Category Archives: Events

2022, Adoption, Events, Volunteers

It Doesn’t Get Better Than This

Posted on by Shana Ryberg
26
Aug

I can say, without reservation, that FOTAS volunteers are simply the best—maybe the greatest volunteers ever.

Case in point: their perfect execution of a multi-pronged game plan at the Aiken County Animal Shelter on Saturday, August 20th for the annual “Clear the Shelter Day.” Our goal for that day was to re-home as many shelter residents as possible and it required lots of coordination and teamwork to make that happen.

The publicity crew had done its advance work in promoting stories on Channel 6 and Channel 12, articles in the Aiken Standard, and many shared posts featuring the adoptable dogs and cats on FOTAS’s Facebook page.

The volunteers were prepared early on the day of the event. We have learned that it is important to present the dogs outside of their kennels where they are more relaxed and show their true personalities on such a busy day. So, an army of FOTAS volunteers arrived early at 7:30 a.m. to walk the dogs before the arrival of the first potential adopters. After their walk, each dog was taken to its assigned outside station where they were attended by two volunteers. Accordingly, every potential adopter spent quality time with each dog (or cat in the lobby) and their volunteers.

The adoption part of the day was to start at 9 a.m. but potential adopters began arriving an hour early. The volunteers were ready, helping people park and showing them where to go.

Finally, it was time for the dogs and cats to get adopted. First one, then another. The 50 volunteers who came that day clapped in unison whenever an animal was adopted. Adoptions represent the fruits of their labor and make it all worthwhile.

Another group of volunteers was assigned to a table to work with the dedicated shelter staff to make the adoption paperwork quick and easy.

Two other volunteers supplied each adopter with a gift to help the pet and pet-owner get off to a good start.

FOTAS’s volunteers come from all walks of lives with diverse political and social opinions. But all of those personal issues are put aside at the shelter, and they all come together recognizing the greater good of helping the animals. Their purpose is shared and the camaraderie is genuine.

At the end o the day, 25 dogs and cats were adopted. That meant there was room for 25 of the many animals received at the shelter already this month and, even though the shelter is still overcrowded, no adoptable animal would have to be euthanized due to lack of space.

The great family of FOTAS volunteers clapped in unison 25 times that Saturday.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Jennifer Miller FOTAS President

2020, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, News, shelter construction

Good News for the County Shelter

Posted on by Bob Gordon
04
Nov

The world out there is a crazy place right now—Covid-19, crazy politics, massive hurricanes on the Gulf coast, wildfires in the west—so I’m all about finding those good news stories to report, the ones that make me feel good, that affirm my faith in people, government, and humanity in general.

When Jennifer Miller, the president of FOTAS, told me that 30 open-air kennels in the intake wing at the Aiken County Animal Shelter have finally, after six years, been enclosed, I was excited. That was great news.

Hudson is a sweet and well-behaved mixed breed who is available for adoption at the ACAS.

A little history. The shelter was built in 2014 through a public/private partnership between the county and FOTAS. The physical shelter was funded by the county from monies from the Capital Project Sales Tax (CPST) III. FOTAS funded the architectural and shovel-ready plans, as well as much needed equipment, durable stainless-steel kennels, furnishings, and fencing once construction of the shelter was complete, through contributions from folks like you.

Unfortunately, there was not enough money at the time to enclose the last thirty kennels. Although the kennels were covered and heaters were installed for the winter and fans for the summer, as weather patterns became more erratic, the kennels were not able to protect the dogs from intense heat, torrential rains, and unusual cold spikes. The county understood the problem and responded, committing to fund the project with the next round of CPST IV monies. Construction began earlier this year and has just been completed.

Why is this such an important improvement to the shelter? Because it’s better for the dogs: enclosed kennels provide greater security and a more positive shelter experience. The shelter takes in about 4,000 abandoned, neglected, and abused animals every year. No matter how good the shelter is, or the shelter staff and volunteers are, it is a stressful experience for the dogs. It’s unfamiliar and it’s noisy, and if your kennel happens to be outside, the dog might be hot or cold or wet as well. The more stressed the dog, the more it could bark excessively or shut down.

The newly enclosed intake dog kennels.

An excessive barker or shut down dog is not an appealing prospect at first glance; it takes them longer to get adopted. Longer stays make for more anxiety for the animals and increased costs for the shelter. It’s a vicious cycle.

That is why the County and FOTAS work hard to make a dog’s kennel experience as positive as possible. So in addition to providing kennel beds and toys to curb anxiety, now the dogs in the back thirty kennels can be housed in proper indoor/outdoor kennels. In bad weather, they are protected from the elements; but in good weather they can go to the outside kennel for a little fresh air.

A relaxed dog is an appealing prospect at first glance. Appealing prospects get adopted more quickly—better for the dog and definitely better for the shelter’s budget.

None of this would have been possible without a committed County Council and an equally committed community. Thank you—you are our good news right now.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President, FOTAS

The enclosed kennels have air conditioning, heating and a speaker system for calming music.

2020, Cats, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, neglected pets, News, senior pets, surrendered pets

Coco & Mia’s Owners Moved Away Without Them

Posted on by Bob Gordon
21
Jan

Coco would not eat or even groom herself. The 6-year-old, long-haired, gray and white beauty just slept or watched visitors with a suspicious eye when they approached her cat condo at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS).

COCO (left) looks out for her bestie, MIA.

But then we moved Mia, the 2-year-old gray Tabby Coco was surrendered with, into Coco’s condo and everything changed. Coco started strutting around and stretching, ate some food and cleaned and groomed her coat, making it gorgeous again. She even took some cat treats from a staff member’s hand. It was then we knew that Mia and Coco were bonded and needed to be adopted together.

Poor Coco and Mia were surrendered by their owners, who didn’t include them in their moving plans. So, now they only have each other.

While not uncommon, bonded adult animals at the shelter tend to take longer to adopt out since people are often seeking one pet to join their other, established pets at home. But Coco and Mia would be perfect for a person or family who doesn’t have any cats and want to add some furry indoor-only felines to their home. Double the cats, double the love! Both Coco and Mia are spayed and can be adopted for just $20.

COCO (left) and MIA are bonded indoor-only kitties who need to be adopted together.

SHELTER HAS EXTENDED ADOPTION HOURS TUESDAY & THURSDAY
Don’t forget! The ACAS now has extended adoption hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The shelter is open for adoptions until 7 p.m. twice a week to make it more convenient for you to visit and select a homeless pet for your family. The shelter’s adoption hours are: Monday, Wednesday and Friday — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. And on Saturday the shelter is open for adoptions from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

REGISTER TO RUN IN FIRST FOTAS FURRY 5K RACE
Register to run in first FOTAS Furry 5K race A race to benefit the homeless animals at the ACAS is scheduled for Saturday, February 1 at Generations Park in Aiken.

Logo for the First Annual FOTAS Furry 5K

The First Annual FOTAS Furry 5K and 1-Mile Fun Run will feature adoptable dogs from the county shelter and FOTAS will be accepting dog and cat food donations as well as toys, treats and other goodies at the event. Participants can bring their own furry friend to run with them and are encouraged to dress up their dog for the canine costume competition.

The special event is being organized by 2 Girls and a Clock Racing & Timing Services and registration can be done on runsignup.com through Jan. 28. Late comers can also register in person on the day of the event.

The 1-Mile Fun Run starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K race begins at 9 a.m. Winners of the 5K will receive awards and prize raffles will be held following the race. For more information about this event, please go to fotasaiken.org.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

PETS OF THE WEEK

PIPPA
Mixed breed, female, 4 years old, red, 56 pounds – $35

ARCHER
Domestic medium-hair, male, 2 months old, Tabby, 2 pounds – $10

2019, Dogs, donations, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Junior FOTAS, News, Volunteers

Educating Local Students Is Key to Helping Homeless Pets

Posted on by Bob Gordon
13
Jan

I am constantly blown away by the kindness of young people in our community, especially during the holiday season. Local students care deeply about the homeless animals at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) and are eager to learn all they can to help them.

Matthew and Joy David visited the shelter with toy donations. They enjoyed their tour of the facility and met the homeless pets — and Santa Claus!

South Aiken Baptist students bring toys at Christmas
South Aiken Baptist Christian invited Shelter Manager Bobby Arthurs and I to bring dogs to their school in early December and speak to students about pet responsibility. We were later surprised by one of their teachers and her grandchildren who visited our shelter with many items to donate.

Aiken Elementary makes cat toys and organizes donation drive
Paula Simmons is a fabulous volunteer at the shelter. A retired teacher from Aiken County Public Schools, she has been instrumental in helping form a Junior FOTAS Club at the school. In December, Paula and I took adoptable hound mix JD to visit the students and they made toys for the shelter felines and organized a holiday donation drive for FOTAS.

Horse Creek Academy collect goodies for homeless pets
Horse Creek Academy Kindergarten teacher Jennifer Kelley adopted a dog, Cooper, from the ACAS three years ago. Since then, she has organized a kindergarten supply drive for FOTAS. All the kindergarten teachers allow me to come into their classrooms, meet their students and talk to them about the shelter. The children spend time with one of our shelter dogs before forming a line and walking the supplies out to the FOTAS van.

Junior FOTAS members from Tall Pines STEM Academy read to the adoptable dogs.

North Augusta High School delivers astounding amount of donations Students at North Augusta High School also collected items for shelter pets during this holiday season. We were overwhelmed by the amount of donations we received! Thank you to Amanda Jones and her amazing students for all their support!

Tall Pines Junior FOTAS team reads to ACAS dogs
Our Tall Pines Junior FOTAS Club is always busy collecting donations, helping with events and educating our community about spay/neuter, heartworm prevention and pet responsibility. Last month, the students read to shelter dogs. The dogs, stressed in their kennels, relaxed at the sound of the students’ voices. In January, these same kids are helping us make videos and public service announcements about our programs.

Kennedy Middle School adds FOTAS to mini course schedule
We are looking forward to our third year of being a part of the mini courses at Kennedy Middle School. In March, we meet once a week with students, discussing key animal advocacy topics. Vet techs, animal control officers and adoption staff will speak to students about working with homeless animals in our community.

Kindergartners from Horse Creek Academy greet the FOTAS van with donations.

We are grateful for the schools and educators who support the shelter and allow us to speak to their students about our programs. If you are involved with a school in Aiken County and would like us to come and speak to students about pet responsibility, please call us at (803) 514-4313 or send an email to info@fotasaiken.org.

Educating our young people is the only way we will ever solve our pet overpopulation problem and reduce animal neglect. Their voices are powerful and can influence so many!

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

2019, Bully Dogs, Dogs, donations, Events, fostering, FOTAS, Fundraisers, News, surrendered pets, TNR Program, Volunteers

The Christmas Season of Kindness and Hope

Posted on by Bob Gordon
30
Dec

The good doctor was on his way to work in Augusta when he spotted two large bully dogs on the Aiken-Augusta Highway. Concerned about their safety on the busy, four-lane road, he pulled over and coaxed the dogs—who were healthy, well-behaved, and in good shape—into his car. Figuring they had to be someone’s pets, the doctor turned around and headed for the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

A young volunteer reads to a shelter dog to help socialize him and keep him company.

Bobby Arthurs, the shelter manager, was on site when the doctor arrived with the dogs. He agreed with his assessment that the dogs were well-cared for, so he scanned them for a microchip. Turns out, they were microchipped, and in short order, Bobby had identified the owner and a contact number. The owner, who was at work, was both alarmed his beloved dogs had escaped their yard and relieved they were safe.

Wait—the story gets better. The good doctor offered to drive the dogs to their owner even though he was late to work. First, he called the hospital; then he loaded the dogs into his car (again) and drove back to Aiken to reunite the dogs with the owner.

We often fill these pages with stories of hard luck and sadness—distressed, baffled dogs surrendered to the shelter by their owners or dumped on some county road—and we are often pleading for help to relieve overcrowding at the shelter or to save a particularly special dog. But today I want to celebrate the many acts of kindness and sacrifice, both large and small, that make it possible for FOTAS and the shelter to save thousands of dogs every year.

Dasher was fostered by the Simons family during the Christmas holiday, and shortly after he was adopted to a good home.

Whether it’s a volunteer making calls for one little lost dog, or Bobby Arthurs organizing a pre-dawn pickup to feature adoptable animals on the local news at 6 a.m., or the shelter adoption coordinator giving up a day off during the busy holiday season, or FOTAS volunteers taking dogs to a special event on a hot summer day, or someone who fosters a hard–to-place dog who has been on the adoption floor for a long time, or school children who pool their allowances to buy much-needed supplies for the shelter, or kind citizens who bring in community cats for TNR or adopt senior dogs or foster medical-needs dogs or the folks who bring in wishlist donations on their own time. . . the amount of effort expended to save these animals breathtaking.

FOTAS volunteers bring shelter dogs to USC Aiken Pet-a-Pup event.

What is Christmas but the season of good will and hope?

Here’s to hoping for the day that all pets are fixed, no dogs are tethered to logging chains, no animals are dumped by the side of the road, no boxes of abandoned puppies and kitties are dropped off at the shelter, and every pet is a cared-for, cherished family member.

Thank you and God bless you and your family this Christmas season.

By the way, if the Christmas spirit moves you to adopt your next pet, now’s the time!

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice-President

BY THE NUMBERS

The Aiken County Animal Shelter has greatly reduced and waived adoption fees through Jan. 1. The shelter is full, so now is the perfect time to adopt a dog or cat.

PETS OF THE WEEK

TANNER: Retriever mix, male, 1-1/2 years old, 73 pounds – $35

BIRDIE: Domestic Shorthair cat, female, 2 years old, 14 pounds – $10

2019, awards, Board of Directors, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Events, FOTAS, News, Shelter staff, Spay/Neuter, Uncategorized, Volunteers

It’s a Party! FOTAS Celebrates Ten Years of Saving Lives

Posted on by Bob Gordon
28
Oct

On Saturday, November 2nd, FOTAS will host a party at the Aiken County Animal Shelter to celebrate its tenth anniversary partnering with the county and the shelter to save lives.

What a ride it’s been. In 2009, a few dedicated and concerned citizens banded together to form FOTAS in response to the dismal conditions at the old shelter and the bleak prospects for any animal unlucky enough to pass through its doors. At the time, a trip to the county shelter was a death sentence—91% of the 6,000 animals at the shelter were euthanized every year. Very few made it out alive.

Destiny, a 3- month-old kitten available for adoption, is ready to celebrate FOTAS’s 10th year.

The turnabout at the county shelter since 2009 is nothing short of spectacular. Since the formation of FOTAS, the euthanasia rate has dropped steadily each year, reaching a historic low of 6% in 2018, saving every adoptable animal. It’s a remarkable story of partnership, determination, commitment, and community involvement and support.

In fact, the South Carolina Secretary of State selected FOTAS as one of the ten organizations (out of thousands!) to receive the Angel Award, which recognizes the most efficient and effective charities in the state.

There are so many people to celebrate for this astonishing success:

The FOTAS volunteers, who work on bookkeeping, social media, special fundraising events, and FOTAS Fix-a-Pet; who organize and work on special fundraising and on-site events; who foster mamma dogs and cats and all their progeny, who care for animals designated for transfer; who shuffle animals to off-site adoption events; who walk the dogs, love up the cats, work with play groups, and show animals to potential adopters—the dramatic and steady increase in the Shelter’s live release rate since 2009 is directly related to their efforts to make the animals more adoptable

Paige Bayne, Director of Aiken County Code Enforcement, and the beloved Bobby Arthurs, Chief Animal Control Officer and Shelter Manager, who directly oversee and manage the Shelter operations with kind, thoughtful and dedicated attention to the welfare of the animals.

Blue, a handsome young mixed breed, can be adopted at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

The County Shelter staff—the intake administrators, adoption coordinators, vet techs, kennel techs and custodians—who make certain that all of those animals are properly documented and cared for with compassion and efficiency.

Dr. Lisa Levy, the Shelter Vet, whose medical prowess and big heart has saved the lives of hundreds of animals, and Dr. Mike Wells, who performs spay/neuter surgery on community cats for the TNR program.

The County Council and the County Administration for being the best public partners—ever—and working with FOTAS to save every adoptable animal.

And last but not least, you, the Aiken community, who year after year have supported our efforts with enthusiasm and generosity. You have designated the Shelter as your community shelter, and we could not be prouder.

Join us at the county shelter this Saturday, November 2nd, from 10:00 to 1:00 for a joyful celebration of our shared success in making the county shelter a model of public responsibility to our animals. There will be lots of free food and activities for adults, children, and their four-legged friends. Bring your party hat, and we’ll see you there.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

2019, Dogs, Events, Fundraisers, News, Uncategorized, Volunteers

Playing Fore the Pets Golf Tourney Develops into Biggest FOTAS Fundraiser

Posted on by Bob Gordon
24
Sep

We are looking forward to our Sixth Annual Playing Fore the Pets golf tournament at The Reserve Club at Woodside Plantation tomorrow, Monday September 23. More than 200 players are expected to participate, and we are grateful to them and our event sponsors for helping us to raise funds for the Aiken County Animal Shelter and its homeless pets in need.

The planning that takes place behind the scenes for this important fundraising event starts in April, when the committee gets together to divide up duties, discuss changes and propose additions to make the tournament even better than the previous year. This is followed by monthly update meetings to review our progress.

The golf ball drop contest is a fun draw, and the winner receives a $1,000 check!

The FOTAS Golf Tournament premiered in 2014 with only four volunteers. Sandy and Ross Staiger chaired the event, bringing their ideas and direction from a similar tournament they started and ran in Wolfeboro, NH for seven years. They brought the Helicopter Ball Drop to Aiken to accompany this golf event, which has been a huge success. Selling and keeping track of 1,000 ball drop tickets is quite a task, but FOTAS volunteers and friends were more than up to the challenge.

Today, our committee has grown to 13 people. Karen Loughran, now in charge of coordinating the Helicopter Ball Drop, and Sharon Johnson, promotion coordinator, have been with the committee for five years. Corri McCorkle, Cindie Davidson, Marylou Kling and Sharon have been helping to gather the great gift certificates and gifts from the business community that we pull together for our wonderful raffle gift baskets. Six new members, Marianne Malloy, Fran Warner, Monique Gilbert, Pam Patron, Linda Samoranski, and Debbie Schroeder along with Connie Jarzmik, a member of 3 years, have been charged with speaking to the business community about the shelter’s mission, asking for their support in the form of TEE Sponsorships.

Over 100 wonderful businesses and private donors have stepped up to support this event. Our top Eagle Sponsors — Milton Ruben Toyota, Affordable Quality Marble and Granite, HESS Travel, and Lorac Design Group – are valuable supporters of the animals and this tournament. LongHorn Steakhouse is providing participating golfers with lunch for the fifth year in a row.

As we move forward to hosting our sixth golf tournament, we can honestly say we are blessed to have our loyal donors, new business partners along with the loyal and new golfers participating in this event. An additional 40 volunteers help out on the course the day of the tourney.

Adoptable dog SANDI enjoyed spending time with the tournament participants.

Our plans are to make this year’s golf tournament the best fundraising event of the year by making everyone aware of how important the work is for the animals in need that enter our shelter.

FOTAS is instrumental in saving lives and provides the Aiken community and the animals with such a vital service. The volunteers of FOTAS are able to work miracles thanks to you, our loyal advocates, who provide the financial fuel that allows us to promote proper pet care, take in medically neglected pets, provide them with the treatment and recovery they need and, most importantly, find unwanted pets the loving homes they deserve.

— By Sandy and Ross Staiger, FOTAS Golf Tournament Chairs

PETS OF THE WEEK

TIFFANY
Mixed breed, female, 3-1/2 years old, brindle/white, 45 pounds – $35

ZADIE
Domestic Shorthair, female, 1 year old, white Calico, 7.5 pounds – $10

2019, Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, injured animals, kittens, News

Clear the Shelter Event Results in Heartwarming Adoptions

Posted on by Bob Gordon
26
Aug

Last Saturday’s Clear the Shelter event at the Aiken County Animal Shelter was a success, with 40 unwanted pets finding loving homes in four hours.

Part of an annual national effort, the shelter’s standard adoption fees were waived on this day to encourage folks to visit the animals and give them homes, thereby “clearing the shelter” to make room for — and save the lives of — more homeless animals.

Adopted blind cat DREW sits on the lap of his new owner, Kathy Brewer.

Last month, the ACAS received 533 stray animals and surrendered pets, so the timing of this event was ideal. We needed to find these animals homes and the community rallied and responded.

“I had been looking for a cat for my family for a while, and when we saw Drew, we knew it was just meant to be,” said Erica Brewer. Erica’s mom, Kathy, recently had a stroke that severely impaired her vision – so when Erica saw the blind cat, she knew he was the right choice for them. Erica’s wife, Jessica, and their two daughters, Makayla and Makenzie, held and petted Drew while the adoption process was completed.

“Drew adjusted to his new home right away,” Erica said. It’s like he’s been living there for years. Everybody loves and spoils him rotten. There’s just something about him – he’s a special cat.”

Deke meets his new human brother.

While Drew was being put in his carrier to go home on Saturday, a kitten name Juliet was selected for adoption by Samantha Maynard. Carrying her 7-month-old son, John Keith, in her arms, she said, “I saw the shelter was having this event, so we drove out here to find him a pet. Everybody has been helpful and friendly. It’s been a great experience.”

Meanwhile, three senior dogs, a senior cat and 13 heartworm positive dogs were also adopted on this day, including black Lab mix Deke, who bonded with an autistic boy looking for a support animal. Thanks to your donations to FOTAS and its “Have a Heart, Save a Heart” program, all of the heartworm positive dogs at the shelter go home with medicine to treat and cure their condition. Thank you so much for coming out and adopting these animals in need.

Kitten JULIET gets adopted by Samantha Maynard during Clear the Shelter Day, Aug. 17.

While the shelter continues to be overwhelmed with more strays and unwanted pets received each day, your help and participation make such a difference! If you are looking to adopt, foster or volunteer, please come to the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 333 Wire Road. Or contact FOTAS at (803) 514-4313 or info@fotasaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands.

–By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

BY THE NUMBERS
Nationwide, the Clear the Shelters 2019 campaign, resulted in the adoption of more than 147,000 pets from nearly 2,000 participating shelters. Since it began in 2015, the Clear the Shelters initiative has resulted in nearly 400,000 pets finding their forever homes.

PETS OF THE WEEK

PRISCILLA
Mixed breed, female, 2 years old, 36 pounds – $35

KAI
Domestic Shorthair, male, 3 months old, Tabby, 2 pounds – $10

2019, Cats, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, Training

Teaching Children Well about Training and Responsible Pet Care

Posted on by Bob Gordon
06
May

By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

Educating our children is essential for promoting better pet care and reducing the number of homeless dogs and cats.

Last week, Dog Trainer Susi Cohen and I were invited to Oakwood Windsor Elementary School to share what we do to support the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). Susi, a trainer with the Palmetto Dog Club who volunteers her services to FOTAS, brought Holly, a young Retriever mix, to demonstrate basic dog training to the children. She explained that just as teachers use positive reinforcement with students, dog owners need to do the same with their pets.

The students pet Holly, an Aiken County Animal Shelter Dog that was available for adoption.

When young Holly jumped up for attention, Susi explained that the best way to handle this overzealous behavior is to redirect her and praise her when she returns to standing on all fours. She stressed that you should never call your dog a “bad dog”. There are no bad dogs, just dogs that didn’t receive the training that they so desperately need.

One little boy had a great question. He said he understood it was not proper to call his dog bad but asked if it was okay to tell his dog, “No,” when it was misbehaving. Susi smiled and agreed that you must correct your dog, but it’s important to find a specific way to say it. Maybe tell your dog “Off” instead of “No”. She explained that yelling at your dog doesn’t help either; just simply praise your pet when she does what you want her to do. Dogs love attention and they love to please. Training provides both offerings for your pet.

So many of the dogs that come into the shelter are one to two years old. The behavioral reasons people give for surrendering them are typically because they are “too high energy”, “destructive” and/or “too much responsibility.” But if you train them properly, you can avoid these issues. Susi and Karen DeCamp, another wonderful trainer with Palmetto Dog Club, meet and work with people who are struggling with their pet’s conduct. Often, they can provide simple training tips to fix such unwanted behavior, which helps keep many dogs in their homes and out of the shelter.

During her visit to Oakwood Windsor Elementary School, Susi Cohen demonstrates some training techniques with shelter dog Holly.

I also brought a foster kitten to visit with the students. The students were surprised when I told them how many dogs and cats are taken in by the shelter each year. One boy said, “My dog just had 12 puppies, but three died.” Another little girl said her cat had kittens up in the attic and one had a lot of medical issues. I explained to them that Aiken County and FOTAS offer help in these situations. We have spay/neuter vouchers available at the shelter that greatly reduce the cost of this important surgery. It is a simple procedure that will ensure their dog or cat won’t have any more litters.

Going to the schools is always so rewarding. Not only do the shelter animals enjoy spending time with the students and vice versa, but teaching children about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership today paves the way for a better tomorrow.

Their lives are in our hands.

PETS OF THE WEEK

DREI
Hound mix, male, 1-1/2 years old, tan & white, 58 pounds, amputated left front leg – $35

Three-legged dog DREI

JACKSON
Domestic Medium Hair, male, 2 years old, black, 8.8 pounds – $10

JACKSON
2019, Children, Dogs, Donate, Events, FOTAS, Fundraisers, News, Woofstock

Calling all Basset Hounds, Come Race at Woofstock!

Posted on by Bob Gordon
29
Apr

By Denise Parmentier, FOTAS volunteer

This Saturday, plan to attend Woofstock Doggie Derby Day 2019, FOTAS’s annual family festival featuring the famous Doxie Derby.

Denise gives TUCKER a pep talk before his next big race.

This year’s event, scheduled to take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Citizens Park, will offer many dog contests, including “Animal’s Got Talent,” a best trick competition being judged by Simon Growl and Heidi Groom; best kisser; best costume; and best dog/owner look alikes. There’s also going to be kids races, pet related business vendors, balloon creations, face painting, great food, music and other fun activities for the whole family.

TUCKER has surprising speed for a Basset Hound

The festival kicks off with a cavalcade of adoptable canines and a parade of dogs that have been adopted from the Aiken County Animal Shelter over the years.

But the event I’m most looking forward to is a dog race – more specifically, the Basset Hound competition. If you like to laugh, you’re going to love witnessing these adorable, short-legged Basset Hounds with marshmallow feet hilariously race each other down a grass track.

Basset Hound racing mania struck me in the early ‘80s. I was introduced to this “sport of kings” by Jerri Caswell at her Annual San Diego Basset Hound Picnic. The first event was the Basset-to-Owner race and it was about the funniest thing I’d ever seen. Bassets running to the right, Bassets to the left, Bassets going down the course in the wrong direction, and some just stopping to socialize or sniff in the middle of the field! We laughed till we cried, and I knew instantly that someday I would put on a Basset Hound Race.

TUCKER is a two-time winner of Woofstock’s large breed dog race, and this year he’s competing against other Bassets.

Enter Aiken, a perfect place for a Basset Hound race –it’s such a horse friendly, dog-loving town! I saw an ad in the Aiken Standard for Woofstock and the FOTAS Doxie Derby. I wanted to run my Basset Hound, Tucker, with them, but he was too big to race with those little wiener Dachshunds. The crowd watched and laughed as the funny little sausage dogs ran down the 75-foot course.

But I didn’t give up hope of racing Tucker and was pleased to discover the following year’s Woofstock featured a large breed dog race. Despite the fact that Tucker was only 12-inches tall with 5-inch legs, he went face to face with German Shepherds and Border Collies. With a look of determination, he ran his heart out and won the race by a nose!

The next year we entered the large dog race again, never expecting to repeat that performance, but Tucker won again! Then, year three drew a whole new assortment of large, athletic dogs. Tucker finished fourth … maybe.

But on May 4, Tucker will finally get to race dogs of his own breed. He will compete against ten of his best Basset Hound buddies. I can’t wait to see these dogs “sprint” to the finish line and watch the hilarity ensue.

If you have a Basset Hound and would like to race in this year’s “Hush Puppy Handicap” please come to Woofstock early and register your dog for the big contest. Tucker welcomes the competition!

PETS OF THE WEEK

HATCH
Retriever mix, male, 6 years old, black/blue, 50 pounds – $35

J. LO
Domestic Shorthair, female, 1 year old, brn & orange Manx, 6 pounds – $10