Tag Archives: animal care education

2019, Adoption, Cats, FOTAS, making care-giving arrangements for pets, News, Proper Pet Care

Dying Man Surrenders his House Tabbies to the Shelter …Now They Wait

Posted on by Bob Gordon
17
Jun

Her father could no longer care for his cats after falling seriously ill, so she brought them to the Aiken County Animal Shelter to be rehomed. The cats, most of them Tabbies and about 5 years old, arrived scared and confused in their new environment. They missed their cozy Windsor home and pined for their cat daddy who had to leave them to enter hospice care.

Addie and Brienne sometimes hide under the fleece blanket in the shelter’s cat facility.

“People would dump kittens and other pets on his property all the time, and he’d take them in, feed and care for them, get them healthy and often get attached to them,” said Lisa Lee of her father, David Lee. “These cats are all sweet and have been indoor cats since he rescued them.”

The cats arrived at the shelter on May 20, and since then four have been adopted. As of Friday, three – Cersi, Ellaria and Theon – were waiting to be adopted at the Aiken PetSmart Store and seven were available for adoption at the County Shelter. The seven at 333 Wire Road are Addie, Bronn, Rickon, Kasey, Brienne, Stannis and Melisandre.

David A. Lee passed away on May 31. He was 71. But Lisa said he was relieved his cats were safe and hoped they would find good homes. He took special care of these felines. All of them are healthy and some are even delightfully plump – plus they have shiny coats and clipped claws.

“He did love them, and they kept him busy and happy,” Lisa said. “Unfortunately, he couldn’t find new homes for them before it was too late.”

Though scared, the cats show no aggression and allow visitors to pet them. They need extra TLC but also space and time to adjust to their new surroundings. They are a great choice for patient, kind people with a quiet household, who want to make a difference for a pair of cats. Ideally, we’d like to adopt out these bonded cats in pairs but they are available separately.

Lee’s house cats are very close and the shelter staff would love to adopt them out in pairs. However, they can be adopted separately into a loving home.

David Lee’s story is a reminder that all of us as pet owners need to make arrangements for our animals. Select family and friends that you trust and ask them to be your pets’ caregivers in case something happens to you. None of us know when our time’s up and there’s no time like the present to ensure our furry family members are in good homes after we’re gone.

Their lives are in our hands.

–By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

BY THE NUMBERS
In the first two weeks of June, the ACAS received nearly 300 strays and surrendered pets. The shelter facility is currently at full capacity.

2019, Cats, Dogs, Events, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, Training

Teaching Children Well about Training and Responsible Pet Care

Posted on by Bob Gordon
06
May

By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

Educating our children is essential for promoting better pet care and reducing the number of homeless dogs and cats.

Last week, Dog Trainer Susi Cohen and I were invited to Oakwood Windsor Elementary School to share what we do to support the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS). Susi, a trainer with the Palmetto Dog Club who volunteers her services to FOTAS, brought Holly, a young Retriever mix, to demonstrate basic dog training to the children. She explained that just as teachers use positive reinforcement with students, dog owners need to do the same with their pets.

The students pet Holly, an Aiken County Animal Shelter Dog that was available for adoption.

When young Holly jumped up for attention, Susi explained that the best way to handle this overzealous behavior is to redirect her and praise her when she returns to standing on all fours. She stressed that you should never call your dog a “bad dog”. There are no bad dogs, just dogs that didn’t receive the training that they so desperately need.

One little boy had a great question. He said he understood it was not proper to call his dog bad but asked if it was okay to tell his dog, “No,” when it was misbehaving. Susi smiled and agreed that you must correct your dog, but it’s important to find a specific way to say it. Maybe tell your dog “Off” instead of “No”. She explained that yelling at your dog doesn’t help either; just simply praise your pet when she does what you want her to do. Dogs love attention and they love to please. Training provides both offerings for your pet.

So many of the dogs that come into the shelter are one to two years old. The behavioral reasons people give for surrendering them are typically because they are “too high energy”, “destructive” and/or “too much responsibility.” But if you train them properly, you can avoid these issues. Susi and Karen DeCamp, another wonderful trainer with Palmetto Dog Club, meet and work with people who are struggling with their pet’s conduct. Often, they can provide simple training tips to fix such unwanted behavior, which helps keep many dogs in their homes and out of the shelter.

During her visit to Oakwood Windsor Elementary School, Susi Cohen demonstrates some training techniques with shelter dog Holly.

I also brought a foster kitten to visit with the students. The students were surprised when I told them how many dogs and cats are taken in by the shelter each year. One boy said, “My dog just had 12 puppies, but three died.” Another little girl said her cat had kittens up in the attic and one had a lot of medical issues. I explained to them that Aiken County and FOTAS offer help in these situations. We have spay/neuter vouchers available at the shelter that greatly reduce the cost of this important surgery. It is a simple procedure that will ensure their dog or cat won’t have any more litters.

Going to the schools is always so rewarding. Not only do the shelter animals enjoy spending time with the students and vice versa, but teaching children about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership today paves the way for a better tomorrow.

Their lives are in our hands.

PETS OF THE WEEK

DREI
Hound mix, male, 1-1/2 years old, tan & white, 58 pounds, amputated left front leg – $35

Three-legged dog DREI

JACKSON
Domestic Medium Hair, male, 2 years old, black, 8.8 pounds – $10

JACKSON
2019, animal care education, Chained dogs, County Animal Control, County animal laws, Dogs, FOTAS, Junior FOTAS, microchipping, News, Spay/Neuter, surrendered pets

Animal Control Officers: Friends, not Dog Catchers

Posted on by Bob Gordon
15
Apr

by Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

I often go to area schools to talk to students about responsible pet ownership and proper animal care.

When we talk about how animals come into the Aiken County Animal Shelter, I tell the students that animal control officers as well as members of our community rescue and bring in stray dogs and cats. When asked by a show of hands how many believe animal control officers are mean, most will raise their hands. These young people have watched many animated movies and television shows that portray these community helpers as “dog catchers” – the cruel characters that drag Bolt and his friends into the dreaded animal shelter. What a misconception!

Officer Creel poses with Tall Pines STEM Academy students after talking to them about his job and giving them tips on how they can help homeless pets in their community.

Our community is very lucky to have officers that protect us and our pets from unvaccinated, sometimes aggressive animals. They look out for the neglected, abused and unloved pets in our area. They rescue dogs that have been left in the heat and cold without proper shelter, food and water. They bring in horses and pigs that have escaped their enclosures. These are the good guys.

Recently, Officer Brandon Creel attended our Junior FOTAS meeting at Tall Pines STEM Academy. He brought a catch pole, a scanner that reads microchips and demonstrated to the students how he and the other officers are trying to help. He explained that when officers use catch poles, it is as much for the dog’s protection as their own. Dogs can’t say “Stop,” but they can bite out of fear. If a dog bites an officer, not only will the officer be injured but the dog will have to go into quarantine. Therefore, the catch pole safely gets the dog into a kennel where they can decompress at the shelter. The scanner, he explained, helps officers identify and return dogs and cats to their homes without having to go to the shelter.

Officer Creel enjoys a light moment with students while teaching them about his job duties.

The officers also pick up scared strays, issue tickets to those who do not vaccinate, and educate the public about how to properly care for their pets. They save so many lives!

Officer Creel told the students that there are three things they can do to help: make sure their pets are vaccinated, ensure their animals are spayed and neutered, and speak up when they see an animal in need.

Aiken County is in good hands with this group of animal control officers. At the end of the work day, you will often see them visiting the dogs in their kennels, handing out pet treats and petting cats that need socializing. It’s their way of showing these animals that they do care about them and want them to be happy. Many of the officers have even adopted animals that they have rescued from the streets.

Their lives are in our hands.

BY THE NUMBERS
From April 1 to 10, the Aiken County Animal Shelter received 115 strays and surrendered pets. That’s more than 11 a day!

PETS OF THE WEEK
HUDSON: Terrier mix, male, 2 years old, 26 pounds – $35

SMOKEY: Domestic Medium Haired cat, female, 9 years old, 6 pounds – $10