When Maya arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, the odds were already against her. This four-year-old stray with a charcoal brindle coat was terribly skinny, had old scars on her chest, didn’t like to be touched and was almost too terrified to move.
But her eyes revealed a sweetness inside her that the staff and volunteers could see when they worked with her in playgroup or took her for walks. There was a gentleness about her that made everyone want to see her succeed.
The first time Maya was tested with other dogs, she tucked her tail and her legs shook. But even as she cowered close to the entry gate, she allowed her canine peers to sniff her all over and lick her face. Following her first venture into playgroup, she began to gain confidence and soon played with the other dogs. After a week passed, she still avoided being pet by her handlers. But she loved playgroup and even started to smile while running and wrestling with her favorite dogs.
Weeks passed and Maya was becoming one of the shelter’s best dogs in playgroup. Dogs responded well to her, and she even started to help newbies learn how to play,
While the staff was working with Maya, she was promoted on FOTAS’s social media sites. But no one was coming to see her. The staff knew she was a good dog but wondered if her timidness would keep her from being adopted. Maya needed to find a home with other dogs and an owner who didn’t mind that she wasn’t a lovey-dovey, wiggly lap dog. Quite a tall order.
But on May 3, Sara Myers came to the shelter seeking a companion for her male pitty mix, Buddy. Her senior Doberman, Nola, doesn’t play with Buddy as much as she once did due to her age, so Sara needed a new furry family member. She was immediately drawn to Maya.
“She’s adorable with such a cute face and her puppy dog eyes,” Sara said. “When I sat next to Maya at the shelter, she broke my heart and she needed a home. So, I adopted her for my dog.”
It took some time for Maya to adjust to her new home, but she is getting more comfortable every day. The first week, she hid under Sara’s deck. But now she plays with Buddy and enjoys Nola’s company. She is still timid but starting to warm up to getting pets from Sara and her 11-year-old son, Gunner.
“Sometimes in the evening, Maya will come over and sit close to me, and let me pet her,” Sara said. “And if I stop, she’ll slide up a little closer. So, she does like to be petted. She’s learning it’s a good thing.”
The shelter currently has two dogs, Pippa and Angie, who, like Maya, are timid with people but wonderful with dogs. Come to 333 Wire Road in Aiken to visit them and add them to your family.
Gentle reminder: Today is the last day of our Pick Me! SC adoption promotion, which features free dog adoptions. Cats and kittens are just $10.
Their lives are in our hands.
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director