Category Archives: News

Dogs, essay, FOTAS, News, Uncategorized

Bobby Arthurs — a shelter manager with a big heart

Posted on by Angel Hartline
21
Jan

A lot of things have changed at the Aiken County Animal Shelter over the past ten years since Bobby Arthurs became the County’s Chief Enforcement Officer and Shelter Manager, and he has been witness to it all.

When he started in 2007, intake at the Shelter was 5,000-6,000 animals a year and 10% or fewer made it out. Two and three dogs were confined to a crate in a building with no ventilation and open waste trenches, and cats were housed in the equivalent of a dark closet. There was no outside play area, no FOTAS, no volunteers.

It was a big transition for a man who had previously worked as a park ranger, who had spent his days outside in nature helping hikers and kayakers.

Bobby Arthurs, the chief enforcement officer and ACAS manager, walks a shelter dog.
Bobby Arthurs, the chief enforcement officer and ACAS manager, walks a shelter dog.

Now, Bobby comes to work at a modern, properly-built shelter, where every adoptable dog has his own indoor/outdoor kennel, where cats spend their days catnapping in a colony in a separate building, where fenced-in exercise yards are spread over the property, where every animal gets a shot at a second chance.

Which improvements at the Shelter stand out most in his mind? He can’t narrow it down—the cheery new building that opened in 2014, the unwavering support of the County, the extraordinary medical team, the dedicated Shelter staff, FOTAS as his partner, or the volunteers … so many amazing volunteers.

“He really appreciates us,” says Sandra Procter, who has volunteered with FOTAS from the very beginning (our third volunteer, to be exact). “He greets us by name with a big smile … every time. Bobby’s gratitude makes us feel good and makes it all worthwhile.”

Once everyone had settled in at the new shelter (with modern air exchange, heating and cooling, and waste elimination systems to protect the health of the animals), Bobby and FOTAS began to implement new programs and policies to give every animal the best opportunity to find a new home.

Bobby and Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker catch up at a Shelter adoption event.
Bobby and Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker catch up at a Shelter adoption event.

Things like supervised play groups for the dogs to reduce the stress of shelter life (dogs are, after all, social pack animals), or managing intake of animals from citizens, or implementing the County’s RTF (Return to Field) program for cats to control the growth of feral cat colonies and protect the health of community cats, or participating in the national Clear the Shelter Day every year, to name a few.

Bobby picks two furry friends to promote on television.
Bobby picks two furry friends to promote on television.

“Bobby is a joy to work with,” says Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director. “He is a warm, open-minded manager with a big heart, always willing to try new things, big and small, to help the animals and find them homes. For example, for as long as I can remember, he picks up a dog at the Shelter every Monday morning at 5 a.m. and travels to Augusta to show that animal off on the 6 a.m. morning show on Channel 12. That’s dedication.”

Has all his managerial effort, willingness, and attention made a difference?

You bet it has. Under Bobby’s leadership, the live release rate has increased over the past ten years from 5-10% to 84%.

That’s a very big deal.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

 

By the Numbers

In 2017, FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter fixed 1,120 community cats and returned them to the field.

Pets of the Week

BELLA

BELLA POTW JAN 21Retriever mix, female, 8 years old, black, 61 pounds – $0 (adoption fee paid for by generous FOTAS donator)

BANKS 

BANKS POTW JAN 21Domestic shorthair cat, male, 1 year old, orange Tabby, 7 pounds – $10 (available at Aiken PetSmart Store)

Dogs, essay, FOTAS, News, Volunteer, Volunteers

Testimony of a FOTAS volunteer

Posted on by Angel Hartline
14
Jan

The success of reducing the live release rate from 5% to 85% at the Aiken County Animal Shelter over the past ten years and saving 4,079 animals this year is in no small part a testament to the passion and commitment of FOTAS volunteers.

They come to the Shelter, without fail, every day (including holidays) to walk the dogs and love-up the cats. They help the folks who manage dog play groups with the logistics. They introduce potential adopters to canine prospects out in the yard or accompany folks to the separate facility that houses the adoptable cat colony. They make sure every dog is settled down with a toy and a treat before they leave. They man the front desk, answer calls from the public, help with paper work. They help with off-site adoption events. They foster animals selected for transfer to other rescue agencies in the north. They foster mama dogs and their puppies (or mama cats and their kittens) until the babies are weaned and ready for adoption. They help market the animals through social and print media. They work fundraisers and special events.

Bella spending some “me” time with a FOTAS volunteer.
Bella spending some “me” time with a FOTAS volunteer.

All told, the FOTAS volunteers perform the work of eight to ten full-time employees

We at FOTAS cannot believe our good fortune. We work hard to make certain that the volunteer experience at the Shelter is a good one, so when we received the following letter from volunteer, Pat Miles, along with a financial donation, our hearts skipped a little beat.

Dear Jennifer Miller and the entire Board of Directors,

I would like to take this opportunity as 2017 is coming to an end to express my admiration and thanksgiving for all that FOTAS is doing for the animals of Aiken.

 I have been volunteering at the Aiken County Shelter for three-plus years, and the changes that have taken place at the Shelter have been breathtaking. You deserve so much credit for your compassion, energy and love for all of the unwanted and abandoned animals of Aiken. I have seen this first-hand.

I would also like to express my sincere appreciation for all of the Shelter staff, starting with Bobby Arthurs who is an amazing manager and person. The adoption staff of Hillary, Mary, and Bob are heroes in my eyes as they care so much for the lives of all the creatures in their care.

The administrative staff of Rachel, Peggy and Hope are dedicated to the welfare of animals, too.  Dr. Levy, the medical staff and custodians who spend their day caring for the sick and injured animals deserve recognition as well.

Words cannot express what all of your and their actions inspire. I am privileged to work with the shelter staff and volunteers. I truly receive more than I give from both the two-legged, as well as the four-legged, friends I have made.

I couldn’t have said it better. To all of our volunteers … thank you.

FOTAS always needs more volunteers and fosters, so if you are interested, please email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com or leave us a message on the FOTAS Hotline at (803) 514-4313.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

By the Numbers

In 2017, FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter saved 4,079 dogs and cats!

 

Pets of the Week

NELL POTW JAN 14Nell: Retriever mix, female, 1-1/2 years old, tan, 42 pounds – $0 (adoption fee paid for by FOTAS donator)

katla and cordelia

KATLA & CORDELIA: Domestic shorthair, female, 8 months old, Calico, 6 pounds – $20 for bonded pair

Adoption, Dogs, essay, FOTAS, Heartworms, News

Loving a senior dog like our sweet Arthur

Posted on by Angel Hartline
11
Jan

Arthur is a handsome, 7-year old retriever-cross with four white socks and a gray muzzle. He was found wandering on the road, dumped by his owner—confused, scared, half-starved, hair falling out. Just like he did the day he was found, he perks up whenever a car drives by or pulls into the Aiken County Animal Shelter, a look of hope on his face. Is this my human, coming back to get me?

Dear, loyal Arthur. Sorry, buddy—that human is not coming back to get you.

It breaks our heart. Arthur is gentle, completely housebroken, with lots of pep in his step. He’s great with kids. Cats? No problem. Plus, he still loves a ride in the car.

Arthur desperately needs a home, a family to love. He’s been at the Shelter too long—you can see it in his eyes. He’s become depressed.

My heart breaks for senior animals who end up in a shelter. They spend their entire life in a home, with a family—safe, warm, and secure. Then one day they end up in a shelter, scared and bewildered, through no fault of their own.

Typically, the animal was a cherished companion to an elderly person who died or had to move to an assisted living facility that wouldn’t allow pets, and no friends or family were able to provide a home.

Sometimes the family falls upon hard times, or has to move, and the pet can’t go with them. Or a couple divorces, and no one wants the pet. But many times, like Arthur, senior pets are just dumped on the side of the road by heartless owners, left to fend for themselves. No food. No warm, safe place. They have become an inconvenience to the family they loved, something to be discarded without second thought.

Senior dogs have a hard time adjusting to shelter life, no matter how great the shelter is—the noise, the collective anxiety of the other animals, limited human contact. The dog gets depressed, which reduces their “kennel” appeal even more. Potential adopters walk by in search of younger, cuter, more energetic prospects.

I beg you, don’t do it! Don’t walk by that senior dog or cat.

Senior pets make great companions. They are mature and calm. They don’t make mistakes on your rug. They are way past the “teething” stage. They don’t need a lot of exercise; they are happy to hang out with you on the couch and binge-watch all eight seasons of Breaking Bad. They are grateful for a second chance.

All it takes is a little patience and kindness.

Arthur will make someone a loyal, affectionate companion for years to come. He’s shy and a little fearful of other dogs, most likely a byproduct of a harsh past, so he would be better off in a home with another gentle, calm dog or as the “only dog” in the family.

Will that someone be you? Please don’t hesitate. Come to the Shelter tomorrow and take Arthur home … please.

By the way, here’s more good news: Arthur’s adoption fee has been sponsored, which means that taking home this delightful dog won’t cost you a thing but the gas to drive to the Shelter.

 Their lives are in our hands.

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, News, Transfer

Warm weather increases the dire need for fosters

Posted on by Angel Hartline
08
Apr

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President, FOTAS

Spring has come to Aiken early this year. The days are getting longer, the azaleas are out, and everywhere you look, the landscape is awash in vibrant shades of green and splashes of color. It’s the season of rebirth, and most folks embrace the change of season after the cold, wet days of winter.

So why are we at FOTAS and the County Animal Shelter holding our collective breath when the rest of the community is in such a good mood?

Because we know that in short order the Shelter will be inundated with abandoned dogs and cats, homeless puppies and kittens, and an increasing number of strays, and we do not have enough foster families to help us handle this inevitable seasonal rise in intake.

We need foster homes—people who have the time and facilities to take care of dogs and/or puppies on a short-term or long-term basis until we can find them homes locally, or failing that, with a transfer partner in other parts of the country.

It doesn’t take much to be a foster. All you need is a secure, comfortable place for your shelter guest to sleep and play, the time to care for them, and dog-friendly pets (if you already have a pet). FOTAS and the Shelter will provide everything else if need be: food, crates, medicine, and assistance.

And you can choose to foster for only a few days or up to a few weeks. You would not be obligated to foster every time we ask. We are grateful for whatever time you can give us.

Most of our foster families take care of dogs that are scheduled for transfer to sister rescue agencies within the week. Placing them with a foster family allows these animals to decompress from the stress of the shelter environment before the journey to their new homes. Your Shelter guest, who is healthy and inoculated, does not have to sleep in your house if there is a secure, protected place outside of your home, like in a barn or a garage.

And here’s the thing: these animals are already spoken for, so there is no pressure on you to keep them. Indeed, it is just the opposite. We need you to let them go. It’s the same as, say, taking care of a friend’s pet for a couple of days.

We also need fosters who are willing to care for either mama dogs and their puppies, mama cats and their kittens or just puppies and kittens that have been abandoned to the Shelter. These little guys need to get out of the Shelter until their immune systems and inoculations are complete. Equally important, just like human babies, these helpless puppies need love and attention–lots of it. Typically, these commitments can be, depending on the age of the puppies, anyplace from 3 to 8 weeks.

Finally, we need fosters who are willing to take on the occasional special needs dog for 30 days or longer depending on the circumstances.

If you’ve ever thought about fostering, now is the time. Please call the FOTAS Hotline at 803-514-4313, or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

The photo above is of Girl Conger Wolcott, whose family has fostered hundreds of puppies over the years, cuddling with one of her puppy fosters.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, News, Volunteer

Strictly a labor of love

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Dec

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Volunteering at an open admissions shelter is strictly a labor of love, particularly in a place like Aiken County where intake runs consistently between 4500 – 5000 animals every year. No one with a heart can witness the endless procession of abandoned cats and dogs without being profoundly affected.

Most of these animals have never been to a veterinarian. They have never been inoculated from preventable killer diseases like distemper, rabies or parvo. Most have spent their life outdoors, in many cases with no shelter from the elements, and in worst cases tethered to a chain their entire life. They are crawling with fleas and often riddled with parasitic worms, particularly heartworms, which are deadly left untreated. The majority are malnourished and underweight, their ribs protruding through a lifeless coat and skin rubbed raw from scratching at fleas or mange mites.

Virtually all of them are unsprayed or unneutered, left to breed indiscriminately. Females with health issues produce more sickly, unwanted puppies – many of which die from lack of basic care, or worse, from being tossed out of a moving car like a crumpled paper bag.

You think I am exaggerating? Sadly, I am not. By the time most of these animals make it to the shelter, they are sick and scared and anxious and justifiably wary of humans. Many are irreparably damaged – physically, emotionally or both – by neglect and abuse. In those cases, the best thing we can do is to end their misery by humane euthanasia.

As for the rest of them, Shelter staff and volunteers do what they can with the limited resources and time available. The animals are bathed, inoculated and treated for fleas and worms. They are sheltered from the elements and fed twice a day. When they are moved from intake to the adoption floor as limited space becomes available, they are fussed over by staff and volunteers. The dogs are walked and taught basic obedience skills to make them more adoptable. Without question, the care is basic and institutional – there are far too many animals to give them the same level of attention they would get in a responsible home – but in most cases, it’s the best care they’ve ever had.

This year we expect to save +/- 2950 animals. It’s not perfect, but compare that with the days before FOTAS and the new Shelter when annual intake reached a high as 6000+ animals and only 300 were saved. Thanks to the commitment of the County and FOTAS, that’s thousands of more animals saved in the past 5-6 years.

As for the other roughly 1900 animals that won’t make it out of the shelter this year – it’s tragically unfair and outrage is the proper response, but direct your outrage appropriately: at the people who won’t spay and neuter their animals, who allow their animals to breed indiscriminately, who never provided their animals with proper medical care, and who would just as soon dump their sick, unwanted animals on the taxpayers to clean up their mess rather than do the right thing.

In the meantime, do something positive to help the County and FOTAS save more animals. Volunteer your time. Foster. Donate money and supplies. And please, please adopt from the County Shelter and bless those animals with a life of love free from hunger and fear.

Without you, they are lost. Their lives are in our hands.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, News, Volunteer

Business Community Rallies for County’s Homeless Animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
16
Dec

By Edie Hubler, FOTAS Director
As Jeri Barrett, owner of Herbal Solutions, remembers it, a little brown and white hound dog named Mae was the spark that inspired “Hang One for the Animal Shelter”.

Jeri was an exhibitor at the 2014 FOTAS Woofstock event at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Jeri wasn’t looking for a dog, but Mae, one of the adoptable dogs, caught her eye. At home that night, all she could think about was the hopeful Mae sitting quietly in her kennel. Jeri called the shelter on Monday and learned, to her great relief and delight, that Mae had found a home.

Although Jeri was already a veteran supporter of FOTAS, Mae touched her heart in a big way and she decided to do more for the shelter animals. That’s when she came up with a $10,000 idea for the Christmas holidays – she would recruit other Aiken businesses to sell paper cut-out dog or cat ornaments for $1.00 to hang in their place of business and donate the proceeds to FOTAS.

“Hang One for the Animal Shelter” was such a splendid idea and a great success, Jeri is doing it again this Christmas. Local businesses have responded enthusiastically – Herbal Solutions (in Centre South on Silver Bluff), Brave Friend Apparel & Design (2171 Whiskey Rd.), Osbon’s Laundry & Cleaners (Centre South on Silver Bluff and 136 Pendleton St.), Family Pharmacy (333 Newberry St. and 110 Price Ave.), Hammond-Beyer Health Center (920 Houndslake Dr.), Powderhouse Pet Resort & Spa (1258 Powderhouse Rd.), Aiken Antique Mall (112 Laurens St.), Riverfront Antiques Mall (5979 Jefferson Davis Hgwy.), and the Aiken County Animal Shelter (333 Wire Rd.).

Here’s how it works. Visit any of these businesses during December, donate $1.00 or more and hang a paper dog, cat or horse in honor of a pet or someone you love. All donations will go to the County’s abandoned, abused and neglected animals, and your karma will brighten a notch on the enlightenment scale.

Looking for another way to donate and an easy and convenient way to get all those presents wrapped? Bring your gifts to Downtown Dog, owned by Vic & Sheri Scarborough and located at 150 Laurens Street, on December 23rd from 10:00 – 5:00, and FOTAS volunteers will do the wrapping for you in exchange for a donation to FOTAS. Vic & Sheri will provide the wrapping paper and ribbon. How’s that for Christmas spirit!

How about extending the Christmas spirit to one of our adoptable orphan dogs just for the holiday weekend? It’s a short-term commitment that will make a big difference in the life of your canine guest. Contact the County Shelter (803.642.1537) for more information.

There’s a special place in heaven for people like Jeri Barrett, Patrick Donovan, Rick Osbon, Jay Watts, Dr. Kim Hammond-Beyer, Philip Martin, Gaye Cain, Edie Conway and Vic & Sheri Scarborough — people who sacrifice their time, energy and personal capital to help the thousands of unwanted animals in the County who, through no fault of their own, are unwanted, unloved and homeless. God Bless them.

Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, News, Volunteer

The numbers don’t lie: life improves for shelter animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
04
Dec

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Prior to 2009, a trip to the Aiken County Animal Shelter was a death sentence for the unfortunate animals consigned to the shelter by their owners or animal control. Intake numbers often soared to 6000 or more each year, which meant that at any given time, 210 animals resided in the tiny dark and outdated shelter designed to hold 100.

The annual euthanasia rate hovered consistently around 95%.

In 2009, FOTAS was formed to provide the County with financial support and volunteers to produce a better outcome for the shelter animals. Things began to improve.

In 2009 and 2010, the euthanasia rate dropped to 89% and 85%, respectively.

In 2011 and 2012, the euthanasia rate dropped again to 75%.

Thanks to the combined commitment and efforts of the County and FOTAS, the new shelter opened its doors in early 2013. Things really improved for the County’s homeless animals.

In 2013, the euthanasia rate dropped again to 71%.

In 2014, the euthanasia rate dropped to a remarkable and record-breaking 54%.

During the first ten months of this year, 2015, the overall euthanasia rate has dropped to 40% – that’s right… 40%!! In January and August, the monthly rates dropped to an all-time low of 25%.

That’s real progress: a 95% euthanasia rate to 40% in 5 years. It is not an accident.

Modern shelter management, dedicated animal control, and FOTAS’ continued support, have made the difference.

Shelter Manager Martha Chadwick has reformed the standard operating procedures at the shelter consistent with industry standards to ensure proper, uniform and accountable care for the animals.

Shelter vet Dr. Lisa Levy has established proper medical protocol to make certain the animals are inoculated, fed, treated, spayed and neutered.

Shelter employees are cross-trained (thanks to funding from FOTAS) to maximize productivity and flexibility on the job – essential to a high-volume public shelter with limited staffing resources.

FOTAS volunteers walk and socialize the animals virtually every day, and FOTAS volunteer trainer Suzy Cohen trains volunteers and works with the animals as needed, making them more attractive adoption prospects.

FOTAS volunteers provide much needed administrative support and organize on-site and off-site events and fundraisers.

FOTAS, working with shelter staff, organized and paid incurred expenses for the transfer of 718 animals this year alone, primarily to no-kill rescue partners in the north.

Although annual intake numbers persist in the 4400-5000 range and will continue to do so until every citizen spays or neuters their pets, FOTAS has paid for the spay/neuter of more animals than any other organization in the County: 476 pets and community cats through October of this year, for a total of 1411 since 2013.

Is the shelter perfect? By no means. Can it be improved? Of course. But by every metric (except intake, which is beyond our control) the County, FOTAS and you, the supporting public, have significantly improved the condition of and the outcome for the County’s homeless animals.

Now that’s something to be thankful for this holiday week.

God Bless you and your family.

Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, News, Volunteer

The art of fostering and letting go

Posted on by Angel Hartline
25
Nov

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Oddly enough, when I ask dog-loving folks with the means and opportunity to be a short-term foster for the Aiken County Animal Shelter and they refuse, it’s generally not because of the inconvenience of babysitting a canine guest, or the costs (there are none – FOTAS pays if necessary), or the uncertainty of introducing an unknown dog into the family.

What worries them the most about being a foster is how they will feel about letting them go when the time comes. How can I, the thinking goes, care for this dog in my home and then send him back into the shelter system – it breaks my heart!

Okay. I understand, but here’s the flaw in that thinking: it’s not about you – it’s about the dog, and for that dog, the couple of days he spends with your family means the world.

And here’s the other thing: you have to let them go! They are already spoken for! A foster’s job is to simply help that dog transition from the hectic pace of a public shelter to their ultimate forever homes.

“When we clear a dog for transfer,” says Jennifer Miller, President of FOTAS, “we move it as quickly as possible to a foster home where they can de-compress from shelter life with lots of attention, exercise and rest. In addition, that frees up space for another dog to be moved to the adoption floor. So you see, fostering helps two dogs find their home.”

Hunter and Albert were surrendered to the Shelter by their owner. The dogs were so bonded we believe they must have been together for most of their lives. Despite their unfortunate circumstances – having a home one day and being abandoned the next at a crowded public shelter with a chance of being euthanized – they were well mannered and quiet. Still, no one adopted them locally.

So FOTAS networked Hunter and Albert to one of its terrific transfer partners in New Hampshire, who were delighted to take them. In the meantime, FOTAS arranged for the two dogs to leave the Shelter and stay with one of its experienced foster families, the Urbens.

“Hunter and Albert were true gentlemen,” says Toni, “affectionate, willing and attentive – the perfect guests. They are poster children for forgiveness, hope and the dream of a grand future. I prayed some kind soul would spare them the pain of separation and adopt them both.”

Someone did. Four days ago, a big-hearted family in Rhode Island adopted them both, describing them as “big loves” and the “sun and moon” of their lives. We can all breath a sigh of relief. Hunter and Albert are finally home.

There you have it – that’s how you let them go . . . right into the arms of the people who will love them forever, freeing you up to foster one more hopeful canine soul on their way to dog bliss.

Be a foster. They need you. We need you. Call the shelter today (803) 642-1537 or call the FOTAS Hotline (803-514-4313) and join the FOTAS foster team.

Their lives are in our hands.

Hunter and Albert – home at last. This is why you foster.

 

 

Adoption, Dogs, News

Ginger Snaps back with proper care and a little love

Posted on by Angel Hartline
30
Oct

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President 

Ginger Snap sprawls across a fleece bed in the spacious, climate-controlled kennel that also serves as a canine nursery. Close by is a blue blanket she totes around to a resting place of her choosing. At her feet is a coveted rope toy, which she carries outside through the dog door when she does her business.

She keeps a watchful eye on her two 4-week-old puppies, Chocolate Chip and Biscotti. Chocolate Chip teeters across the soft, uneven terrain of fleece on shaky legs towards her mom, squeaking urgently for attention. Biscotti nuzzles against her body looking for a meal. She quiets the first puppy with a few gentle licks around the ears. She shifts her weight to allow the other puppy access to a well-worn nipple. Ginger is a good mother.

Sound like the picture of canine domestic bliss? Yes, it does, but here’s the thing: until she came to us less than 5 weeks ago, two-year-old Ginger Snap had spent her entire short life staked to a chain. This is the first time in that short life she has had medical care, regular meals, a proper shelter, a fleece bed, a blue blanket and a rope toy. It is the first time she has experienced human affection.

It is not the first time she has had puppies. Unspayed and at the mercy of other dogs, it appears from her condition that she had at least one other litter while chained to a stake. It is unlikely any of those puppies survived under the grim conditions of her previous existence, and perhaps that is, sadly, for the best.

Ginger was surrendered to the Aiken County Animal Shelter by her owner in the last days of her pregnancy. Despite her swollen belly, she was painfully thin and malnourished. Her striking white and red coat was scruffy. She was scarred around the neck from a lifetime on a chain. She was frightened, sick and weak.

Ginger touched our hearts, so County staff and FOTAS rallied in an effort to save her. Shelter veterinarian Lisa Levy addressed her immediate medical issues. FOTAS called upon one of its most experienced birthing foster families – the Conger-Wolcotts – to take her in. Within days, Ginger delivered 10 puppies, eight of which were too sickly to survive and died within the week. When she developed a raging infection in her nipples, FOTAS provided additional medical support.

By all rights, Ginger should be a troubled, suspicious and distrustful dog, yet nothing could be further from the truth. She has blossomed under the tender care of her foster family. She has gained weight and gets stronger by the day. She is a true “pibble” – a friendly, playful and affectionate pit bull mix possessing the good nature and a steadfast eagerness to please the humans around her in spite of the poor treatment she received in the past.

When her puppies are weaned in three weeks, Ginger will need a home. She is a special dog and will make someone an extraordinary companion. Will it be you?

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

Adoption, Cats, News, Volunteer

Partnership with Happy Tales Gives County Shelter Cats Fresh Venue to Strut their Stuff

Posted on by Angel Hartline
15
Oct

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director and Volunteer

The Aiken County Animal Shelter and FOTAS are partnering with Happy Tales, a not-for-profit organization that shares their mission to find forever homes for rescued cats and kittens. The partnership includes showcasing County shelter cats at PetSmart in Aiken – and the kitties couldn’t be happier about their new showcase venue.

Last week, five cats were transported from the shelter to PetSmart, where Happy Tales Founder Joanne Dansby-Brosz welcomed them with open arms. Morris, Neo, Nicole, Kovu and Caleb were a bit scared and nervous during the trip and when they first arrived. But shortly after they were placed in their PetSmart “apartments,” they began to get comfortable – and even content – in their new digs. Joanne decorates the apartments with colorful bowls, blankets and toys to create a vivid, warm setting that makes the cats look their best.

Happy Tales has eight cat apartments at the Aiken PetSmart and Joanne is planning to transfer in new County shelter cats each week in partnership with FOTAS.

“We get a lot of traffic coming through here and that extra exposure results in a lot of adoptions,” Joanne said. “We are really excited to be part of saving the lives of County animals and can’t wait to accept more of the shelter’s cats and get them seen.”

FOTAS and the shelter are thrilled with the partnership as well. The more exposure the cats get, the better their chances of finding a forever home.

“This arrangement gives the cats an opportunity to shine at the PetSmart store,” said Martha Chadwick, Manager of the Aiken County Animal Shelter. “Our goal is to get every healthy cat adopted – and being in a different venue can make a difference.”

Joanne currently has 11 volunteers, each of whom works in two-hour shifts at the Aiken PetSmart location. Some have been with her organization for close to two decades. Happy Tales has partnered with the Aiken PetSmart store for 10 years and Joanne said that Store Manager Butch Hampton and his employees have been extremely supportive of her and her team.

Joanne only takes cats that are fully vaccinated and vetted, spay/neutered and parasite-free. She is strict about maintaining her strong reputation of providing only clean and healthy felines. In addition, before any adoption is approved, she visits the prospect’s home to ensure they are good, responsible pet owners.

With the shelter now at full capacity in the cat adoption facility and with its cat condos filled with kittens, the partnership with Happy Tales could not have come at a better time.

“We are doing this to save feline lives,” Joanne said. I know the County can be overwhelmed with the huge number of homeless cats coming in, so we need to get them good homes as fast as possible.”

The County shelter, located at 333 Wire Road, currently has some great black cats and kittens available for adoption, including: Muffit, Layth, Corey, Collette, Draco, Keifer, Jamison and Jet. At the shelter, they are $35 (half the price of a dog adoption), which includes all vaccinations, spay/neuter and microchip.

For more information about our new partnership with Happy Tales, please go to www.fotasaiken.org and www.happytalesadoptions.com.

Their lives are in our hands…