Category Archives: Uncategorized

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The numbers tell the story

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Oct

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

In the five short years since the new Aiken County Animal Shelter opened its doors, the Shelter has steadily increased the number of animals saved from a meager 29% to a whooping 83% so far in 2017 (despite record high intake during the summer). This remarkable save rate is even more astonishing if you compare it with the save rates prior to 2009, when FOTAS was formed and began its partnership with the County: on average, intake often exceeded 6500 animals a year, only 5% of which were able to be saved.

5% to 83% in 9 years. Is it perfect? No. Is it progress? You bet. Huge progress.

The steady increase of the save rate and the concurrent reduction of the euthanasia rate is no accident. It is due to the ingenuity, hard work and dedication of FOTAS and Shelter staff, working together to make it happen. We transfer animals to sister agencies in the northeast. We work every day with the dogs on the adoption floor to make them more attractive adoption prospects. We exercise the dogs every day, including appropriate dogs in intake to make transition to the adoption floor easier. We give the cats and kittens lots of love, too.

Aiken County Animal Shelter Statistics*
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017**
Total Animals Received 5107 4689 4785 4912 3405
Total Animals Adopted 829 1141 1136 1730 1075
Total Animals Transferred 681 1107 1568 1382 975

Total Cats TNR/RTF

 0 0 0 278 609
Total Animals Returned to Owner N/A N/A 260 243 180
Total % of Animals Saved 29.57% 47.94% 56.51% 73.96% 83.38%
Total % of Animals Euthanized 71.02% 53.91% 39.83% 30.72% 19.79%
*  Since new Shelter opened in 2013                                                     ** Through August 2017

We have a thriving foster program for dogs and cats. We neuter and return community cats to their colonies. We host outside adoption events and run monthly specials on adoptions. We aggressively market our animals in print and social media to reach a wide audience.

We treat and rehome heartworm positive, but otherwise healthy, dogs. We treat dogs with demodex mange and place them in foster homes to allow stress-free recovery. We provide emergency medical care and surgery for animals with life-threatening injuries and find them homes when they have recovered, a task made easier because FOTAS was able to provide a new anesthesia and digital x-ray machine for Dr. Levy. We are building a wellness/isolation pod so that animals with treatable contagious diseases like kennel cough can recover without infecting the larger population.

All of these things have made it possible to save 83% of our animals. However, it is a sad fact of life that until every pet owner spays and neuters their animals to reduce the population of unwanted animals, the need for euthanasia cannot be eliminated in a public shelter legally obligated to take all comers.

In addition, sometimes animals come with such severe physical and emotional damage, they cannot and should not be saved. With respect to owner-surrendered pets, most, say 90%, have excellent adoption prospects. Occasionally the very reason those animals were surrendered—aggressive, unmanageable behavior—creates an urgent and immediate safety issue for staff, volunteers, other animals, and ultimately the public. When that happens, the Shelter cannot and will not risk the safety of people and other animals. Ever.

Their lives are in our hands.

October Adoption Special: cats/kittens $10, dogs/puppies $35

PETS OF THE WEEK

ARCHIE: Mixed breed, male, 1 year old, tan, 44 pounds – $35
ARCHIE: Mixed breed, male, 1 year old, tan, 44 pounds – $35
APOLLO: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 2 months old, black and white, 1.5 pounds - $10
APOLLO: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 2 months old, black and white, 1.5 pounds – $10
Uncategorized

Homeless struggle makes ACAS employee the success she is today

Posted on by Angel Hartline
15
Mar

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

They are a cute but motley crew of dogs. Durango is a handsome Retriever mix with a missing leg; Tater Tot is a Pit Bull dwarf with a heart murmur; and Tiny is a toothless, 2-pound, teacup Chihuahua with virtually no lower jaw.
All three were homeless and, due to their special needs, difficult to adopt out. But for Judith Gulden-Schmitt, a veterinarian technician at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS), the challenges each of these canines faced just made them more special.
“If I could, I’d adopt every special needs animal that comes in here, but of course that’s not possible,” Judith said. “But the one’s I do adopt, I give them the best home and care I can possibly provide.”
Judith, who celebrates her third year as an ACAS employee in October, appreciates the struggles of the stray animals that are brought to the shelter every day, and has an intimate understanding of the value of a stable home. She knows it only too well because for about two years, she and her daughter, Emily, were homeless themselves.
Judith came to South Carolina from Trier, Germany in 2008 and was a stay-at-home mother while her husband worked. But when the marriage ended badly in 2011, she had to find a way to recover from the trauma of a broken relationship while at the same time secure temporary shelter for her and her daughter. She also had to find a job so she could rent an apartment and provide for her family.
It was all overwhelming and seemed an impossible goal at the time. But an organization called Nurture Home, part of Mental Health America of Aiken County, helped her get organized and plan a path into the job market. She got back on her feet by doing volunteer work for animals, and in 2013, took a vet technician class at Aiken Technical College. After completing the class, the ACAS hired her as a vet tech and assistant. Before long, the additional responsibilities and income at the ACAS allowed her and Emily to move into a place of their own.
“I want people to know that homelessness is not taboo,” Judith said. “There are people and families dealing with difficulties right here in Aiken and many people are one paycheck away from finding themselves on the street. I used to be embarrassed by it and hide it from most people, but now I embrace it because the experience has made me who I am today.”
Today, Judith is not only successful in her career, but is also on the Nurture Home board of directors and helps counsel those who are struggling financially. In fact, just this week, she and Emily spoke at a “Hearts for Hope and Homes” event to an audience of about 100 people.
Meanwhile, Durango, Tiny and Tater Tot are also benefitting from Judith’s successful journey.
“I think God gave me the purpose, after I was homeless, to pay it forward,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be without a bed to sleep in, to not have a home to go to. And by taking in these dogs, I can give them a second chance at a good life.”
Their lives are in our hands.

tiny the dog for online version of column
Tiny

 

TATER TOT AND DURANGO
Tater Tot and Durango

 

 

 

JUDITH WITH TATER TOT AND DURANGO MARCH 8
Judith with Tater Tot and Durango
Adoption, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Uncategorized, Volunteer

Miles to go before we sleep

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Oct

By Joanna D. Samson, V.P. of FOTAS

On Sunday morning, Sept. 2 the sun broke through the clouds, adding heat to an already steamy morning. I arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter to help walk dogs, and I was delighted to see so many volunteers at work. There were dogs on leashes, dogs in the play yards, and dogs lying in the grass, soaking up the sun while their handlers chat. A young couple laughs while they take out their fifth dog. Enduring friendships are forged when folks come together for a common purpose.

I leashed up Jed and Geovana. These two young littermates were picked up as strays, painfully thin, hungry, thirsty, hot and frightened. Little Jed had an embedded collar around his neck that had to be surgically removed by Dr. Levy, the Shelter’s veterinarian. The two are recovering nicely. Geovana is shy, a little distrustful of humans, but who can blame her? Jed, on the other hand, is all play with a devilish twinkle in his eye.

I stopped at the bench behind the paddocks. With a little coaxing, Geovana crawled into my lap for a belly rub, while Jed wrestled with a pine cone on the ground.

The Shelter is a cheerful place. There are grassy play yards, dotted with cheerful umbrellas to provide shade for animals and people. The kennels are spacious and clean, allowing the dogs to either bask in the morning sun or retreat into the cool climate-controlled interior.

Thanks to the thoughtful and creative management of Bobby Arthurs and the oversight of Paige Bayne, the Shelter is once again open for adoptions on Saturday; volunteers are permitted to walk the dogs on Sundays; new programs, like the play groups for dogs, have been implemented to promote the quality of life, and thus the adoptability, of the dogs. On-site activities draw more people to the Shelter every week. There is a heightened, almost seamless, sense of shared mission and cooperation between staff and volunteers.

Adoptions are up.

Transfers are up, thanks to the tireless and exhausting efforts of FOTAS.

Yet despite all of our proactive efforts to care for these animals and to support the spay/neuter of community cats and pets for citizens in need (no one dedicates more resources to spay/neuter than FOTAS and the County combined), intake at the Shelter remains alarmingly, shockingly high.

And it will remain that way as long as people continue to do things like drop off 3 mommas and 18 puppies in one tub (yes, that happened!) The owner couldn’t be bothered to spay his dogs, and then couldn’t be bothered to take care of those 18 little lives born because of his irresponsible carelessness.

Instead, he dumped the cost and the heartbreak of that on the rest of us.

Here are the cold, hard facts: until every citizen does the right thing and fixes their pet, some adoptable pets will be at risk for euthanasia. That stinks.

Geovana licks my hand. Jed pounces on my shoe. “You two will be just fine,” I say, giving them both a hug. “I promise.”

It’s a promise I know we can keep for now.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

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Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, Heartworms, Uncategorized, Volunteer

Lost, mud-covered pup leads family to love Bully mix breeds

Posted on by Angel Hartline
09
Aug

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

Five years ago, Lauren Kilbreth was heading home after a job interview when she passed some little kids running from a mud-covered puppy. Lauren wasn’t in the best part of town, it was cold and pouring rain, and she was dressed in one of her best business suits – but she felt compelled to turn the car around and head back to investigate.

“He looked lost and I was worried he might get hit by a passing vehicle, so I decided I would get out of my car and call him to me, and if he ignored me or became aggressive, I’d just continue on my way,” Lauren says.

But when she clapped her hands once, knelt down and called out to the pup, he came running into her arms. Lauren took him home, gave him a bath and she and her husband, Ryan, became smitten with the brown Pit Bull mix pup with a white chest. Not only was he a loyal love bug to the couple but he also got along well with their two older Greyhounds, Grace and Baxter, and Stella, their Westie. The Kilbreths named their new, furry family member, Rock.

Rock grew to weigh 60 pounds and became the alpha dog. When Lauren and Ryan had their first baby, Easton James, Rock showed extraordinary interest, always watching over the child and needing to look over Lauren’s shoulder when she changed the baby’s diaper. Rock nurtured their second baby, Deacon Reid, the same way.

Friends who visited the Kilbreths were initially a bit wary of Rock. They weren’t sure how they felt about Bully mix dogs because of the negative way they are portrayed in the media. But most came to love Rock. Some even got Bully mix dogs of their own.

All was great at the Kilbreth home until last year, when their two oldest dogs, Grace and Stella, were diagnosed with cancer and rapidly succumbed to the disease. Baxter handled their deaths well but Rock became depressed and withdrawn. Lauren, now a volunteer at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS), decided it was time to find a new playmate for Rock. She took him to the Shelter to meet her favorite prospects and he picked a lovely, one-year-old Bully mix named Evie May, who quickly made Rock a happy dog again. Then, just three months ago, the Kilbreths adopted another young Bully mix beauty from the shelter. At 75 pounds, Ava Rae became the biggest dog in the Kilbreth home and has fit in beautifully with the other canine family members. She is heartworm positive but the slow-kill treatment for her condition, paid for by FOTAS, is nearly complete.

The ACAS currently has a number of Bully mix canines available, including seven dogs and four puppies. Carson, Cy, Conor, Chip, Delta, Connor and Tavis are the adults and the two-month-old pups are Claressa, Jeremy, Klay and Shadrack.

“Take a chance on these dogs,” Lauren says. “They are extremely loyal and have a lot of love to give. Never judge a book by its cover. Go to the shelter and see for yourself how sweet they can be.”

Their lives are in our hands…

KilbrethFamily1

KilbrethFamily4

KilbrethFamily3

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Posted on by Angel Hartline

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Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Training, Uncategorized, Volunteers

Aiken Tech Class Boosts Shelter Staff’s Value and Efficiency

Posted on by Angel Hartline
08
Dec

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director and Volunteer, 

The Aiken County Animal Shelter’s (ACAS) staff and a small group of FOTAS foster volunteers are hitting the books hard after hours. During three-hour classes held twice a week at the shelter, staff members are reviewing PowerPoint slides, engaging in discussion, observing animal behavior and practicing their new knowledge through hands-on exercises with shelter dogs and cats.

It is all part of a special curriculum designed by Aiken Technical College to increase the shelter staff’s expertise and improve their job skills. Completely funded by FOTAS, the Kennel Technician class is expected to help ACAS employees become even more effective, well-rounded and flexible in their job duties.

Martha Chadwick, manager of the County Shelter, came up with the idea with Dr. Steven F. Simmons, Dean of Business, Computer Technology and Training at ATC, and Dr. Katie Comerford, DVM, is teaching the class. It is the first partnership among ATC, FOTAS and the County.

“When I approached Dr. Simmons about creating a program for Aiken County, he was genuinely interested in tailoring a specific course that would positively impact the homeless animals of Aiken County, as he and his family are also FOTAS volunteers,” Martha said.

The classes began Nov. 3 and will continue until Dec. 17. ATC supplies the instructional books and other reading materials.

The class curriculum has much of the same content as ATC’s vet assistant course but was tweaked and tailored for shelter professionals since issues and needs that come up at an animal shelter are different from those at a veterinary office or hospital.

The County Shelter’s small staff is expected to be more proficient with this new training, able to help each other with their tasks and work more as a team. For example, by learning how to properly and safely hold an animal to draw blood, insert a microchip or examine an injury or ailment, the staff can assist the vet techs if needed. Or by learning the symptoms of common medical conditions in dogs and cats, and being better able to spot signs of canine and feline illnesses, the staff can more readily alert the shelter’s vet, Dr. Lisa Levy, and her assistants to the situation so proper medical care can be administered right away.

Receiving this added education will allow the staff to cross-train for various positions and make it easier for staff members to fill in for their fellow employees if they are forced to be absent due to such unforeseen circumstances such as illness or personal emergency.

“This is a wonderful new partnership with Aiken Technical College,” said FOTAS President Jennifer Miller. “Everyone came together for this project, which will ultimately result in giving the best care possible to the orphaned dogs and cats at the shelter. This is the result of a true team effort, including the community, whose donations made this class possible.”

To learn more about FOTAS and its many activities, go to www.fotasaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands…

 

Uncategorized

Reflections and Rewards: What Keeps Me Coming Back?

Posted on by Angel Hartline
09
Jun

by Sharon Reeves, FOTAS Volunteer

On a Monday morning eight weeks ago, I responded to a call for volunteers to help at the new Aiken County Animal Shelter. I had not assisted at the shelter before, and I feared the sight of all those homeless animals would make me sad.

But that morning, I had a specific mission: to help get every dog out for a morning walk. I figured if I stayed focused on the larger good, I could live with that; so off I went.

Eight weeks later, I am still volunteering, and here’s why.

1. Many of the dogs are house-trained and wait patiently to be walked to do their business outside. This keeps me coming back.

2. Many adoptable dogs, puppies, cats and kittens need handling, petting, basic training and socialization to make them more adoptable: it makes a big difference in the adoption rates. This keeps me coming back.

3. Dogs need physical and mental workouts every day; one does not substitute for the other. When a dog has physical walking time with a volunteer as well as a positive mental training experience, that dog has a much better day. This keeps me coming back.

4. Volunteers develop the skills to help the dogs with basic obedience skills, like sitting, waiting, and (so important!) walking on a leash without dragging the volunteer. Learning these skills and watching the improvement in the dogs: wow! This keeps me coming back.

5. The shelter staff, volunteers, and FOTAS do a fabulous job of finding homes and placements for the adoptable animals. I don’t have to take them home with me! It makes my heart sing to hear that the animals I have worked with have found new homes. This keeps me coming back.

6. I love spending time with like-minded fellow animal lovers – people who care enough to give their time. I have made new friends of both the people and animal variety. This keeps me coming back.

7. Working with the dogs and other people gives meaning to my day and keeps my mind sharp. This keeps me coming back.

8. FOTAS and the shelter staff are team-oriented and open to new ideas, which makes the shelter a welcoming, friendly place for the volunteers, the staff and the community. This keeps me coming back.

9. I am surprised and tickled by how quickly the dogs I have worked with have been adopted. I helped save their lives. This keeps me coming back.

There are so many ways for you to volunteer with FOTAS: planning special events, assisting with fundraising, fostering a shelter animal in need or training new volunteers for service.

You might want to work at the front desk to greet the public and assist with adoptions, or give tours of the new shelter. Your skills can be put to good use, I promise.

Your time is a valuable gift. Just a few hours a week can and will make a difference in the lives of these unfortunate animals.

It made a difference in my life; it will make a difference in yours, too.

I keep coming back, and once you get involved, so will you.

We need your help. Please call the FOTAS hotline at 803-514-4313, or drop by or call the Aiken County Animal Shelter at 333 Wire Road (803-642-1537). For more information, email info@angelhartlinedesigns.com or visit www.fotasaiken.org.

FOTAS volunteers work with the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 333 Wire Road. For more information, email info@angelhartlinedesigns.com or visit www.fotasaiken.org.

By the Numbers: May 12-17
Adopted/Transferred: 40 dogs, 17 cats
Year to Date: 408w