Tag Archives: bully breeds

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, essay

Hidden gems still waiting for forever homes at animal shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
19
Mar
Kane is smart and athletic.
Kane is smart and athletic.
(Note: Since this post was published, most of these dogs have been adopted. As of March 19, the only dogs still available are Callista and Kane.)

The Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) has five wonderful dogs – Bain, Callista, Kane, Marcelle and Rallie – who need loving homes as soon as possible.

These dogs are favorites of the staff and volunteers, yet they still wait to be adopted. They watch the animals around them get selected and wonder why no one has chosen them.

We wonder, too.  After all, Kane is the most handsome dog on the adoption floor. Bain and Marcella are the sweetest. Rallie is a lovable, goofy guy and Callista shakes her whole butt when she wags her tail to greet visitors.

We consider these five dogs hidden gems – animals that are special and have loads of love to offer a person or family. Each of them is sponsored, which means their adoptions fees have already been paid by FOTAS donors. They are $0 if you can provide them with a loving home.

  • Bain loves people and is great with children, plus he’s housebroken. He also rides well in a car and is a great athlete. If you have no other pets, please consider adopting this 4-year-old Retriever mix.
  • Callista has a lot of energy and loves to play outside, but her favorite activity is laying her head on your lap while you stroke under her neck and chin. This mixed breed, brindle beauty is just 1 year old and weighs 44 pounds.
  • Kane is 1-1/2 years old and about 50 pounds of love and energy. He’s a Terrier/Boxer mix who’s housebroken, very athletic and extremely intelligent — but needs an owner who can spend time with him. He would love to be your jogging buddy or play fetch with you!
  • Marcelle looks like a puppy and is just as cuddly. But she is 1-1/2 years old and has good leash manners. She’s very playful and likes to get her belly rubbed.
  • Rallie snuggles, sits on command, and wants to be your pal. He arrived at the shelter with wounds on his back, but they’re healing fast. Rallie is 1 year old, 57 pounds and housebroken. He loves people but doesn’t like other dogs, so needs to be the only pet in your family.
Callista is sweet and has a lot of energy.
Callista is sweet and has a lot of energy.

Come to 333 Wire Road in Aiken and go on a Doggie Day Out with one of these fantastic dogs. Get to know them by taking them to the park or downtown for an hour or two. They love the one-on-one interaction and the time away from being in a shelter, and you just might fall in love and give an extraordinary dog the home he/she deserves.

Their lives are in our hands.

 – by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

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Pets of the Week

ARTEMIS
potw artemis 031818Dachshund mix, male, 1 year old, tri-color, 20 pounds – $35

 

COREY
potw corey 0318Domestic Shorthair declawed cat, male, 1 year old, gray & white Tabby, 11 pounds – $10

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Pibbles

Adopted Pit Bull mixes find love and give it back in spades

Posted on by Angel Hartline
30
Sep

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

The American Pit Bull Terrier or “Pit Bull” was America’s dog during World War I and their photos were used in military posters. Because of their popularity, “Bullies” or “Pibbles” were often used in advertising, including the Buster Brown shoes campaign. In fact, the first famous dog to star on TV was a Pit Bull. Remember Petey, the white dog with the black ring around one eye who starred in the Our Gang comedies in the 1930s? Yep, the cute canine who often joined the Little Rascals in their fun-filled adventures was a Pit Bull.

The County Shelter takes in a lot of stray and surrendered Pit Bull mixes, so we’re familiar with the positive attributes of this breed. Smart, goofy, athletic, high-energy and very loving, these are some of the best pets available for adoption.

Unfortunately, starting around the mid-80s, Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixed breeds started to get a bad rap in the media. Dog fighting surged in popularity and criminals chose the breed due to their physical strength. These villains nearly destroyed the rich history of the Pit Bull and sullied the breed’s reputation through their cruel and illegal actions.

But FOTAS and the Shelter are working to help these dogs and reestablish their honorable reputation by prudently preparing them for adoption and finding them loving homes.

Young Raymond and his mother, Darling Rios, fostered Gloria, helping the dog gain confidence before going to the Shelter’s adoption floor.
Young Raymond and his mother, Darling Rios, fostered Gloria, helping the dog gain confidence before going to the Shelter’s adoption floor.

For example, Gloria, a 2-year-old Pibble who arrived at the Shelter scared and shy, was fostered by Darling Rios and her family. At first, Gloria was too scared to leave the house. But slowly she began to trust her foster family and learned to relax and play by interacting with the other dogs living at the Rios household.

“All we did was give her love and provide a place where she felt safe,” Darling said. “Gloria built confidence after weeks of attention and came out of her shell.”

Once she was put on the adoption floor, Gloria didn’t last long. She was adopted by Shannon Wilhelm of Graniteville and is doing great!

Gloria is adopted from the County Shelter by the Wilhelms.
Gloria is adopted from the County Shelter by the Wilhelms.

Another Bully mix was adopted by Jude and Kerwin Iglesias of Aiken. They took home one-year-old Doxter, a white and brown cutie who is very protective of his new family. When he thinks they have been swimming for too long, the young dog gets worried and dives into the family’s pool, gently gripping them by the hand to pull them out of the water!

 

Ripley at home with his adopter, Amanda Brown of Augusta.
Ripley at home with his adopter, Amanda Brown of Augusta.

Ripley, a fawn and white Pibble, arrived at the Shelter as a stray and tested positive for heartworms. Bo and Amanda Brown fell in love with the big boy and adopted him, FOTAS paid for his treatment and now he is expected to be heartworm free by next month.

claressa at home
Newly adopted Claressa makes herself at home on Corbin Goodwin’s bed.

And then there’s Claressa, a 10-month-old, tan and white Bully mix. She was shy and having difficulty dealing with the noisy environment of the Shelter. But Brian and Gina Goodwin of Aiken adopted her and turned her life around. 

“At first, she was terrified of everything!” said Gina. “But after about three days, she was a completely different dog. We love her so much and I’m pretty sure she feels the same.”
The County Shelter always has some wonderful Pibbles available for adoption, and this week is no exception. Three standouts include Bailey, Ranger and our dog of the week, Toffee. Come visit them!

Their lives are in our hands.

 

By the Numbers

Jan. through Aug.:
FOTAS organized and paid for the spay/neuter surgeries of 292 community cats and pets owned by citizens in need of financial assistance.
October Adoption Special: Cat and kittens $10, dogs and puppies $35

 

Pets of the Week

 

TESSA: Domestic shorthair cat, female, 4 months old, Tortoise shell, 3.6 pounds - $10
TESSA: Domestic shorthair cat, female, 4 months old, Tortoise shell, 3.6 pounds – $10
TOFFEE: Pibble mix, female, 2 years old, gray and white, 46 pounds – $35
TOFFEE: Pibble mix, female, 2 years old, gray and white, 46 pounds – $35
Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Heartworms

A Cinderella Story: The adoption of Xena, The Warrior Princess

Posted on by Angel Hartline
07
Jul

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Blossom wasn’t the prettiest dog in the County Shelter, not by a long shot. Her muted gray brindle coat was dull and ratty; her skin was rough; and her teats were saggy from indiscriminate breeding. Overall, Blossom had the haggard look of a dog that had been neglected, abandoned and forgotten. By early May, Blossom held the unfortunate distinction of being the Shelter’s longest-term resident. What’s worse, not a single person had taken a second look at her in her kennel.

Flash forward to late June: Blossom (who is now referred to as Xena, the Warrior Princess) participated in her first canine obedience class, and by all accounts, Xena is now a rock star.

 

FullSizeRender 2
Xena sits at attention with Janice.

I sat down with Xena and her favorite human and new owner, Janice Freeland (who as it happens, is one of FOTAS’ favorite humans and long-time volunteers as well*) to chat about Blossom’s breathtaking transformation from ugly duckling to canine superstar.

ME: Xena! Look at you! You look, well, just plain gorgeous—all sleek and shiny, and so trim! What’s your secret?

Xena wags her tail and breaks into a radiant pibble smile, all mouth and a tongue a mile long, and gives Janice a great big slobbery kiss.

XENA: It’s all because of Janice! She loves me and feeds me good food, and I have a soft place to sleep and two dog pals, and treats! Oh my gosh! So many treats!

FullSizeRender
Xena with one of her dog pals

Xena gives me a big slobbery kiss, too. I wipe my face and continue.

ME: Janice, how did you find Blossom, I mean, Xena?

JANICE: Total fluke, right? I was taking photos for FOTAS at the annual Woofstock Dog & Cat Festival in May, and I happened to mention I had lost a dog and that my other dog was very lonely. The next thing I knew, a volunteer brings around this kind of happy, saggy, ratty looking dog, and she tells me—this is Blossom, the sweetest, greatest dog, and she’s been at the Shelter way too long, and she really needs a home. I thought, Why not? I mean, after all, us gals need to stick together, don’t we Xena?

Wag, wag. Thump, thump. Pant, pant.

JANICE: AT first, my husband and I were anxious about adopting a Pit-cross, but Xena is, hands down, the best dog we’ve ever had. She may’ve looked kind of ragged, but she makes up for it in spades with a whopping personality. She loves people, particularly children and other dogs. She’s just so willing, eager and smart. We are lucky to have found her.

Xena rolls on her back and wiggles in ecstasy.

ME: What would you say to folks looking for a companion at the County Shelter?

JANICE: Don’t just walk by the dogs with the square heads and long tongues, the dogs who look beat up and used, the dogs who many not present well in the kennel. All they need is a little love, security and care to blossom into a blessing. Give them a chance, and they will give you a lifetime of love and devotion.

Their lives are in our hands.

*Janice Freeland organizes Polo under the Stars for the benefit of FOTAS, which will be held in October.

 

Pets of the Week

RIGBY PET OF THE WEEK JULY 9
RIGBY: Hound mix, male, 3 months old, tan and black,         24 pounds – $35.00

 

RALPH: Domestic Shorthair Cat, male, 2 years old, black/gray Tabby, 6.5 pounds - $15
RALPH: Domestic Shorthair Cat, male, 2 years old, black/gray Tabby, 6.5 pounds – $10.00

 

By the Numbers
July Adoption Special: Dogs/Puppies $35, Cats/Kittens $10

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS

Sweet shelter dog Hannah ends her adopter’s nightmares

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Mar

By Martha Anne Tudor

John Jackson can’t talk about his rescue dog Hannah without getting emotional. Little wonder, considering how life has opened up since she came into the picture.

John, 23, struggles with challenging health issues, including Asperger’s and a brain tumor. The Belvedere resident says he’s used to people getting frustrated and impatient with him. Interactions with others often cause him anxiety. Nightmares happened every night, and he’d given up hope years ago anything could stop them.

Until Hannah.

From their first night together, John hasn’t had a single nightmare. No one knew that was even possible. He also now has someone to tell his dreams to. Hannah always listens, John says, and never gets irritated with him “like people do.” John says Hannah makes him feel calm, safe, and less anxious.

His grandmother, Beverly Boniewicz of Edgefield, calls it a miracle.

But last December, Hannah didn’t look much like a miracle worker. Scarred and beat up from dog attacks and other hardships of life on the streets, she was just another sweet-faced mixed breed at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, hoping life wasn’t at an end.

Hannah had been at the shelter longer than any other dog. For days, she patiently waited in her kennel as time and again potential adopters passed her by. She didn’t attract attention, with heartworms and her hair missing in places. But she kept giving visitors kisses and mustering all the hope she could.

As Hannah’s time wound down, one more push was made on social media to find her a home. She had become a favorite among shelter volunteers, who wouldn’t give up on her. “She’s my favorite dog,” said FOTAS Board Member and Volunteer, Ellie Joos.

Just a few hours after Hannah’s final plea was posted, Beverly scrolled through Facebook, as she often does. She saw Hannah’s story and called John, who often got lonely living by himself. He headed for the car to go meet Hannah.

Witnesses to their meeting describe it as watching two halves come together.

“Will she mind if I talk to her a lot?” John asked shelter workers. Hannah seemed to realize her biggest wish had come true.

She jumped in John’s car, where she still loves to ride. John likes their drives too, and says he loves showing her off. Hannah sleeps every night in John’s bed, though he made a bedroom just for her if she wants it. When she’s not right beside John, she enjoys sitting in the sunshine in their backyard.

The dog nobody wanted, the dog who’d never had a chance, is now the center of attention. She has her own Himalayan salt candle, her own “CD for Dogs,” a bunch of dog toys, and her own blanket. But her favorite thing is John. She even jumps over the back of the couch to give him kisses.

“It is really a miracle – for all of us,” said Beverly, who sometimes babysits Hannah and considers her part of the family. “She is the perfect fit for John.”

john hugs hannah

John Jackson adopts Hannah at the County Animal Shelter john hugs hannah

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Heartworms, Pibbles

The Magic of Shelter Pets

Posted on by Angel Hartline
25
Sep

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President, FOTAS

My husband David swears that shelter dogs are grateful, that they know they have been saved and that you saved them, and that their love and devotion are expressions of that gratitude.

Now I can’t say for sure that our Maggie dog’s love is an expression of gratitude rather than a reciprocal response to our love and care, or that the depth of our terrier mutt Jack’s devotion to us is somehow greater than, say, a pedigreed poodle’s devotion to its owner.

But I can say this: every one of our shelter dogs has brought us indescribable joy. No matter what the circumstances of their unfortunate history that brought them to the shelter, whether neglect or abuse or both, they bonded with us seamlessly and with no hesitation. As always, love transformed them, and in return, they transformed us, enriching our lives in ways that we could not have imagined on the day we brought them home.

David Stinson is a dog-lover, and for the past 10 years, he has resided with 4 large dogs in his lovely little cottage on Newberry Street. When old age and cancer took two of his dogs, David was uncertain whether he wanted to add another dog to his remaining aging brood. Maybe, he thought, the inevitable aging-out of his canine pack would free him to travel more or pursue his many hobbies in more depth.

Then along came a pretty red and white Pibble named (by the Shelter staff) Snickers, who was picked up as a stray, clearly abandoned by her negligent owners. Snickers wore the tell-tale marks of neglect bordering on abuse. Her neck bore scars of a chain, suggesting she had been tethered to a stake. She showed signs of repeated breeding, and her front teeth had been filed, indicating a life as a breeding bitch for fighting dogs. And of course, she had early stage heartworm disease.

I met Snickers when she was introduced to a play group at the Shelter. Despite her background, she was an unapologetic, enthusiastic, fervent people-lover. I was smitten, and when I introduced her to David, he was smitten, too. He took her home, renamed her “Lady Edith of Newberry,” befitting of her regal nature, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“This morning,” says David, “Lady Edith is riding in the passenger seat of my car wearing her seatbelt. We stop at Popeye’s and share a sausage biscuit. She spent the first part of the day washing the faces of my old hound dogs at home. Now she is on her way to my office, where she will spend the morning with me. I have to keep her moving along; otherwise, she will linger to play with every dog and human we meet on the way.”
Now that is the happiest of endings.

Your destiny may be waiting for you right now at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Maybe it’s an adorable puppy, a goofy dog or a regal cat. Please consider adopting your new pet at the Aiken County Animal Shelter – it’s a choice you won’t regret.

Their lives are in our hands.

Lacy Edith of Newberry poses in her new home.
Lacy Edith of Newberry poses in her new home.

 

Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Pibbles

Loving the “Pibbles”

Posted on by Angel Hartline
19
Sep

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

 

There is much to love about our Pibbles: the sleek, athletic build, the endless energy, the big square head, the affectionate nature, the big goofy smile with the impossibly long tongue that hangs out of the side of their mouth when they’re happy.

Like our golden boy, Haggis, a happy, ball-crazy, people-loving bundle of joy and affection. Or the beautiful Shaba, who showers motherly affection on everyone, particularly kids and other dogs. Or the lovely, angel-white Brandi who can’t pass up a chance to share the love with everyone she meets.

These dogs are such people pleasers, so personable and so willing, they should have flown out of the shelter as soon as they hit the adoption floor. But they haven’t.

Why is that?

“A big part of the problem,” says Jennifer Miller, the President of FOTAS, “is that folks think: pit bull! and that conjures up all sorts of negative stereotypes about the breed. The truth is, we rarely see a full-bred pit bull. What we do see are these mongrel mutts of indeterminate origins who have the genetic misfortune to have been born with square heads, goofy smiles and muscular bodies, and they are automatically branded as ‘pit bulls’ and thus potentially dangerous.”

And that’s a shame. These dogs are, plain and simple, Heinz 57 mutts who are desperate to love and be loved. As a rule, Pibbles are the most mistreated dogs on earth—tethered to stakes, deprived of medical care, abused at the hands of criminals and cruel owners—yet time and time again our Pibbles have demonstrated that they can be, and are, cherished family members.

Kathy Jacobs, the FOTAS Program Coordinator, says, “There is a general perception that a Pibble who has been abused or mistreated in the past will not make a good pet. Our experience is just the opposite. FOTAS and the shelter have had enormous success in placing these dogs in homes with children, without children, with dogs, without dogs, with cats, you name it. It’s almost like their misfortune makes them more desperate to please, not less. They are amazing animals.”

The shelter’s success rate with its Pibbles is not an accident. All dogs are held and observed in the shelter’s intake wing for anyplace from 5 to 15 days, and a dog that displays aggression it is not placed on the adoption floor. Second, because the Pibbles are the hardest to place, volunteers and staff have had lots of opportunities to observe them in all sorts of circumstances—one-on-one sessions, in their kennels, on walks, and in play yard groups. They really know these dogs, and that’s reassuring news for a potential adopter.

If you are looking for a new canine best friend, come to the shelter and meet our Pibbles. Take them for a walk, watch them in play group, and talk to the volunteers who know them. Then you will understand why these magnificent animals are often our favorites.

During the month of September, the shelter is running a half-price adoption special ($35) for its Pibble MVP’s (Most Valuable Players) and for its cats and kittens ($15).

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Haggis (brown Pibble) plays well with other dogs, like Sadie Mae here, at the County Shelter.
Haggis (brown Pibble) plays well with other dogs, like Sadie Mae here, at the County Shelter.
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

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

Community Embraces County Animal Shelter’s Saturday Hours

Posted on by Angel Hartline
13
Mar

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

It is Saturday morning at the shelter, and everyone is making final preparations before the doors open at 11:30 sharp. The cats and dogs have been fed and watered, and volunteers have already walked many of the dogs before visitor traffic gets too heavy.

The shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers are in high spirits on this fifth day of March, eager to help dogs and cats find good homes and assist visitors with finding a furry companion. At the front desk, two adoption assistants warm up their computers and prepare for the busy rush they hope will be coming their way. When the doors open, people slowly trickle in; but by the afternoon, the lobby is filled with people and at least four volunteers are needed to escort groups through the dog and cat adoption facilities. By the time the dust settles and the doors close at 4 p.m., ten dogs have been adopted.

“It was an amazing day!” said FOTAS Program Coordinator Kathy Jacobs. “Wonderful families came to adopt, some bringing their dogs with them, and, thankfully, we have dedicated volunteers and staff that work together to make things run smoothly.”

A shy but lovable Chihuahua, Anya, goes home with a great family that volunteers at the shelter; two ridiculously cute black Lab puppies, Claire and Cassie, ride home with a nice woman from North Augusta; Pancho, a Retriever/Setter mix with a long tongue, gets selected by a young boy from Aiken; Kaia, a Great Pyrenees mix, goes home with a war veteran from North Augusta; Monty, a fluffy and chatty adult Chow mix, is adopted to a family from Warrenville; Dee-Dee, a blonde Lab pup, is adopted by an Aiken woman; Lyndie, a white and brown Bully mix, finds a home with folks from Augusta; a sweet, tan Beagle, Honey, goes home with an Aiken woman and her two children; and another black Lab pup, Levi, is adopted by a woman from Grovetown, GA.

Since the shelter reintroduced Saturday adoption hours on Feb. 13, the community has strongly embraced the weekend adoption experience. In turn, FOTAS and the shelter staff have worked hard to make the adoption process not only a satisfactory experience, but a joyful one. Specials are usually offered on Saturdays, often tied to a fun theme. For example, on Feb. 13, the Shelter and FOTAS hosted a “Petcademy Awards” event, complete with free popcorn, a red carpet entrance and nominees for best VIP (Very Important Pet). Those that adopted nominated canines received a FOTAS swag bag that included a toy, leash, collar and dog treats. This Saturday, March 19, the shelter will celebrate “St. Catrick’s Day” and FOTAS will pay the $35 adoption fee for the first three people who take home a cat.

“Saturdays at the shelter are a lot of fun, especially when we get to see so many animals leave here with happy, new owners,” Kathy said.

For more information about FOTAS and shelter events and specials – including our Bully dog Hall of Fame half-price adoption special (last day is Saturday, March 19) and photo contest (deadline for entering photo of your Bully is March 20) – please follow FOTAS on Facebook and visit our website, www.fotasaiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands…

 

The Walker family, which volunteers at the shelter on Saturdays, adopted little Anya.
The Walker family, which volunteers at the shelter on Saturdays, adopted little Anya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claire and Cassie get adopted II March 5 2017
Lee Ellis of N. Augusta adopted Lab pups, Cassie and Claire.
Adoption, Bully Dogs, Dogs, FOTAS, Pibbles, Volunteer

The Stars come out at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
07
Mar

By Joanna Dunn Samson, Vice President of FOTAS

Last weekend the stars were out at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, where many of the resident Stars came out to walk the red carpet and meet their adoring public. The excitement in the air was palpable.

“Everyone gets so excited about the Academy Awards,” says Ellie Joos, FOTAS Board member and volunteer, “but the real action is happening right here on Wire Road. The canine and feline stars at the Shelter are nothing short of phenomenal.”

Here are some of the winners of the 2016 Aiken County Petacademy Awards.

The award in the Most Affectionate category went to Trey, a 2 year-old black lab mix. Trey is very shy and a Hall of Fame love bug who would just as soon snuggle up to your leg than almost anything in the world, with the possible exception of eating.

“I am most grateful to the Academy for this award,” panted Trey, edging closer and closer to my leg. “I can’t wait to find a home where I can share all this affection!”

The Best Hugger and Kisser award went to Shakespeare, a 3 month-old golden puppy with a huge heart and a long tongue.

“Whoa!” cried Shakespeare, with a wiggle and a shake. “You mean I get an award for hugging and kissing? You think I could get one for scarfing down those tasty little beef treats?”

One of the biggest surprises of the day: 3 year-old, golden brindle Brutus took home an award in The Most Bashful in a Large Body category. Weighing in at 93 lbs, this big boy Hall of Famer and Pet of the Week is so shy, he’d like to spend his life with his head in your armpit. In fact, if you could fit his food bowl in your armpit, too, he’d be a happy man.

“Bffdd?*&&& hnnt!!f3 djjjfddd,” mumbled Brutus.

“Brutus thanks the Academy for its recognition,” interpreted Kathy Jacobs, his agent, “and he hopes one of his fans will take him to a forever home where he will always be safe.”

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Madam Mim, a 9 year-old, dark gray shaggy terrier mix who was found wandering the streets without identification and with cataracts, tumors, and broken teeth. A sweet, quiet dog, Miss Mimm said, “After the kindness of the folks at the shelter and the amazing medical care administered by Dr. Levy, the shelter vet, my faith in humanity has been restored. I look forward to living out my years basking in the love of my furever home.”

Finally, the award for Most Nurturing to Every Living Thing category went to Lindy, a 4-year old white bully mix with gray markings who loves all people, kids, dogs and cats she meets. Her acceptance speech was extraordinary.

“The world would be a better place, “ said Lindy, giving her fellow nominees a soft nudge, “if everyone would adopt a dog from the shelter and stay home and give hine-y rubs. Then, finally, the world will know peace.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Please don’t wait to make one of the Shelter stars the light of your life. Their lives are in our hands.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, Volunteer

Yeva, a County Shelter “Hall of Famer” speaks out for the Bully breeds

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Feb

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

When that nice FOTAS lady, Kathy Jacobs, asked me, Yeva, a stray nobody from no place, to be a spokesperson for my kind, I was proud to be asked, because my kind are the most misunderstood and mistreated breed of the canine world: we are the bully breed mixes, the pits and the pibbles.

We are easy to recognize, what with our noble, square heads; huge, goofy smiles; long tongues; and muscular physiques. But our truly best attribute is this: we adore our human companions, particularly the little ones, with the steadfast devotion of a canine Mother Theresa.

We are also great Americans. Thousands of my kind served as proud mascots for our troops during wartimes and were celebrated on World War I posters – Hall of Famers! Today, the tradition continues as many of us are trusted service and companion dogs for our veterans. Just like the American people, my kind are brave, generous of spirit, and able to rise above hardship and succeed, no matter how humble our beginnings.

Take me, for instance. My experience with humans had taught me to stay clear at all costs, but to my great surprise, the humans at the shelter were different. They spoke quietly, touched me softly, fed me regularly, and stopped by my kennel frequently just to chat. I began to trust them. I began to love them. They loved me back! I was wild with joy.

In one short month I went from a petrified, lonely stray to a Hall of Fame love bug and a spokeswoman for my kind. Is that an American success story or what?

Would I rather crawl into your lap than lay by your feet? Does my Hall of Fame kissing get a little sloppy? Yes and yes – guilty as charged, but I’m always gentle with the little ones, and I’ll fetch anything you throw all day long.

Then there’s my young friend, ChaCha, another shining example of American resilience and fortitude. She, too, was a homeless scared nobody, but after a little care and kindness from the Shelter staff and volunteers, she overcame her sad past and rose to Hall of Fame status in the Wiggle, Drop, Roll and Love-up a Human category. Whoa! That ChaCha’s downright breathtaking.

You see, it’s not just the brave mascots and the dedicated service dogs that are Hall of Famers – all of my kind on the adoption floor at the Aiken County Animal Shelter are Hall of Famers or else we wouldn’t be there. We are, quite simply, awesome.

FOTAS wants to hear about your Hall of Fame bully dog. Upload a photo to the FOTAS Facebook page, www.facebook.com/FOTASAiken, by March 20th and tell us about your Hall of Fame pet. The photo entry with the most “Likes” will win a large gel dog bed and 10 pounds of dog biscuits. How cool is that?

In the meantime, if you are looking for your next best friend at the Shelter, don’t just walk by us Hall of Famers. Yes, we may be very excited to see you, but if you give us a chance, we’ll dote on you forever.

Our lives are in your hands.