Category Archives: News

Adoption, Dogs, News

Heroes and friends: FOTAS and the SPCA build another fence

Posted on by Angel Hartline
14
Jul

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

The Fourth of July holiday is a time to celebrate heroism – not only the monumental heroism of the colonial Americans who risked their lives and freedom to protect liberty and the pursuit of happiness for generations to come, but the day-to-day heroism of everyday citizens who make a difference in the lives of the people around them. People whose hearts radiate kindness and for whom compassion trumps self-interest. People whose natural instinct is to protect the weak and the vulnerable at any cost. People like Scott Tyler.

Scott lives with his wife Amanda, his three children and three dogs in Beech Island in southwest Aiken County. We first met Scott in the fall of 2014, when he set about to save a little bull terrier cross with a dark brindle coat and white chest named Harley, who had lived most of his short, unhappy life abused and neglected by drunks and crack addicts. Harley’s disposition was so sweet and his situation so desperate that Scott began feeding and providing shelter to Harley even though his resources were scant.

“It’s tough,” says Scott, who attributes his extraordinary tender-heartedness to a life-long love of animals and his 7 years of service as an army combat medic. “My wife Amanda and I work hard to take care of our three kids and there’s not a lot extra, but I say to my wife, ‘If we don’t do it, who will?’ The truth is, neither one of us can bear to see anything suffer, so we bite the bullet and do what we can.”

As a result of Scott’s care and concern, Harley was rescued by the Aiken County Animal Shelter and FOTAS and lives today with his forever family, cherished and loved.

Harley is just one of the many dogs that have come under Scott’s protection. Over the years, he has provided food, water and shelter to numerous strays, abandoned puppies, and neglected neighborhood dogs and networked to find them homes with responsible owners. Just last year, Scott was picking up supplies from the County Shelter at the same time a bereft woman was about to surrender a little 3-year-old maltese to Animal Control. Scott intervened, and now little Ma-Ma shares canine honors in the Tyler household with Cody and Polly. And so it goes.

Last Saturday, volunteers gathered at the Tyler’s home to fence-in a large play area for the dogs in the back yard as part the Fences for Fido program sponsored jointly by FOTAS and the SPCA-Albrecht Center, which will make it easier for the family to protect and contain their dogs and any other dogs lucky enough to encounter Scott in their time of need – a fitting tribute for a man who asks himself on a regular basis: “What kind of person would I be if I don’t help? What would that say about me?”

Now that’s a question only a hero would ask.

Be a hero yourself. Come to the Aiken Animal Shelter and adopt your next best friend, or volunteer, or be a foster family. We need you. They need you.

Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Cats, News

Love Cats? This Month’s ‘Touch of Gray’ Promotion Is for You

Posted on by Angel Hartline
30
Jun

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Volunteer and Cat Correspondent

The current collection of adoptable cats at the Aiken County Animal Shelter includes felines of all colors and sizes, making it a challenge to choose just one to take home. But now through July 11, cats that are completely gray, partly gray or just have a touch of gray are on sale for half price ($17.50).

The animal shelter’s cat adoption building (with both inside and outside visiting areas) is ideal for getting to know the cats and choosing one or two to take home. In large rooms with tall cat trees, beds and a variety of toys, you can play with the cats, watch them play with each other, or just relax with a friendly feline in your lap.

Here are some things to think about when selecting a new cat.

What do you want in a companion? Do you want a family cat to play with? Do you want a kitty that spends much of her time on your lap? Or maybe you want a barn cat who loves the outdoors and the thrill of a good mouse hunt.

Adult or a kitten? With adult cats, what you see is usually what you get.  You can assess his personality and disposition, which is unlikely to change. But a kitten’s personality is not yet fully developed so it can be impossible to know what kind of attitude and relationship they will have with you until they mature.

Outdoor or indoor cat? If you want a cat that will spend part of his time outdoors, you don’t want to select a small, timid feline. You want one that can handle himself and tends to be a more dominant personality.

How much time do you have for your cat?  Although far more independent than dogs and capable of entertaining themselves for long periods of time, cats are social animals that can get lonely by themselves. So, if you are going to be at work most of the day, think about adopting an older cat or, even better, two cats that get along – maybe siblings.

Here are a few of the fabulous felines waiting for you at the County Shelter:

Perseus looks like a tough guy, but underneath those 10 pounds of muscle is a real love bug. Perseus was the first hero in Greek mythology, and this Perseus can be your hero, too.

Marbles, a gorgeous muted Tortoise shell cat, loves nothing more than a warm lap and a scratch behind the ears. Gentle and affectionate, she’s an extrovert that wants to get to know you

Cinnamon is a dominant cat and pretty much the boss of everyone. Picky about her companions, she can be sweet to the right person and would be a happy barn cat or the queen of a one-cat household with no young children.

Come visit the County Shelter at 333 Wire Road, where there are so many healthy, amazing animals that just need a home, a little love and a second chance. Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

February 2015 – May 2015

FOTAS organized and paid for the spay/neuter surgeries of  79 community cats (TNR) and 106 pets owned by citizens in need of assistance in fixing their dogs and cats- 185 animals fixed in total

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News

At the Aiken County Shelter: puppies, kittens and kids – oh my!

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Jun

6/22/15 By Ellie Joos, FOTAS Director and On-site Event Coordinator

What’s way more fun than a barrel of monkeys? Puppies and kitties and kids, that’s what! And we had them in spades over the past several weeks when the Aiken County Animal Shelter hosted a birthday party and a visit from a group of twelve 4 and 5-year olds from the First Baptist Church Aiken Day Camp.

Abby Callis and seven friends celebrated her 10th birthday at the Shelter, complete with lots of gifts and a delicious cake shaped like a fluffy dog. Her guests brought presents for our an-imal residents, too – special homemade treats made from peanut butter and green beans, along with a great selection of toys. Abby’s and her family’s thoughtfulness included a sur-prise for the first family that came to the shelter that day and adopted a dog (the Toole fam-ily from Beech Island.) To Christina & Emily Toole’s delight, the Callis family had assembled a huge bowl filled with treats and toys for their new puppy that Abby proudly presented on behalf of her friends and family.

We started the party with a brief introduction to the shelter and our volunteers. We showed them how the volunteers socialize the dogs and cats to help them learn basic obe-dience skills and manners so they can adapt more quickly in their new homes. Many of the children said they want to volunteer too some day. Nothing would make us happier.

After the introduction, Maggie, Linda, and Sharon, our amazing volunteers, worked with the girls to make toys made from old t-shirts. Then they filled small plastic cups with pumpkin, which was frozen for an afternoon snack for the dogs.

The real fun began – play time with the puppies and kittens! The kids were split into smaller groups, and needless to say, by the time the girls were done, we had a bunch of very tired puppies and kittens.

Birthday cake and ice pops completed the morning’s activities. The cake shaped and deco-rated like a fluffy dog was a huge hit. To top off the event, our birthday girl adopted an adorable kitten named Smokey and one of her friends adopted a sweet and loveable older cat.

Next up was a morning visit from the First Baptist Church Aiken day camp group of 4 and 5 year olds, accompanied by Margaret Campbell and a huge basket of treats and toys. Earlier that morning, prior to their arrival, our volunteers were busy walking dogs, bathing kittens, and preparing the puppy pen. Most of the children had not been to the shelter before and they were wowed by all of our adorable residents. The children squealed with delight at the puppies, who chased the toys with wild abandon and gave the kids lots of big kisses. The kittens also provided lively entertainment in a room full of children, toys, and our great volunteer Pat.

Sound like fun? It was. Call us at (803) 514-4313 to plan your next birthday party or event. Call us to volunteer. Come by and adopt your new best friend.

Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS
May 2015
Total Dogs and cats received = 525
Total dogs and cats adopted /transferred = 216
Total dogs and cats returned to owner = 19
Total dogs and cats euthanized = 217
Euthanasia Rate- = 41%

PETS OF THE WEEK

SULA Female, terrier mix — 10 months old, 16 lbs $70

GARFUNKEL Male, tabby — 8 weeks old $17.50

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News, Volunteer

Help! They’re coming out of our ears!

Posted on by Angel Hartline
17
Jun

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

It’s summer time at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, and we’re swamped with dogs, cats, puppies! So many puppies! A hundred kittens! Seriously.

The County Shelter and FOTAS need your help… desperately. Many of our dedicated volunteers have gone away for the summer, leaving us critically shorthanded. The kennels in the adoption pod are full and the intake wing is backed up with animals, waiting for space to open up on the adoption floor.

We need volunteers to walk the dogs, play with the cats, fuss with the kittens, entertain the puppies, groom the dogs, help out at the front desk.

Last week there were only 3 volunteers to walk 35 dogs – many of whom wait to so their business outside.

Also, we need folks to foster so we can move the dogs out of the shelter. If you are up for a summer of squishy, adorable puppy-love, you can foster mamma dogs and little puppies.

Not into long-term commitment? You can foster an adult dog or dogs scheduled for transfer and let them chill out in a home environment. (For every dog you foster, another one moves to the adoption floor, saving two for one.)

We are also trying a new Foster for a Weekend program for true commitment phobes – just to get the animals some love and personal attention for the weekend and give you a taste of what you’re missing.

Call us today and we will get you started. Call the FOTAS hotline at 803-514-4313 or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com.

But most of all, we need you to adopt, adopt, adopt. These sweet animals deserve a second chance, and you can give it to them. Take advantage of this month’s Touch of Gray adoption special – ½ price for any cat or kitten with even a single gray hair in their coat.

Thank you, and God Bless. Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Dogs, News, Volunteers

The joy of fostering

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

07 June 2015

The joy of fostering

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

The Igoe’s have fostered close to 100 puppies and dogs from the Aiken County Animal Shelter. The Wolcott’s and Courtney Conger have fostered well over 350. The Wisemans average about 100 per year. The Heuberger’s, our newest foster family, have already fostered 6. Ray Eckenrode fostered 12 in his first year. Sam Cato has fostered so many she quit counting.

These are just a few of our network of our committed foster families. The Igoes, Wolcott’s, Conger and the Wiseman’s specialize in taking pregnant mamma dogs and birthing their puppies or very young, motherless puppies and raising them in a nourishing environment until they are weaned. Healthy puppies are highly adoptable everywhere, but especially in the north where mutt puppies are rare because everyone spays and neuters.

Cato, Eckinrode, and the Heubergers take dogs scheduled for transfer (those not adopted locally after a period of time) out of the shelter a few days before the scheduled transfer date, allowing them time to decompress from hectic shelter life and socialize in a home environment.

In almost every case, the animals transferred to another shelter are already spoken for by the time they are loaded on the truck, or they are adopted within a week of arriving at the new rescue, which makes letting the dogs go when the time comes more bearable.

“You have to take the bigger view,” says Girl Conger. “It’s about helping as many animals as possible get out of the shelter and find a forever home, not about being a sucker for every dog you take home. It’s a simple formula: math + heart – every dog we take allows a dog crowded in the intake wing to be moved to the adoption floor. We save two lives for every one we foster.”

“Plus, it’s a never-ending supply of squishy, fluffy, adorable puppy love and puppy-breath. What could be better than that?”

They all love animals, that’s a given, but they all foster for different reasons. Eckenrode traveled for business and couldn’t adopt a dog, so fostering gave him “dog time” in small chunks. Cato does it because it’s her way of giving back to the community. Tara Heuberger does it because she wants her 5-year-old son, Tegan, to learn how to care for the dogs.

Heather Wiseman says the best thing about fostering is the time the family spends together caring for and playing with the puppies. “It’s made us a stronger family, and the puppies are so much better adjusted growing up in a home instead of the shelter.”

And they all do it different ways.  Some fosters make a safe, comfortable place for their visitor outside of the house. Others fully integrate them into their lives.

“I pick them up and bring them home, then my happy pack of 5 dogs takes over,” says Cato. “They teach the newcomer good manners and housetraining. They all sleep in the bed with me. I love it.”

Here’s the thing: we need you to foster! The dogs need you! Now! This summer! Call the FOTAS Hotline at (803) 514-4313 and we’ll tell you how.

Thank you and God Bless. Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, News, Volunteers

Then and now at the Community Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

31 May 2015

Then and now at the Community Aiken County Animal Shelter

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

5000 square feet. Concrete floors with open trenches for waste removal. No air conditioning or air exchange system. No isolation facilities. No medical facilities. A tiny food prep area. No hot water. Peeling paint. Inadequate lighting. No separate cat facilities. No play yards. No volunteers. 200 anxious animals stuffed into a facility designed for 50.

It was a prescription for misery. Chance of survival at the old Aiken County Animal Shelter? About 10-15%.

Bobby Arthurs, the County’s Chief Animal Control Officer who started working with enforcement in 2001, remembers those days.

“It was hard at the old shelter,” says Arthurs, “especially in the spring and summer months when intake was so high and we’d have 3 or 4 animals crowded together in a single, small kennel. There were no volunteers or staff to walk or play with them. You’d look over the room and it was like the animals had just given up – they were all depressed.”

In those days, the shelter was overcrowded and the euthanasia rate was still 85-90% on average. A trip to the shelter was a near-certain death sentence for an animal. Often the only time an animal had any personal human contact was when they were removed from their cage to be euthanized.

All that changed when the new shelter opened last year.

“Now the shelter can separate adoptable animals from intake animals,” says Arthurs. “We have hot water, proper ventilation, sanitary medical facilities. We can isolate sick animals – that’s huge! Finally, shelter staff has the ability to improve the prospects for these animals.”

Sandy Larsen, the senior vet tech at the shelter who shares the distinction with Arthurs of having worked at the shelter the longest, agrees.

“It’s a happier, healthier place to be for everyone,” says Larsen, “staff, animals and volunteers – and as a result, our adoptions are up, our transfers are up, and our euthanasia rate is down. In fact, I can’t remember the last time we had to euthanize an animal from the adoption floor.”

I wish we could say, “It’s all better!” and rest on our laurels, but we can’t. The success over the past year is fragile and dependent on so many factors: the amount of intake, proper staffing, sufficient public funding, and volunteers. Some of those are already in question.

Our volunteer force is down dramatically because of folks leaving for the summer. One morning last week, only one person was available to walk 30 dogs.

April and May have seen record intake highs.

The County budget is strained because of reduced state and federal funding and the expenses of last year’s ice storm.

Although the Aiken community has demonstrated its support, both in commitments of time and money, to turn the shelter around, the job is not, perhaps will never be, done. Success requires resources.

Now, more than ever, we need volunteers at the shelter to walk dogs and help around the shelter. We need foster families to take animals slated for transfer out of the shelter to help alleviate overcrowding. We need all citizens to spay and neuter to reduce the overpopulation of homeless animals. We need donations to take care of special needs at the shelter.

We need you, the Aiken community, to tell your friends, your neighbors, and your elected officials how much the community shelter means to you.

And if you can, we need you to give these animals a home.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News, Volunteers

FOTAS: Transfer program and foster families save lives

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

27 May 2015

FOTAS: Transfer program and foster families save lives

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President.

It’s not even Memorial Day yet, and the intake wing of the Aiken County Animal Shelter is inundated with abnormally high numbers of owner surrenders, puppies, kittens and strays usually reserved for the summer months. Intake during April and May has been at record highs, far exceeding the number of animals leaving the shelter for forever homes. The shelter is forced to double or triple up animals in the kennels in the intake wing until space is available on the adoption floor. It is an agonizing state of affairs.

When this happens, FOTAS and shelter staff increase their efforts to network the animals on the adoption floor the longest (among other things) by organizing transfers to our no-kill sister agencies in other parts of the country. The transfer program has grown to include 20 partner rescue agencies over the past five years.

“It’s hard work,” says Jennifer. “The partner tells us how much space they have available, and we send them photographs and information about the dogs on the adoption floor, particularly the dogs that have been in the shelter the longest and need to be moved on. We don’t need to transfer out the small, cute dogs- they find homes quickly – we really advocate on behalf of the dogs that are hardest to place.”

In addition to the hard to place dogs, the transfer partners also take healthy, weaned puppies – a godsend during this time of year when the shelter is packed with them.   Says Miller, “Mutt puppies are hard to find and in great demand, particularly in the north, because everyone spays and neuters their animals.”

The FOTAS and County-approved foster homes are instrumental in the success of the transfer program. Once FOTAS and the transfer partner have negotiated which animals to send, FOTAS volunteers and county staff move the approved dogs to foster homes quickly, allowing the dogs a little transition time in a home before they are shipped out.

“Plus,” says Caroline Simonson, a FOTAS Director and volunteer, “moving the dogs quickly to foster frees up space on the adoption floor, allowing staff to release dogs from intake, which is so important when intake is so crowded.”

The need for foster families has never been greater. A potential foster fills out an application and demonstrates to the County that they have a safe, healthy place to care for the dogs. FOTAS is willing to pay for food and vet services to reduce the cost of fostering if necessary.

“You get to save two lives for every foster you take in,” says Toni Urben, a FOTAS foster, “ the dog you foster and the dog that takes its place on the adoption floor. My husband Gary and I love doing it.”

And so will you. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll share with you some of the experiences of our fosters so you can see for yourself how satisfying and how necessary the job is.

We are desperate for more foster families, so 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.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, News, Volunteers

Summer Heartbreak at the County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

17 May 2015

Summer Heartbreak at the County Shelter

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Summer is tough at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. While the rest of the world settles into the sleepy tempo of summer, FOTAS volunteers and County staff shift into hyper-drive to address the inevitable onslaught of puppies, kittens and owner-surrender animals that crowd the intake wing and stress county resources to alarming levels.

This year, the seasonal surge of animals started early. The shelter experienced abnormally high intake during April, and May’s numbers promise to be equally dismal.

These homeless animals will come from the County, the City, Edgefield County, occasionally private rescue agencies already filled to capacity, but primarily, they come from private citizens.  On average, the number of citizen-surrendered animals doubles during the summer months because of (are you ready?) vacations.

Vacations! It is a sad but true fact that there are people who surrender their pets to the County Shelter when they go on vacation rather than make proper arrangements for their care, consigning their confused and trusting pets to the stress of a shelter environment and a 50% chance of being euthanized. Unthinkably heartless.

Over the past year, the County and FOTAS, with the help of the community, made great strides in saving more animals and reducing the euthanasia rate, but until rampant overpopulation is checked and the horrifying intake numbers come down (a 10-year proposition under the best of circumstances, according to most experts), our goal of never having to euthanize another adoptable animal is out of reach.

In the meantime the County, with the help of FOTAS, is responsible for the care and disposition of the 4600-5000 unwanted animals that wind up in the County shelter each year. Paid for with taxpayer dollars, the County shelter has a legal obligation to accept all comers – it cannot refuse to accept an animal because there isn’t enough room. Quite frankly, it feels like sweeping back the ocean with a broom, especially during the summer months.

How can you help?

First and foremost, spay or neuter your animals, and talk your friends and family into spaying and neutering theirs. If you or they cannot afford the cost to spay/neuter, you may be eligible for County or FOTAS financial assistance.

Help us take care of the animals – volunteer at the shelter.

Become a short-term foster for dogs selected for transfer or a long-term foster for mamma dogs and their puppies until they are weaned and rehomed.

Most of all: adopt one of the deserving animals in the Adoption Wing.  For every animal you adopt or foster, you save two lives – the pet you adopted and the pet that can be moved to the adoption floor from Intake.

Make a tax-free donation to the cause at www.fotasaiken.org.

Call us at (803) 514-4313 or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com and see how you can get involved. You won’t be sorry.

Take advantage of our outrageous May special: adopt an adorable “Pibble” for only $20 or a cat for $10. The adoption fees cover spay/neuter surgery, all inoculations and micro-chipping. It’s a tiny cost for taking home a new love.

Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS

April 2015

Total received = 481 dogs and cats

Total adopted/transferred = 170 dogs and cats

Total euthanized = 201 dogs and cats

PETS OF THE WEEK

SAUL .. American bull dog — male — 6 mos. old — 34 lbs.  — $20

ROSEANNE … Tabby — female — 2 years — 17.7 lbs  — $10

All bully dog mixes $20 and cats $10 through May 31, 2015

Adoption, Dogs, News, Woofstock

The Aiken community comes together for Woofstock

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

12 May 2015

The Aiken community comes together for Woofstock

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Last Saturday FOTAS held its 4th Annual Woofstock Dog, Cat & Music Festival at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. It was all we hoped it would be and more.

The weather was perfect. Puffy white clouds drifted across a bright blue sky. The cool temperatures of the morning gave way to a comfortable 80 degrees by the afternoon. It was one of those sparkling spring days that inspires joy in the soul.

The day started early for FOTAS volunteers and Woofstock organizers. Caroline Simonson, Shana Ryberg and a group of volunteers arrived at the shelter at 7:30 to walk the adoptable dogs. Anthony Negron and 32 Aiken High School NJROTC students and 8 South Aiken Serteens began the arduous task of setting up for the exhibitors and volunteers. Donna Eisenhart and 20 Silver Bluff National Honor Society students were on hand to work with vendors and exhibitors. All 60 of these local teenagers dedicated their day to set-up, take-down, traffic control, walking dogs and helping out with anything that needed doing.

“I am touched by the commitment of all these young men and women,” says Valerie Vance-Kraus, the faculty advisor to the Serteens. “They are the best this generation has to offer.”

We agree.

This year, the number and variation of exhibitors were greater than in years past. There was everything from representatives from the Sheriff’s K9 unit with their bloodhound and bomb-sniffing dog to face-painting and balloon creations to canine agility courses. We were thrilled to be joined by our sister agency, the SPCA Albrecht Center, who not only helped sponsor the event, but exhibited as well.

(A special shout out to the ever-so-kind SPCA trainer-extraordinaire Ann Kinney, for working with Dante and Toni Urben, his foster mom, on socialization in a crowded place with lots of action. Yes, that’s Dante the handsome gray and white  “pibble” – he needs a home – desperately. Will someone please take this very special dog home so we can sleep at night?)

There were homemade baked goods and ice cream and barbeque sandwiches. There was music provided by Brad and Jayne Williams. There were local dignitaries and celebrities – County Administrator Clay Killian, County Council Chairman Ronnie Young, along with County Council members Kathy Rawls and Andrew Siders, Ellen Priest, the publisher of the Aiken Standard, and Nicole Smith, an NBC26 news anchor, to name a few. There were dog contests for the best kisser, the best costume, and the best tricks.

And of course, there was the first ever Doxie Derby run at Woofstock, organized by FOTAS volunteer Carole Stamm, which was nothing short of spectacular and hilarious and just plain laugh-out-loud fun. One participant came from as far as North Carolina and vowed to come back again next year to compete with Aiken’s finest wiener dogs.

By every measure, the fourth Woofstock Festival was a resounding success with community participation at every conceivable level – exhibitors, sponsors, elected officials, volunteers, veterinarians, trainers, media and local businesses. The festival was packed with families, couples, seniors, and kids of all ages from all over the County. Plus, 10 dogs and 7 cats left the shelter for their forever homes.

That’s what it’s all about: an entire community coming together to help homeless animals. For those of us at FOTAS, it’s a dream come true.

God bless and thank you.

Adoption, Dogs, News

Love Stories at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Jun

12 May 2015

Love Stories at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

I love a good love story. Not the stuff of steamy bodice-ripping romance novels, but stories where love triumphs over tragedy and compassion trumps cruelty. The kind of stories where opportunity and luck sprinkled with a little magic create a bond that transcends the wounds of the past and fashions a new reality based on love and trust.

Like the story of Sheneneh and James Boyd. Sheneneh is a sweet strawberry blond “pibble” (that’s a pit bull cross without the negative baggage, by the way) that was chained to a stake and abandoned by her owners – an act of incomprehensible human cruelty. Painfully thin and dehydrated, Sheneneh was scarred around the neck by the heavy chain and heartworm positive. But for the concern of a neighbor who called the County Animal Control, she would have died on the end of that stake. Sheneneh went quietly with the kindly animal control officers, grateful to be released from the chain and even more grateful for a little kindness.

At the County shelter, Sheneneh caught the eye of a young custodian, James Boyd.  Although James had fostered puppies from time to time, he did not have a dog. He was waiting for the right dog – one that loved to play fetch.

He was waiting for Sheneneh.

“James is one of those compassionate, patient souls that puts everyone at ease,” says Martha Chadwick, the shelter manager. “He is a calming influence on the animals. He and Sheneneh bonded immediately. She is happy to fetch anything James can throw.”

160 dogs at the shelter, a dozen staff and scores of volunteers, and somehow James and Sheneneh found each other. Opportunity, luck and a little magic, and viola! – another love story is written by fate.

The stars also aligned for Morgan Zakis and Palmer – a handsome red “pibble” with striking white markings on his face. Morgan owned two dogs in her past life, and she had been searching for the right dog for a long time after she relocated to Aiken. Then last week she visited the County shelter and found Palmer.

Says Morgan, “I was walking past his kennel. He looked up at me with those sweet eyes and reached out with his paw – like he was saying ‘Hey, I’m the one!’ and I just knew he was. He went home with me that day.”

Palmer bonded immediately with Morgan and her boyfriend, Andrew. From the very beginning, he was quiet and well-mannered in the house – no accidents.

“He loves to snuggle and be close to us,” says Morgan. “He gets excited when Andrew comes home from work. We are so fortunate to have him,” she says, amazed at her good luck.

Yup. Good luck, opportunity and a sprinkle of magic.

We are all about love stories at FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter. We have to be. With 4300 homeless animals to care for each year, it’s the love stories that keep us going day after day.

Create a love story of your own. This month, you can adopt a bully breed “pibble” for only $20 and a cat for $10 at the county shelter – a bargain for the opportunity to witness the healing powers of love in action.

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