Category Archives: neglected pets

2019, animal abuse, Dogs, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, injured animals, neglected pets, News, Spay/Neuter

Good Samaritans rescue discarded, distressed puppies

Posted on by Bob Gordon
10
Jun

On Friday, May 31, Lisa Brucchi walked out of her Windsor home into the blistering heat to check her mailbox. She was expecting an important letter from her mom and was eager to see if it had arrived. But as she walked up to her mailbox, she noticed a box on the ground. At first, she thought someone had just left some garbage there but as she got closer, she saw someone had done something much worse. Inside the box were nine puppies covered in their own feces and urine, panting heavily and crying for help.

“When I saw them, I just burst out crying and didn’t know what to do,” Brucchi said. “How could someone leave them out there like that?”

Nine overheated puppies were rescued by a nice couple and are recovering and being fostered back to health by a FOTAS volunteer.

She got them into the cool air conditioning of her home and called her fiancé, Glen Morrow. They brought the distressed pups to the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS), where they were put into some cool water to bring their temperature down. At first, the 3-week-old pups couldn’t open their eyes and their tongues were hanging out, but they slowly came around.

After the veterinary staff fully examined and treated them, a FOTAS foster took them into her home for extra care and monitoring. Being so young, the puppies aren’t quite out of the woods. But their prognosis is good – and Brucchi and Morrow’s quick actions are the reason they have a chance of surviving and living happy lives.

The same afternoon these nine pups were fighting for life in the hot sun, another good Samaritan, Tristan Stone, was driving to a business meeting when he saw two puppies walking along the side of the road. The pups looked confused and were nearly furless from mange. Stone took them to the ACAS and was informed that someone had reported eight puppies in the same area. He volunteered to go back and spotted three more – these were in better shape and from the same litter.

Stone’s girlfriend, Hannah Williams, met him at the Shelter and she volunteered to foster the five pups until they recover and gain strength. They are about 3 months old and look like Beagle/Retriever mixes. Thanks to this caring couple, these babies are getting healthy and will be adopted in no time.

One of the nine pups abandoned in a box on a scorching day recovers after a cool bath.

The shelter received these 14 puppies in just a one-hour period. On the same day, it received 27 other strays and surrendered animals. This was during a short Memorial Day week in which the shelter took in 126 homeless pets.

Please spay/neuter your pets. If you live in Aiken County and need financial assistance, you can get vouchers at the ACAS, located at 333 Wire Road. If you can help us foster, please call the FOTAS hotline, (803) 514-4313. Also note our new adoption hours: 11:00 to 5:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 11:00 to 7:00 on Tuesday and Thursday; and 11:00 to 4:30 on Saturday.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

BY THE NUMBERS
In the first week of June, the ACAS received more than 150 strays and surrendered pets. This follows receiving 519 homeless pets during the month of May.

PETS OF THE WEEK

LUKE
Mixed breed, male, 3 years old, brindle, 57 pounds – $35

BROOKE
Domestic Shorthair female, 2 years old, orange Tabby, 6 pounds – $10

2019, Adoption, animal abuse, Dogs, essay, FOTAS, injured animals, neglected pets, News, Shelter staff

Broken Beyond Repair? They Might Just Surprise You

Posted on by Bob Gordon
02
Apr

By Dr. Lisa Levy, ACAS Veterinarian

One of the greatest dangers to dogs running loose is being hit by a car. Unfortunately, injured animals being brought to the shelter is an all too common occurrence. Some of these injuries can be catastrophic and the animals can’t be saved. But some will defy the odds and recover.

Hiccup was in bad shape when he arrived at the Shelter.

Hiccup is a small terrier mix who came into the Aiken County Animal Shelter as a stray. He had difficulty standing and had very labored breathing. X-rays revealed that he had a ruptured diaphragm — the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. The impact from the car had caused his diaphragm to tear which allowed abdominal organs (in his case liver, stomach and intestines) to move into his chest, putting pressure on his lungs. Further x-rays revealed that he also had broken both his hips. Some hip fractures will heal on their own with restricted activity and time, while some require surgery.

The more serious problem was the diaphragm (we named him Hiccup because hiccups are caused by a spasm of the diaphragm). Surgical repair is possible but complicated and is most often done at a surgical referral practice or university. I have never done this surgery myself. I went home and talked to my husband, also a veterinarian, Dr. Michael Wells. He said he had done a few when clients couldn’t afford referral and he would be willing to try.

Hiccup on his freedom ride, heading to his forever home.

Surgery was challenging as the tear was in an area with little visibility. Since we don’t have ventilators, I had to manually bag him to breathe for him during the procedure. But Dr. Wells was successful in repairing the diaphragm and Hiccup recovered beautifully.

Hiccup soon went into foster care to see how his hips would heal. His foster parents fell in love with him and adopted him – and now this remarkable dog is running and climbing stairs without any need for further surgery.

Cadyn came into the shelter as a 5-month-old puppy after being hit by a car.

Cadyn at her forever home

My heart sank when I looked at her x-rays. She had a broken hip on one side and a dislocated hip on the other, plus both of her back legs were broken below the knee. She was trying to walk on just her two front legs! Most dogs would just give up, but Cadyn wagged her tail and gave kisses. I had my doubts but Betty, one of the vet assistants, talked me into trying to save her. Puppies do heal faster, so that was in her favor.

I splinted the more severely broken leg and hoped she would walk on the other one since it was much more stable. We kept her cage confined and slowly she started walking. The splinted leg healed but she still may need hip surgery on that side. Cadyn was adopted by Amanda, one of the shelter’s adoption counselors, and has become instant best friends with her other dog.

The resilience of the canine spirit never ceases to amaze me, and these are two shining examples.

Their lives were literally in my hands.

BY THE NUMBERS
From March 1- 27, the Aiken County Animal Shelter received 360 strays and surrendered pets

PETS OF THE WEEK

ZEUS
Mixed breed, male, 5 years old, white and black, 70 pounds – $35

PRECIOUS
Domestic Shorthair, female, 5 years old, white and black, 7 pounds – $10

2019, Adoption, animal abuse, Bully Dogs, Chained dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, injured animals, neglected pets, News, Pibbles, Uncategorized

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

Posted on by Bob Gordon
10
Mar

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.

Rupert is starting to fill out from his skin and bones appearance, but he still needs a loving home.

Pets need a safe place to shelter them from the elements. They need to be vaccinated against rabies and other types of preventable diseases. Since fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes never stop breeding here in the South where the weather is warm year-round, flea and tick medicine and heartworm prevention are essential. All pets should be spayed or neutered to avoid accidental breeding and rampant overpopulation of homeless animals that end up in the shelter, cared for by the taxpayers. In addition, an unfixed pet is more likely to roam, get into trouble, get injured or hit by a car. Unfixed pets are more likely to develop cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

Rupert loves to get his belly rubbed!

Slightly more than one half of the intake at the Aiken County Animal Shelter are strays picked up by Animal Control. Only 8% of strays are claimed by their owners. That means that the owners of 92% of those animals didn’t care enough to keep those animals safe at home or to look for them when they disappeared (or worse, they just dumped them on the side of the road). The strays that get picked up are, for the most part, skinny, scared, and flea-bitten. They are often heartworm positive. They may have picked up mange from scavenging food in the trash. Hundreds of strays come to the shelter each year injured — attacked by other dogs, shot at, beaten, hit by cars. We’re seeing more of it all the time. It’s discouraging and heartbreaking.

Take one of our recently adopted residents, Edgar. When he was picked up by Animal Control, patches of his fur were missing from scratching himself raw because he is allergic to fleas. He is such a loving dog, too: calm, gentle, great with kids. Or Rupert, rescued by Animal Control because the owners did not provide “adequate” food and shelter. “Not adequate” is an understatement. Rupert was starving; every single bone in his body was visible under his scraggly coat. Although distrustful at first, Rupert came to love shelter life: regular feeding; a clean, safe, warm place to sleep; people to love; and pals to hang out with.

Rupert’s had a tough life and deserves a chance with a wonderful home.

It’s hard for us to imagine how someone could have cared so little about Edgar and Rupert to allow them to suffer so much, but here’s the amazing thing. Despite their unpleasant experiences at the hands of humans, both dogs have been willing — so willing — to give us another chance. That takes real heart and courage. We can learn something about forgiveness from these dogs.

Neglected, abandoned, homeless animals do not have a voice, but we do. Please talk about responsible pet care with your neighbors, your children, your friends, your family, your church. Speak out when you see an animal neglected or abused. We can help by educating owners, suggest alternatives or provide resources, and if necessary, rescue the pet and give them a second chance with responsible, committed owners who will shower them with affection and treat them like family. Edgar and Rupert deserve that. They all do.

Their lives are in our hands.

–– By Joanna Samson, FOTAS Vice President

By the Numbers
In the first week of March, the Aiken County Animal Shelter received more than 100 strays and surrendered pets.

Pets of the WeekJAMES
Mixed breed, male, 4 years old, red, 61 pounds – $35

TREME
Domestic Shorthair, male, 1 year old, orange Tabby, 7 pounds – $10

2019, animal abuse, Cats, County Animal Control, Dogs, FOTAS, injured animals, kittens, neglected pets, News, Spay/Neuter, surrendered pets, TNR Program, Uncategorized

Save Lives and Stop Needless Suffering by Fixing your Pets

Posted on by Bob Gordon
18
Feb

When people talk about our chronic dog and cat overpopulation problem, they usually focus on the overwhelming numbers – and rightfully so. Millions of pets lose their lives each year because people don’t spay/neuter their animals.

Stray dog Thaddeus arrived at the shelter with a gunshot wound so severe, his right back leg was turned to powder and had to be amputated.

Puppies and kittens will soon be pouring into the County Shelter because some citizens are not getting their pets spayed/neutered.

In fact, the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) takes in approximately 125 unwanted animals per week during the summer months. When you do the math, the total number of animals coming into the shelter is staggering and the only solution to the problem is spaying and neutering your pets.

It’s really easy and inexpensive to get your pets fixed now, thanks to the County’s spay/neuter voucher program and FOTAS’s Fix-a-Pet program. The SPCA Albrecht Center clinic and participating local veterinarians accept these vouchers, available at the County Shelter, which reduces the cost of fixing your pet to $15 or less.

Wagener, a young stray cat arrived at the shelter in severe pain because her birth canal was too small, and she couldn’t deliver her kittens. She was saved but some of her babies died inside her.

FOTAS and the County also offer a Trap, Neuter & Return (TNR) program for feral and community cats that is helping to reduce feline overpopulation in the area. Cats must be brought to the shelter in a trap, which you can borrow from the ACAS. Trapped cats can be brought to the shelter at 333 Wire Road in Aiken on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. and picked up later the same day. Call the ACAS for more information, (803) 642-1537.

Mama dog Angeline was scared and exhausted when she was brought in with her starving puppies.

Last year, Aiken County and FOTAS paid for the spay/neuter of 1,287 pets owned by citizens in financial need and 1,099 community/feral cats.

Yellow Retriever Angeline and her starving puppies were brought to the ACAS by an animal control officer. The mama dog was suffering and freezing to keep her puppies alive. Exhausted and ribs visible, Angeline was afraid of human touch but she and her pups are now recovering with the care of FOTAS foster volunteers.

February is National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, an ideal time to encourage people to have their pets sterilized before the spring and summer months, when there is a rampant overproduction of puppies and kittens. It’s also a time to recognize one other aspect of this issue: needless suffering. These animals not only are filling our shelters but when wandering on their own, searching for mates and food, they also can face horrible and painful consequences.

Thaddeus is a stray who was shot while homeless and searching for food.

So, we’re asking you to help us do better this year. Let’s spread the word about the importance of spay/neuter to our family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers.

Also, please join us in thanking the folks who are helping to fight this animal overpopulation battle. We thank the Aiken County Council for its support of the vital Spay/neuter voucher program; Code Enforcement Director Paige Bayne for the awesome management of the County Spay/Neuter voucher program; The ACAS vet clinic for their TNR work; and our FOTAS TNR veterinarian partners, Aiken Animal Hospital, Aiken Veterinary Clinic, Silver Bluff Veterinary Clinic and Veterinary Services of Aiken.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

By the Numbers
So far this month (Feb 1-15), the Aiken County Shelter has taken in 176 strays and surrendered pets.


Pets of the Week
REESE
Catahoula Leopard dog mix, male, 1 year old, 57 pounds – $35

WILLY
Domestic shorthair cat, male, 3 years old, 12 pounds – $10

2019, animal abuse, Bully Dogs, Chained dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, injured animals, neglected pets, News, Uncategorized

Abused and neglected dogs show true love and forgiveness

Posted on by Bob Gordon
11
Feb

When you volunteer at the shelter, you learn a lot about forgiveness. Dogs and cats come to us injured, neglected and abused – yet, they forgive. These are animals who have never known love but are desperate to provide it.

Recently, two particular dogs have stolen my heart.

Despite being neglected and locked to a chain most of his life, Walter is one of the sweetest, most loving dogs on the adoption floor.

James arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) with scars all over his body. He had been attacked by dogs and he lay frozen with his eyes wide with fear. James had been found as a stray and was limping and covered in cuts, some needing to be stitched. When one of the trainers who helps evaluate the dogs put a leash on him to walk him, the terrified dog started to roll like an alligator biting at the leash. It was frightening and painful to watch. We gave him a bed and a meal and hoped for the best.

For two days Darling Rios, one of our canine coaches, sat with him, hand fed him and spoke softly to him. She then started leash walking him. This time, he just held the leash in his mouth while walking, almost for security.
After a week, James was allowing Darling to hug him and we introduced him to dogs and other people. The first time I walked him, he was hesitant because he didn’t know if I was going to hurt him. Luckily, after only a short time, he was sitting at my feet and thumping his tail.

James arrived at the shelter bleeding and terrified, but he’s now ready to love again.

This wonderful dog is now calm and enjoys sitting with people and watching the other shelter dogs. No one ever came looking for James, but he has forgiven. He is ready to love someone with all his heart, and we are doing all we can to help him find someone who will love him the same.

Walter was brought in with a severe injury. His neck was wounded from a chain that dug into his skin. Dr. Levy, the shelter’s veterinarian, treated him and he is healing fast! This poor dog lived his life on a chain that restricted his activity, keeping him from people and being nurtured.

We worried he would be aggressive. Little did we know that in a few days, after love from volunteers and staff members, he would be walking on leash, licking all visitors, playing with other dogs and acting like a family pet! He is embracing life again and now waits for his forever home where he will give his new family all of his heart.

The special thing about these dogs is their ability to love. If you purchase a puppy, you will get a cute, loving pet. However, if you adopt a dog that has never known love and you show them kindness, you will receive the most amazing gift ever! These are pets who are quick to bond, and they appreciate their owners in a special way. I promise you will never regret taking the time to show kindness to one of these pets. There is a connection that takes place, and it will change you both forever.

Please don’t pass by a dog or cat that has a few scars, a few gray hairs, or one that hides in the back of their kennel. Stop, talk to them softly and treat them with kindness. You may find they’re the missing piece to your heart.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

2019, Adoption, animal abuse, County Animal Control, Demodex, Dogs, Events, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, neglected pets, News, Uncategorized, Volunteer, Volunteers

Neglected Puppy Coco Makes Amazing Recovery

Posted on by Bob Gordon
28
Jan

In early November, a stray puppy was brought into the Aiken County Animal Shelter by one of the animal control officers. I have seen a lot of neglected dogs enter the shelter but this one instantly brought tears to my eyes. We could all feel her pain. Her face was dripping blood, she had no fur, and she was just a baby!

COCO was hairless and in severe discomfort when she was brought in to the Shelter

This sweet little girl didn’t make a peep. She lay in the medical clinic on a blanket, eyes wide with fear, while allowing Dr. Levy and her kind-hearted assistants to clean and treat her. The puppy had a condition called Demodectic mange or “Demodex”, a very treatable and non-contagious skin condition that we see in neglected, malnourished or stressed dogs. This was just the most severe case I had ever seen.

We called Paula Neuroth, one of FOTAS’ most dedicated foster moms, and told her what just came in. Paula came in the next day and picked up the frightened pup. She and her husband, Rod, named the puppy Coco. During the next four weeks she healed beautifully. Paula called and said she thought Coco was some kind of Spaniel or Hound, and when her fur came in, she had a beautiful white coat with brown spots.

Paula Neuroth holds COCO, who through excellent medical and foster care, made a full recovery and regained her beautiful coat.

“Coco is a very brave little girl who has been through a lot,” Paula said. “From the moment we brought her home she was gentle and so sweet. We just showed her a lot of love and she learned it is okay to have fun, eat without fear, and to trust people.”

We have many dogs that come to the shelter with Demodex and they need foster care. Some just have patches of fur missing while others, like Coco, temporarily lose their entire coat. The recovery time is so much less when they are in a home environment, away from the stress of the shelter.

Coco is already in her forever home and living her dream life. Paula continues to foster those that need her, but we need more foster volunteers who can help. Currently we have other dogs with very treatable medical conditions that need a safe place to recover. These dogs are so grateful, they will love you more than any other.

Please consider fostering a puppy or dog in need. It is one of the most rewarding experiences you will have.

Their lives are in our hands.

— by Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

By the Numbers
From January 1 to 23, the County Animal Shelter took in more than 300 strays and surrendered pets.


Pets of the Week

MARKUS
Mixed breed, male, 6 years old, 73 pounds – $35

HOLLY
Domestic Shorthair Dilute Tortoiseshell cat, female, 4-1/2 years old, 6.5 pounds – $10  (at Aiken PetSmart store)