Tag Archives: cats

Adoption, Cats, Foster, FOTAS

FOTAS fosters and good Samaritans are saving kittens every day

Posted on by Angel Hartline
18
Oct

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

Livie and her sibling were tossed out of a moving vehicle like pieces of garbage. A good Samaritan, driving behind the vehicle, witnessed the hideous crime and slammed on his brakes. He and his wife scrambled out of their car to see what they could do to save the kittens. But as they ran to Livie, a gray kitten, her sibling was run over and killed by a car coming the other way. Horrified, the couple scooped up Livie, blood dripping from her mouth, and sped to the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS).

LIVIE THE KITTEN - NOT LIVVYOnce at Shelter, Dr. Lisa Levy and her vet techs treated Livie. The left side of her face was scraped badly and her left rear leg injured, but she would be okay. Now, the five-week-old needed time to rest and heal.

Livie is just one of 227 kittens and 8 nursing momma cats that have been received by the County Shelter over the last two months. Some of these kittens are only a couple of weeks old and need to be bottle fed. When they are motherless and so young, they’re vulnerable and need constant care and attention – the kind of nurturing they can only get from a devoted foster family. But as fast as FOTAS recruits kitten fosters, more babies in need arrive at 333 Wire Road. Currently, there are 48 kittens being fostered by volunteers.

Because so many kittens have been received lately, ACAS staff members have taken kittens home to ensure their survival. Adoption Coordinator Hillary Clark-Kulis, Vet Tech Betty Milne-Erikson and Adoption Assistant Mary Calabro have all fostered litters of kittens during the last two months.
“I do it because these babies need to be saved,” Mary Calabro said. “It’s love for the innocent and the love they give back.”

Once the kittens are old enough to be spayed or neutered, they go on the adoption floor. But the fosters are needed to help these kittens get stronger and more comfortable with human touch and interaction.

“Without the foster program, many of these kittens wouldn’t survive,” said Hillary Clark-Kulis. “They are too little to spay or neuter and need constant bottle feeding or, if they’re old enough, have to be weaned from wet to dry food.”

FOTAS Volunteer Peg Seger and her husband, Ron, have been fostering kittens for two years and their latest assignment is a litter of five one-month-old strays. “If you love animals, fostering is a wonderful thing to do,” Peg said.

Jerri Smith just finished fostering three feral kittens for two weeks. By the time she returned them to the shelter for adoption, the six-week-old siblings liked to be held and petted.

“The longer they stayed with me, the less fearful they became,” Jeri said. “I enjoyed seeing them progress and it was fun and rewarding to help them learn and grow.”

Mindy Hand, another foster standout, just completed fostering three kittens that have since been adopted and is now nurturing and preparing two three-week-old kittens for adoption.

“Fostering takes a lot love and patience,” Mindy said. “But it is special knowing these cats are going to find families of their own after you’ve taken care of them.”

With so many kittens flowing into the shelter, FOTAS is in urgent need of more fosters. If you can volunteer, please call 803.514.4313 or send an email to info@angelhartlinedesigns.com

With your help, we’ll have more success stories like Livie, who recovered from her injuries and was put on the adoption floor on Thursday. Discarded like trash, this beautiful, gray kitten now has a second chance at a good life.
Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers


August 10 to October 10: The Aiken County Animal Shelter received 227 kittens and 8 nursing cats.
October Adoption Special: cats/kittens $10, dogs/puppies $35

Pets of the Week

Livie was thrown out of the window of a moving vehicle but thanks to good Samaritans, she made a complete recovery from her injuries.
RENO: Bully mix, male, 2 years old, white and brown, 50 pounds – $35
KENT PET OF THE WEEK
KENT: Domestic medium hair cat, male, 2 months old, black with light gray undercoat, 1.8 pounds – $10
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS

In their own words: the joy and satisfaction of fostering County Shelter dogs

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Sep

 

By Toni Urben, FOTAS Volunteer and Foster Family

My husband Gary and I are a foster family for dogs from the Aiken County Animal Shelter that were not adopted locally and have been accepted for transfer to a sister agency in another part of the country. I can’t recall what got us started, but we have been fostering for FOTAS for four years, and it has been a truly satisfying journey. These sweet animals often come to us scared and anxious, and we have cried tears of sorrow at their condition and plight. As dog lovers, we cannot conceive how someone could have abandoned, abused or surrendered them in the first place.
Back to what we do as fosters and what we receive in return. We commit to care and love these dogs for approximately six days. In that short time, we give them a chance to relax, eat well, and exercise, and they learn to trust and love—we watch them come back to life. Our foster dogs truly teach us the meaning of forgiveness, resilience and adaptation.

Our most recent fosters were two older pups who had each recently had a hind leg amputated by Dr. Levy, the Shelter veterinarian, because they had arrived at the Shelter with such severe injuries, their lives were at risk. After a month at the Shelter, they needed a chance to adjust to their limitations. We helped them adjust and relax; we watched them get stronger on their short walks. It is hard to express the joy we have received from these two brave souls, who harbored no resentment toward mankind for their predicament. I cried tears of joy

Gary with Chance and Belinda
Gary with Chance and Belinda

when they left to begin their new life in a loving home, but by letting them go, we are able to foster two more dogs and prepare them for a fresh start.

Another foster we will always remember was Blue, an adult house pet who was extremely depressed at being abandoned by his owners. Blue moped about the dog room or laid at the glass door for long periods of time, just staring sadly into space. He didn’t want to leave his crate—we often had to pull him out just to walk and eat. He was so depressed, we did not think he was ready for transfer, so we asked to keep him for an additional three weeks. FOTAS agreed.

Gary and I were on a mission to bring Blue back to life. We leashed him and kept him with us as we sat in the family room and went about our daily life. Eventually he relaxed and wagged his tail; light came on in his gorgeous eyes. FOTAS worked their network. When they couldn’t find him a local home, they were able to transfer him to a northern partner. We were later contacted by the woman who fostered Blue for that shelter, and to our delight, she adored him so much, she kept him. She often posts pictures of Blue on the shelter’s Facebook page, so I can still look into his warm eyes and know he is loved and safe.

Yes, fostering can be a challenge, but deep satisfaction is the guaranteed outcome. FOTAS is in urgent need of more fosters—they need your help.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
January to July:

The County Shelter’s Trap Neuter Return (TNR) Program, supplemented by FOTAS, recorded 500 community cats fixed and returned to field!

 

Pets of the Week

JENIVEVE: Mixed breed, female, 3 years old, white, 50 pounds – $35
JENIVEVE: Mixed breed, female, 3 years old, white, 50 pounds – $35
HILTON: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 3 months old, orange and white Tabby, 2.9 pounds – $10
HILTON: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 3 months old, orange and white Tabby, 2.9 pounds – $10
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter

Hurricanes and crowded shelters

Posted on by Angel Hartline
16
Sep

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President of FOTAS

The destruction wreaked by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma over the past weeks is almost unimaginable: hundreds of thousands of homes severely damaged or destroyed, tens of thousands of people in temporary shelters. As of the day I write this, there are still 6.5 million people in Florida and Georgia facing 80- to 90-degree temperatures without power.

While the impacts on people are catastrophic, the impacts on animals are equally heart-breaking. Some human shelters made arrangements for household pets, but thousands of people were forced to flee their homes without their pets. Owner surrenders at animal shelters skyrocketed as the storms crawled ashore. As heartbreaking as it is to imagine turning a beloved companion over to a shelter, it was a far better choice than abandoning them to the elements.

In anticipation of the storms, many of the animal shelters in the affected southern states made a desperate effort to transfer their animals to shelters in other parts of the country so they could make room for the inevitable deluge of abandoned and surrendered animals. Here in Aiken, for example, the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare took in an additional 28 dogs.

The effort and resources needed to conduct rescue operations and to handle that many additional animals are enormous: hundreds of dedicated volunteers, substantial amounts of food, thousands of extra crates, and medical supplies. Many private vehicles were pressed into service to haul the animals to safety. Already overworked shelter staff worked overtime to accommodate the influx of extra animals. It’s exhausting, time-consuming and stressful work.

Although superstorms like Katrina, Harvey and Irma seem to be increasing as the earth’s temperatures rise, at least the hurricane season is limited to three months out of the year, and thankfully not every year produces a storm of these magnitudes. However, at large public shelters in the southern climes like the Aiken County Animal Shelter, intake skyrockets during the spring and summer months every year, creating the same strain on resources, funds and manpower as an extraordinary weather event.

This summer has been no exception. From May 1st to August 31st, the County Shelter took in 1,920 animals. Over a period of sixteen days in May, the Shelter took in 376 animals, that’s 23 a day. In a single week in August, the Shelter took in 186 animals, that’s 31 animals a day. Those are hurricane-like intake numbers at the Shelter without the hurricane.

The County Shelter is a public facility, obligated by law to take all animals, even when full. Staff and FOTAS volunteers shift into overdrive to accommodate these numbers. It’s an exhausting, time-consuming and stressful time. Superstorms may wreak havoc every couple of years, but super summer intake at the County Shelter happens every year, and it will continue to do so until every County pet is fixed.

The dedication and generosity of the animal rescue communities and their citizens during these recent tragedies has been remarkable. Thank God, because there’s nothing more heart-wrenching than bewildered, scared, suffering animals left homeless through no fault of their own.

We know. We see it week-in and week-out, day-in and day-out, every month during the spring, summer and early fall months. Your County Shelter needs your help all the time—not just for the occasional emergency.

Please, volunteer, donate, adopt. Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
May- August:

1,920 dogs and cats were received at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

September Adoption Special:

Cat and kittens are $10, dogs and puppies $35

Pets of the Week

LINZY: Terrier mix, female, 3 years old, black & white, 47 pounds – $35
x LINZY: Terrier mix, female, 3 years old, black & white, 47 pounds – $35
AGATHA: Domestic Shorthair kitten, female, 3 months old, black & gray Tabby, 3.4 pounds – $10
AGATHA: Domestic Shorthair kitten, female, 3 months old, black & gray Tabby, 3.4 pounds – $10
Adoption, Cats

Blind cat Ray and his adopter are companions for life

Posted on by Angel Hartline
08
Sep

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

I’ve seen a lot of animals arrive at the Shelter with injuries and handicaps. These animals always stand out – not only due to their obvious physical challenges but also because they seem to be extra sweet and blessed with extraordinary character.

Most of their injuries are caused by neglect or abuse, and sadly I’ve seen my fair share of stray animals arrive at 333 Wire Road with one eye, a missing tail, or a leg so shattered it must be amputated.

But until a grubby, black and gray fluff ball named Ray came to the Shelter in August, I’d never seen or been around a blind animal. Named after the famous soul singer-songwriter,

Ray was a favorite at the Shelter before being adopted on Clear the Shelters Day, August 19.
Ray was a favorite at the Shelter before being adopted on Clear the Shelters Day, August 19.

Ray Charles, this 9-year-old stray cat instantly won the hearts of the staff and FOTAS volunteers. Although his eyes are caved in, probably due to a severe eye infection at some point in his life, Ray uses his sense of smell and touch to find his food and his litter box. His favorite activity is to climb on your shoulder and grip you tightly while purring loudly in your ear. Once you sit down, he eventually moves to your lap, begging to be petted some more.

Yes, falling in love with Ray was easy; finding him a home was a bigger challenge. Being a senior cat with no sight, he needed to be with someone who knows and loves cats, and who would spend a lot of time with him. But he also needed to be the only pet since other animals scared him.

Jonathan adopted Ray, a blind cat who was brought to the County Shelter as a stray.
Jonathan adopted Ray, a blind cat who was brought to the County Shelter as a stray.

That’s when Jonathan Martindale of Evans, GA came to the rescue. Jon’s friend, Grace Bellmer, knew he was looking for a cat and she and her mom, Liz, saw Ray’s picture on Facebook. Once they shared that photo and Ray’s story with Jon, he knew it was a good match. He adopted Ray on August 19.

“Ray’s probably the sweetest cat I’ve ever had,” Jon said. “He is just so thankful to have a good home and we’ve bonded and already have our own routine down.”
Part of their routine includes Ray taking naps on Jon’s shoulder and stomach when he gets home from his teaching job at Lakeside High School. Ray also likes to join Jon in front of their 55-inch flat screen while he watches sports or a movie on Netflix.

“Ray pretty much runs the place,” Jon said. “His handicap really isn’t a factor. He moves so well, sometimes I forget he’s blind.”

When Ray first arrived, he walked slowly around Jon’s two-story house and sniffed it out, getting his bearings in the new environment. Now, he seems to have memorized the layout of the home and knows where everything is so he can navigate easily throughout his new digs.

“He’s a great companion, a good soul, and I love him to death,” Jon said. Even though I’ve only had him about a month, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers


September Adoption Special:

Cat and kittens are $10, dogs and puppies only $35

Pets of the Week

RUFUS: Retriever mix, male, 1 year old, yellow, 48 pounds – $35
RUFUS: Retriever mix, male, 1 year old, yellow, 48 pounds – $35
NIKOLAS: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 2 months old, black and white Tabby, 1.3 pounds - $10
NIKOLAS: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 2 months old, black and white Tabby, 1.3 pounds – $10
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Clearing the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
25
Aug

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Last Saturday, people started lining up at the County Shelter around 10:00 in the morning. FOTAS volunteers and County staff were manning the sign-in desk, cleaning up the yards, walking and grooming dogs, drying off kittens, organizing paperwork, plugging in gigantic fans, directing traffic and icing down the water bottles. The morning was bright and hot. By 11:00, the mercury had risen to 87 degrees, and the line of people snaked around the building.

What would possess so many good citizens to stand patiently in line in the brutal heat? They were waiting to adopt their new best friend and be part of the national Clear the Shelters Day, an annual pet adoption initiative in which 900 shelters across the country participate. The collective goal? To find a home for every single resident of all 900 shelters in one day, including the 63 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies at the County Shelter.

The doors opened promptly at 11:00. The next three hours were a flurry of frenzied, but well-orchestrated, activity. “It was an unbelievable team effort,” said Jennifer Miller, FOTAS President. “All hands were on deck, including Ashley Jacobs and Brian Sanders, the Assistant County Administrators, Bobby Arthurs, the Shelter Manager, and Dr. Lisa Levy, the Shelter veterinarian, who spent her day off at the Shelter answering questions about the animals and moving cats and kittens from the intake wing to the Adoption Floor.”

And it worked. By the time the dust settled and the Shelter doors closed at 4:00, every kennel on the Adoption Floor was empty, and 37 dogs and 26 cats were on their way to a new family and a better life.

Like Gil, a large muscular dog who was adopted by a kindhearted older couple. Or Archie, who had the unfortunate distinction of being the longest-term resident of the Shelter. Or Ripley, a large brown dog with a gray muzzle with scars and filed-down teeth—evidence of abuse as a “bait” dog in an illegal fighting ring. Or Poppy, a black and white mamma dog whose puppies had been born and weaned in foster care. Or Ray, a blind senior cat; or Mindy and Marietta, two kittens from the same litter with a deep bond; or Nina, the last lovely lady taken home at the end of the day.

The list goes on and on. All of these animals were in the Shelter through no fault of their own, and they all needed someone to give them a chance to love and be loved. The Clear the Shelter Day gave them that chance.

It couldn’t have come at a better time. The Shelter is packed to capacity during the summer months—two weeks ago, a staggering 186 animals were admitted to the Shelter in a single week. Now that there is room, all of the animals in Intake can move to the Adoption Floor for their second chance to find a home with people to love. The work goes on and on. We cannot let them down.

Finally, the response of you, the Aiken community, was nothing short of breathtaking. We are profoundly touched by your commitment and your compassion. Thank you and God Bless.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
From August 1-23, 400+ dogs and cats were received by the County Shelter.
Through Aug. 31, cats and kittens are just $10, dogs and puppies $35.

 

Pets of the Week

olive potw august 27

OLIVE: Shepherd mix, female, 9 years old, tan, 23 pounds – $35

Dax POTW August 27MEL: Domestic medium-hair kitten, male, 2 months old,

gray with white, 2 pounds – $10

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS

The endless flow of homeless animals at the County Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Aug

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Yesterday, the Aiken County Animal Shelter participated in the National Clear the Shelter Day for the second time. By all accounts, the day was an awesome success, and for a few short moments in the afternoon, the Shelter was blissfully empty and quiet.

It won’t last. It can’t last. Summer intake is out of control. In a single week this month, 186 animals were admitted to the Shelter…186 animals! Do the math. At that rate, thirty-one animals a day, every day, need to be adopted to keep up with that staggering intake. Not likely, not in a community this size.

Summer is always tough at the County 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.

These animals come primarily from the County, and generally intake is roughly equal between strays and citizen-surrendered animals. In the summer months, however, the number of citizen-surrendered animals doubles between the people who surrender their pets to the Shelter when they go on vacation and the people who didn’t fix their pets and dump the puppies or kittens at the Shelter for the rest of us to take care of. Unspeakably sad, unthinkably heartless, but true nevertheless.

Over the past year, the County and FOTAS, with the help of the community, has 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 Shelter, with the help of FOTAS, is responsible for the care and disposition of the 4600-5000 unwanted animals 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.

It’s 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 urge all the people in your universe—friends, family, and people you come into contact with at work, at the grocery store, and at the drug store—to spay and neuter their animals. 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 mama dogs and their puppies and mama cats and their kittens until they are weaned and rehomed.

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

Most of all—adopt! For every animal you adopt or foster, you save two lives – every time an animal moves out of the Shelter, another animal can be moved to the adoption floor.

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.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
August adoption specials: Cats/Kittens $10, Dogs/Puppies $35

 

Pets of the Week

IRMA: Terrier/Beagle mix, female, 1-1/2 years old, white with black, 22 pounds – $35
LOUIE: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 1-1/2 months old, gray and white, 2 pounds - $10
LOUIE: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 1-1/2 months old, gray and white, 2 pounds – $10
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Heartworms

One Less Leg, Just as Much Love

Posted on by Angel Hartline
04
Aug

Dr. Lisa Levy, ACAS Veterinarian

Three years ago, a small, scared, black dog came into the shelter. Her right rear leg was missing below the knee, leaving the end of the broken bone exposed. She also had a deep scar around her neck from a past embedded collar. Normally she would have been euthanized, but something about her touched me. This dog never had a chance to be loved. I decided to surgically amputate the leg for proper healing, and then adopted her myself. I named her Trinity and she is the happiest little dog I have ever owned. She makes me smile every day.
So I obviously have a heart for three-legged dogs, but this month has been exceptionally trying. In the three years I have been the shelter veterinarian, I have amputated nine legs prior to this month, including one from a dog that was adopted by one of our veterinary technicians. But in just this month, I have had five dogs that needed amputation for various reasons.
First was Jerry Lee, a Coonhound who suffered a gunshot wound that shattered his front leg below the shoulder. He healed beautifully and was quickly adopted. Next was Rouge, a Terrier mix. Her front leg was broken in several places and she had sustained some nerve damage. She did well with her surgery, but unfortunately she also has mange. She is being treated for that but it has delayed her adoption for a few weeks.
Tallulah came in with a broken rear leg that resulted in a severe infection in her hock joint. The joint had swollen to grapefruit size. Despite antibiotic treatment, her condition did not improve and her leg had to be amputated. Tallulah was adopted within hours of being placed on the adoption floor.
Chance is a 10-month-old Pit Bull mix. His rear leg was broken just above the knee. X-rays showed the fracture to be several weeks old and it was never properly set. This resulted in what is called a “non-union”. The bone tried to heal but the ends were not close enough to allow them to bridge properly. After his mandatory 5-day hold, his leg will be amputated as he is unable to stand on it.
Finally, upon arrival at the shelter Monday morning I discovered a dog that came in over the weekend looking much like my Trinity. She is a very happy Pit Bull mix but her leg was severed below the knee and the bone was protruding. She was probably hit by a car, or maybe she was caught in a trap. By the time you read this, her leg will be amputated, too. She will be available for adoption after her recovery.
Just a few years ago, all these dogs would have been euthanized. However, since FOTAS has purchased a gas anesthesia machine, we are now able to do longer surgeries safely and can save these dogs (and cats, too). Each of these surgeries can take up to 90 minutes in addition to our normal daily surgery schedule. But with the abuse or neglect these animals have suffered, it only seems fair and right to give them a chance to find a loving home. Just like my Trinity.

Dr. Lisa Levy at home with her three-legged family member, Trinity.
Dr. Lisa Levy at home with her three-legged family member, Trinity.
Tallulah is adopted by Deborah Winall of Trenton. The brindle Hound’s back left leg had to be amputated following a severe infection that threatened her life.
Tallulah is adopted by Deborah Winall of Trenton. The brindle Hound’s back left leg had to be amputated following a severe infection that threatened her life.

 

BY THE NUMBERS

In August, cats and kittens are just $10, dogs and puppies are half-price ($35).

PETS OF THE WEEK

Tallulah is adopted by Deborah Winall of Trenton. The brindle Hound’s back left leg had to be amputated following a severe infection that threatened her life.
LULU: Terrier mix, female, 5 years old, brown, 32 pounds – $35
Domestic Shorthair cat, female, 3 months old, muted Tortoise Shell, 1.8 pounds - $10
Domestic Shorthair cat, female, 3 months old, muted Tortoise Shell, 1.8 pounds – $10
Adoption, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS

Seven frozen puppies saved at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Jul

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice-President
Late one cold Sunday afternoon last March, a box was left on the sidewalk of the County Shelter, which was closed. In the box were seven puppies, no more than a week old, their umbilical cords still attached. There was no mama dog and no blanket, so when the temperatures dropped to the low 30’s that night, the tiny abandoned puppies had no protection from the cold.
By the time the Shelter opened 16 hours later on Monday morning, their little bodies were virtually frozen. Horrified, sad and determined, the staff and volunteers on duty set about the seemingly futile task of bringing the puppies back to life. Jevon Garcia, Shelly Padgett and Mary Calabro cranked up the space heaters and plugged in the heating pads. Everyone huddled together around the heaters, wrapped a puppy in a blanket, gently rubbed their tiny lifeless bodies, and prayed.
God was listening. One by one, minute by minute, the little guys began to show slight signs of life—a twitch of a leg here, a slight tremble there—and soon they began to wiggle and squeak. Staff and volunteers were astonished; the puppies were hungry. The vet techs prepared baby formula, and before long anyone with a free hand was recruited to puppy-feeding duty.
Now the Staff and FOTAS had practical issues to address. Puppies that young need constant care and attention in a controlled environment. They need to be fed every few hours. They need dedicated foster care. FOTAS Program Director Kathy Jacobs took home three puppies, and FOTAS volunteers Laura Burmeister and Amber Carter each took home two.
The puppies thrived in foster care. Over the next eight weeks, Kathy, Laura and Amber watched them grow, open their eyes, teeter around on unsteady little paws, learn how to eat on their own, and develop personalities.

PupsFirstPic
“My family enjoyed our puppies so much,” says Kathy. “My son Noah was a huge help, and our family dog took them on as her own, like a surrogate mom. She cleaned them, protected them, herded them around. When they reached the point where they were wrestling, barking and playing nonstop, we knew it was time for us to find them forever homes. We were ready, and so were they.”
This story had a happy ending, but happy endings take staff, volunteers, foster families and donations, and the Shelter receives an enormous number of unwanted puppies and kittens during the summer months. Why? Because people do not fix their pets, leaving the rest of us (taxpayers, private donors and the poor animals themselves) to pay for their failure to do the right thing.
The problem will never be solved until every citizen, their family, their friends and their neighbors fix their pets. Aiken County, supplemented by FOTAS Fix-a-Pet, provides vouchers so that folks can get their pets spayed or neutered at no charge.
Spread the word.
In the meantime, be a foster home—FOTAS will pay for the food and provide a crate, training and medical assistance where needed.
And please, please donate—our services would not be possible without your generous support. Visit fotasaiken.org to learn more about the FOTAS Foster Program and financial assistance for spay/neuter through Fix-a-Pet.

 

By the Numbers

January through May:   FOTAS organized and paid for the spay/neuter surgeries of 248 community cats and pets owned by citizens in need of financial assistance.
July adoption special:   cats/kittens $10, dogs/puppies $35

Pets of the Week

MONTI: Retriever mix, male, 1 year old, black and white, 59 pounds - $35.00
MONTI: Retriever mix, male, 1 year old, black and white, 59 pounds – $35.00

 

TESS: Domestic Long-haired cat, female, 8 years old, Tortoise shell, declawed (indoor cat only), 9.6 pounds - $10.00
TESS: Domestic Long-haired cat, female, 8 years old, Tortoise shell, declawed (indoor cat only),  9.6 pounds – $10.00

 

 

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS

Poppy the Poodle helps prepare foster kittens for adoption

Posted on by Angel Hartline
14
Jul

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

When FOTAS Volunteer Muf Fuller fosters kittens from the Aiken County Animal Shelter, she has a partner that assists her with this important task.
“We’re a team,” Muf said. “She’s very proud of the work she does with the kittens and I’m delighted that she takes it on as a job. She knows we’re preparing them for their next phase – finding and going to their forever homes.”

The partner Muf is referring to is Poppy, her two-year-old, black and tan, Standard Poodle. Although Poppy has never had puppies of her own, she’s a natural caregiver and enjoys tending to the tiny felines that temporarily stay at her Aiken home. Not only does Poppy play with the kittens and get them to exercise, she also bathes them with her long tongue. If the foster kittens are younger than four weeks old, she even licks and stimulates their bums to help them go to the bathroom.

“Poppy’s very adaptable and smart,” Muf said. “I’m so grateful to have her. She fills a void in my life after losing my husband – and for that matter, so do the kittens.”

Poppy has fun playing with the kittens, laying on her stomach so she’s almost eye level with them and entertaining them by pretending to chase them. Once the large poodle has had enough, she just stands up and the kittens happily jump off her.

Poppy the Poodle mothers and plays with her latest foster kitten, Toby.
Poppy the Poodle mothers and plays with her latest foster kitten, Toby.

Muf and Poppy have been FOTAS fosters for about a year now and have had many young felines stay with them. But their latest project is Toby, a 10-week-old kitten that is dealing with some muscular weakness and motor skill issues. He needs extra attention and exercise to strengthen his joints, and temporarily getting out of the Shelter is his best chance to gain dexterity and more belief in his abilities.

poppy and kittens in her care
Foster kitten Toby needs exercise to strengthen his muscles and joints as he grows, and Poppy the Poodle is making sure he runs around and plays to build his confidence.

 

 

“He’s doing better and keeping us busy,” Muf says of their latest kitty tenant. “That’s what’s rewarding and fun about fostering. Helping these animals to be better prepared through interaction with me and with Poppy – and teaching them good behavior – so when they are adopted, they’ll be wonderful pets in their forever homes.”

If you are interested in becoming a FOTAS foster parent, please send an email to info@angelhartlinedesigns.com or call 803.514.4313. The Shelter currently has puppies that need foster care – most of these are individual puppies that were picked up or brought in as strays. Rather than sit in a scary kennel by themselves, these little ones need extra TLC and human attention to ensure they are socialized and grow into good pets.

 

Their lives are in our hands.

 

  BY THE NUMBERS

Dogs and puppies are half-price ($35), cats and kittens just $10 through July 31.

PETS OF THE WEEK

 

ZEPPELIN: Domestic Shorthair cat, male, 2 years old, gray, 8.7 pounds - $10
ZEPPELIN: Domestic Shorthair cat, male, 2 years old, gray, 8.7 pounds – $10
MORRIS: Retriever mix, male, 2 years old, white and black, 47 pounds – $35
MORRIS: Retriever mix, male, 2 years old, white and black, 47 pounds – $35
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Surgically saved shelter cats bring joy to their new families

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Jun

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

In last week’s column, Dr. Lisa Levy, the Aiken County Animal Shelter’s veterinarian, wrote about saving three cats that were brought in with chronic conditions. But after these special felines were saved through challenging surgeries, what happened to them? Here is how three cats – Rose, Stump and Aimee – beat the odds and found loving forever homes. These extraordinary animals are not only recovering from their dark, painful pasts, but are making a positive difference in their adopters’ lives.

Rose, who had to have emergency surgery to remove her infected uterus, is lucky to be alive. But now fully recovered, she is thriving in her new home with Annabel Bradham. The 3-year-old, long-haired, gray cat was shy and a bit skittish at first due to the trauma she’s been through, but is blooming into an outgoing, confident feline.

“Rose is doing wonderfully,” said Annabel. “I have absolutely fallen in love with her and she’s made herself at home…usually you can find her sleeping on the couch. She’s the perfect cat for me.”

Rose is currently staying with Annabel, her mom and two sisters, in their North Augusta home. But she will be Annabel’s roommate when she goes back to school at the College of Charleston.

Annabel Bradham adopted Rose – “She’s the perfect cat for me.”
Annabel Bradham adopted Rose – “She’s the perfect cat for me.”

Stump, the cat brought to the Shelter with his tail torn off, is also doing very well. Kristen Walker, who found the 7-month-old kitty badly injured and with a belt wrapped around his neck, ended up adopting him! Kristen said she’s not the kind of person that usually gets all warm and gooey inside when she sees a stray animal. But something about Stump (who she renamed Panda) touched her. Maybe it was the abuse he had suffered or the way he looked at her. But she knew her life had changed the instant she pulled the bleeding, maggot infested cat out of the bushes.

“I’ve never had an animal click with me like that,” Kristen said. “From the moment I picked him up and held him, I felt he should be part of our family.”

Panda is now a very happy cat and Kristen and her husband, Chris, are thrilled to have him in their Graniteville home. The big-eyed, white and black feline sleeps in their son’s bed and is best friends with the family dog, Kenway.

Aimee, the 1-year-old cat who arrived at the Shelter with her left, rear leg so deformed and mangled it had to be amputated, is now living the good life in her new Augusta home. Brad and Dana Harris adopted the special needs feline after seeing her photo and story posted on Facebook. They renamed the three-legged cat “Ilean” and she has already bonded with the Harris family’s other pets – Gilligan, a 26-pound Lynx hybrid cat; Skipper, a Siamese cat; and Bella, a German Shepherd/Boxer mix.

Brad Harris adopted Ilean, a three-legged cat who’s had a difficult past.
Brad Harris adopted Ilean, a three-legged cat who’s had a difficult past.

Ilean has also become fast friends with the children in the family – especially the Harris’s 8-year-old grandson.

“She’s been good for him and the first animal he’s really gotten close to,” Brad said. “And I’ve noticed he’s more interested in the other animals as well. Maybe it’s because he can tell she’s had a hard life and needs extra love.”

Their lives are in our hands.

 

PETS OF THE WEEK

 

FOXY Mountain Feist mix, female, 1-1/2 years old, brown -- 49 lbs $35.00
FOXY
Mountain Feist mix,
female, 1-1/2 years old,
brown — 49 lbs
$35.00
TAZ Domestic short hair cat Male -- 1 year old Orange & white tabby 6.7 lbs $10.00
TAZ
Domestic short hair cat
Male — 1 year old
Orange & white tabby — 6.7 lbs
$10.00

By the Numbers
From June 1-21, 2017,   360 dogs and cats were received by the County Shelter.

All cats are just $10 in June — Dogs are $35.00.