary care.

We are also seeing dogs surrendered because their owners are unable—or unwilling—to keep them contained.

Pet ownership comes with responsibility. Pets are a gift we choose to bring into our lives, and there is a level of “parenting” involved. In return, they give us so much: love, companionship, security and friendship.

If you cannot properly care for an animal, please don’t get one. If your children desperately want a pet but you don’t have the financial means, time or energy to care for another living being, it’s okay to say no. A pet is a commitment that can last 10, 15 or even 20 years.

We see what happens when that commitment is forgotten.

Poor Flynn was recently brought back to our shelter. He was adopted from us a year ago and then rehomed multiple times before eventually ending up back where he started. All that bouncing around has left him sad and confused. He doesn’t understand what he did wrong.

Thanks to our volunteers he finally found his smile again this weekend, now he needs a home that will keep him safe and loved!

Aiken County is growing. We see new homes, new neighborhoods and new businesses everywhere. Unfortunately, at the shelter, we are also seeing more animals coming through our doors.

People often ask us, “How can I help?”

Right now, one of the biggest answers is: ADOPT.

If you have the time, resources and commitment to properly care for a dog or cat, now is the time. We have an abundance of wonderful pets desperately needing homes.

Many have already experienced neglect, instability or a lack of love. Imagine what it means to one of these animals to finally have a safe home, a full bowl, a comfortable place to sleep and someone who loves them.

Keep your pets safe. Keep them home. And if you have room in your life for another, please consider adopting.

Their lives are in our hands.
by Kathy Cagle, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

2026, Adoption, Community Pet Food Pantry, Volunteer, Volunteers

What FOTAS Means to Me — and to Aiken County

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
Letty Volunteering at Tractor Supply Adoption Event
13
Aug

I wanted to share a heartfelt story about the incredible work happening every day at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, alongside Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS). Led by Kathy and a team of warrior souls, these organizations are changing lives—both animal and human—in ways words can barely capture.

For me, FOTAS is more than an organization. It is a lifeline of compassion, hope, and second chances. Every animal who enters the Shelter comes from a hard beginning, but with the help of FOTAS, they receive kindness, healing, and a soft place to land.

Letty Volunteering at Tractor Supply Adoption Event
Letty Volunteering at Tractor Supply Adoption Event

Every day shelter staff, and the FOTAS team work tirelessly to find the perfect home for each animal in their care. Their mission goes beyond sheltering—it’s about loving, restoring trust, and making sure every soul gets the chance it deserves. Whether arranging transports to out-of-state rescues or connecting with shelters to relieve overcrowding, especially during “baby season,” their dedication is nothing short of extraordinary.

If financial hardships ever make caring for a pet difficult, the Shelter’s animal food bank is open to anyone in need. This lifeline doesn’t just provide food—it keeps families together. They help people find programs that allow them to keep their beloved companions, ensuring no one has to say goodbye due to tough times.

The medical team at the Shelter performs miracles daily. No matter how dire an animal’s condition, they fight for every life. I know this firsthand—my hospice dog, Allie, arrived with a collar embedded in her neck and was discovered to have cancer during surgery. The team removed her tumors and provided exceptional aftercare. Today, Allie looks and feels as good as new, a living testament to their devotion and skill.

And then there are the volunteers—the heartbeat of the Shelter. These warrior souls walk dogs, bathe them, sit quietly to offer comfort, and often provide the very first kindness an animal has ever known. It is a blessing to witness how dogs and cats blossom with just a little affection. Animals who once knew fear and hardship transform into joyful companions, returning our love a hundred times over.  If you feel called to lend even a few hours a week, please email info@fotasaiken.org.  They can answer all your questions you have about opportunities available.  My time there has truly been life-changing.

FOTAS’s impact spreads far beyond the Shelter walls. Their school outreach programs teach children empathy and responsible pet care. Reading groups help shy animals connect with young readers. “Doggy Day Out” adventures give shelter dogs a chance to enjoy the world. Fosters take in injured or ill animals, giving them safety and comfort while they heal. Every program ripples through our community with compassion and purpose.

The adoption team works tirelessly to match people with pets who fit their lifestyle and bring joy into their homes. Their insight helps create forever families and opens space for new animals to be saved.

To witness the work of the staff and volunteers is to witness the best of humanity. They are warriors—fighting for every life, every family, every moment of hope. Their love is an extraordinary blessing to our community, and the animals they save give that blessing right back in ways words can scarcely describe.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and perhaps for adding the Shelter to your prayers. Our community—and our animals—are better because of FOTAS.

by Letty Dempsey, FOTAS Volunteer

2025, Community Pet Food Pantry

Helping Our Neighbors

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
During hard times, FOTAS helps feed the animals. If you need help, ask. If you can help, please do.
16
Nov

Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) started a Community Pet Food Pantry a few years ago to help those in need.
We began noticing a rise in pet surrenders due to financial struggles. When families can’t afford food for themselves, often the dog or cat pays the price.

What started as a monthly drive-thru program has now grown into an appointment-based service at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
We are seeing so many in need right now — those who are laid off, unemployed, or senior citizens on fixed incomes. These people love their pets and want to meet their needs.

FOTAS is the rare organization that supplements its food donations by purchasing additional pet food to distribute so we never turn away an Aiken County citizen in need. Residents of Aiken County can email us to tell us about their pets, and we will have food ready for pickup by appointment. This way, we can ensure that we always have food available to give.

FOTAS also donates pet food to Aiken Senior Services for their Meals on Wheels program. Many senior citizens were sharing their delivered meals with their pets, and we wanted to make sure that both the homebound seniors and their pets receive healthy meals.

During hard times, FOTAS helps feed the animals. If you need help, ask. If you can help, please do.
During hard times, FOTAS helps feed the animals. If you need help, ask. If you can help, please do.

While the needs at the shelter are greater than ever, so too are the needs of our growing community. Compassion comes in many forms, and we find that providing pet food to those in need not only keeps pets in their homes, but also gives them a better quality of life.

We have seen a sharp rise in emaciated animals coming to the shelter this year, and we plan to do whatever we can to make sure pets are not going hungry.
Here are some kind words we’ve received from recipients of the pet food we provide:

“Thank you so much for your quick response and for being willing to help us during this time. We truly appreciate the support and the resources you offer to families in need.”

“I contacted you back in May, and y’all were able to provide us with some dog food to help feed our dog. We are going through a financial struggle again because I have been fighting an unexpected custody battle for my two oldest children. We do not want to rehome our dog — she is a wonderful dog, and our family loves her so much.”

“I am writing to see if you could help me again with food for our pets. I’ve been doing better and bought it the last two times, but I just relocated and had to pay deposits and other bills up front, which has made things really tight. I’ve asked for a volunteer schedule so I can help out when I can — at least give my time back as gratitude.”

Please consider donating to our Community Pet Food Pantry. We are grateful for any brands of dog and cat food.

Their lives are in our hands.
by Kathy Cagle, FOTAS Programs Coordinator