Tag Archives: dogs

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, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

Want a longer, happier life? Adopt a shelter animal in need

Posted on by Angel Hartline
05
Sep

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

If you needed another reason to go to the Aiken County Animal Shelter and adopt a homeless pet in need, here’s a big one: having a dog or cat at your home can help you live a longer, happier life.

Research shows that living with pets helps lower blood pressure and reduces anxiety. Pets also boost our immune systems, which helps ward off disease. In 1987, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) stated that “pet ownership is a variable in public health outcomes that, like food and exercise, cannot be ignored.”

“Life is hard and having a pet softens the edges of it,” said Sue Ellen Benson, a Windsor resident and FOTAS volunteer, who recently adopted a sweet, seven-year-old Cocker Spaniel named Bonnie. “Pets make life easier because when you are focusing your attention on them, whatever problems you might be dealing with fade into the background.”

In the last three decades, the advantages pets can provide have become even clearer. Dogs, which have long been used to aid the blind, are now used to help people who have mobility and balance impairments. Also, since dogs can be so sensitive to human emotional needs, they are often used as “therapy pets” to help individuals suffering from PTSD and other anxiety-related conditions. These canines can provide a constant calming effect and the emotional support needed by people coping with such issues. FOTAS has helped select such dogs for veterans returning from overseas as well as for children coping with severe autism.

Cats also provide health benefits to their owners. Owning any pet is good for your heart but cats in particular lower your stress level. Petting a cat has a positive, calming effect as does hearing them purr. In fact, a University of Minnesota study found that over a 10-year period, cat owners were 30 percent less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than non-cat owners

“We totally believe in the health benefits of pets,” said Kristin Chandler, who adopted two kittens, Olive and Tolliver, from the County Shelter this summer. She and her partner, Faith, are FOTAS Volunteers and also have three dogs living with them in their North Augusta home. “From exercise to stress relief, we wouldn’t know what to do without our animals,” Kristin added. “They know a lot more and pick up on more things than we give them credit for.”
If you are looking for a pet to make your life better, now is a great time to adopt from the shelter. The shelter is full and needs people to give these wonderful animals forever homes. There is a wide selection of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens to choose from and some of the animals are on special this month. FOTAS and the shelter are participating in Best Friends Animal Society’s national adoption promotion, “Welcome Home Your New MVP”, so cats and kittens can be adopted for just $15 and all Bully mix dogs are available for half price ($35). 

To see the animals available for adoption, please visit the shelter. You can also go to fotasaiken.org to see photos and short profiles of adoptable dogs and cats online.
Their lives are in our hands…

 

Sue Ellen Benson with her adopted dog Bonnie august 2016
FOTAS Volunteer Sue Ellen Benson says adopting Bonnie from the shelter changed her life for the better.
Kristin with Tolliver for FOTAS column
Kristin Chandler says she wouldn’t know what to do without her adopted animals, including Tolliver, a cuddle-loving kitten.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Volunteer

A heartbreaking week results in many amazing animals up for adoption

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Aug

By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator
This has been a very heartbreaking week. In just six days, the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) received 150 homeless dogs and cats. Many of these animals were brought in by Animal Control Officers, who pick up the stray, neglected, abused or abandoned animals wandering our streets. Some were brought in sick or old by their owners while still others were pets whose families had to relocate or could not afford to keep them anymore.

When we look at the numbers, sometimes we can forget about the individuals. But these animals are so full of love, they deserve to have their stories told. By no fault of their own, they have been cast out and left in the care of our shelter staff and FOTAS volunteers.

Here are just a couple of the stories from last week’s new arrivals:

Meet Poseidon, a lovely two-year-old Shepherd mix that was surrendered by his owner. He had an embedded collar that was removed and is now healing. He was also neutered when he arrived and will be ready for adoption soon. We are so happy that he is now getting the care that he needs.

Nike and Brian are two feline brothers who were also surrendered by their owner. They are chubby, healthy little boys that were in a loving home but their owner could no longer afford to keep them. These handsome Tuxedo cats are bewildered and wondering why they are in a kennel. I hope that someone will read this and know how important it is to adopt them and keep them together.

Each of these wonderful animals knows what it means to be a pet. They once had homes but now are orphans. There are hundreds more at the shelter just like them and each animal has their own story of pain and trauma. As a community, it is our job to help them.

Despite being removed from their homes and left in a kennel surrounded by unfamiliar smells, noises and faces, these animals still wag their tails when we visit them or purr when we pet them. They appreciate any attention they are given and will make amazing pets!

As a community, we need to diminish the number of homeless animals in our area. FOTAS and Aiken County provide spay and neuter vouchers to families that cannot afford to fix their pets. Take advantage of this service! Also, please do not purchase a dog from a breeder or a kitten off of Craigslist. This only adds to the problem. We have every type of puppy, dog, kitten and cat pass through our shelter. I guarantee we can find the right friend for you.

For more information about how you can help or adopt a shelter animal, please visit the FOTAS website, www.fotasaiken.org, or call the Aiken County Animal Shelter, (803) 642-1537.

Their lives are in our hands …

fotas column Poseidon the dog with Traci Deaderick August 28

Poseidon, a Shepherd mix surrendered by his owner, is held by ACAS Adoption Coordinator Traci Deaderick.

 

fotas column Brian the cat august 28 2016
fotas column Nike the cat august 28

Nike and Brian came to the shelter because their owner could no longer afford to keep them.

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Volunteer

Aiken Family finds enrichment from fostering Shelter animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
19
Aug

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications
When Wendy Dietzel read on the FOTAS Facebook page that the Aiken County Animal Shelter was at full capacity and needed volunteers to foster dogs and cats, she called a family meeting.
She, her husband, John, and two daughters, 13-year-old Ella and 8-year-old Audrey, discussed the shelter’s critical need for foster families and the new responsibilities it would mean for each of them.
“We decided we could at least help the animals by giving them a temporary home,” Wendy said. That was three months ago. Since then, the family has fostered four puppies.

Their first foster pup was Katie, a 3-month-old Pit Bull mix with a reddish coat. They took care of the shy canine and helped socialize her for adoption. After two weeks, she was ready for the adoption floor and was quickly selected and brought home by a young couple.
The family’s second foster animal was Fin, a very young and skinny Retriever mix, who was with them for three weeks – enough time for him to fill out and learn some manners. After spending quality time with the Dietzels, Fin also was swiftly adopted.
Wendy was pleasantly surprised how eager Audrey and Ella were to help with feeding, socializing and even cleaning up after the puppies.
“We knew fostering would mean extra work but we didn’t know how much we’d enjoy it!” Wendy said. “Sometimes the toughest part is letting them go. But what makes it easier is knowing that they are going to a permanent home and we will soon get a new shelter puppy to care for, teach and love.”
By taking a foster dog or cat into their home, foster volunteers save two lives: the life of the foster animal and the life of the animal that takes his/her place in the shelter. Foster homes also provide homeless animals with a less stressful, more peaceful environment than a shelter. As wonderful as the County shelter is, it can be noisy and animals have to compete for one-on-one time with volunteers and staff members. This is why dogs healing from an injury or skin condition, such as Demodectic mange, are sent to foster homes. They usually recover more quickly in a cozier, quieter setting.
Since they began fostering, the County Shelter has become a big part of the Dietzel family’s life. Audrey even had her birthday party there so she could show the facility to her friends. The party included making dog treats, a scavenger hunt and playing with the homeless puppies and kittens. Audrey also asked her guests to donate to FOTAS instead of bringing her presents.
“It’s been a great family experience volunteering and fostering,” Wendy said. “If you have the time and you love animals, I would say, give it a try. Not only do you get the enjoyment of spending time with these wonderful animals, but it also saves lives.”
If you are interested in becoming a FOTAS foster family, please visit the FOTAS website, www.fotasaiken.org, or call the Aiken County Animal Shelter, (803) 642-1537.
Their lives are in our hands…

ella dietzel with pup augustaudrey with pup aug 2016

Ella Dietzel snuggles foster pup, Hugo, on her first day of 8th grade, while her little sister, Audrey, poses with Kipper for her back-to-school photo.

 

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, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS

An incredible summer day at the County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Jul

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

They started lining up at the Aiken County Animal Shelter at 10:30 last Saturday. By the time the shelter opened its doors for adoptions at 11:30, the line snaked around the building.

What compelled so many good citizens to stand in line patiently in the brutal heat? The Shelter was participating, along with 700 other shelters, in the annual Clear the Shelters Day, a nationwide pet adoption initiative to connect animals in need with loving homes.

In the days leading up to Saturday, Traci Deaderick, the Shelter’s Adoption Coordinator, organized the staff and the paperwork on every animal to streamline the adoption process. Ellie Joos, the FOTAS On-Site Events Chair, established a systematic process to make certain that every potential adopter had a dedicated volunteer to escort them through each stage of the adoption process. FOTAS volunteers also exercised, bathed and groomed the dogs so that their true adorable selves could be on display. Nothing was left to chance.

“It was a remarkable team effort,” said Jennifer Miller, FOTAS President. “The Shelter has never been faced with processing so many animals in such a short time frame. All hands were on deck, including 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 4:30, every kennel on the Adoption Floor was empty—46 dogs and 69 cats were on their way to a new family and a better life.

Like Gideon, a lovable sweetheart of a boy who had the unfortunate distinction of being the longest term resident of the Shelter—adopted by a kindhearted older couple. Or Laila, a beautiful brindle whose puppies had been born and weaned in foster care—adopted by a new FOTAS volunteer. Or, Coal, a confident blue gray tabby and a volunteer favorite. Or Cleo, a talkative, people-oriented orange tabby who’s maybe a tiny bit chubby. The list goes on and on.

That day couldn’t have come at a better time. The Shelter is packed to capacity during the summer months. In June, a heartbreaking 532 animals were turned in to the Shelter. Now all of those animals in intake can move to the Adoption Floor for their second chance—we can’t let them down. The work goes on and on.

Saturday’s success was exceptional on so many levels, and not only because of the huge number of animals saved in 5 short hours. The way County staff and FOTAS volunteers came together in an exceptional show of cooperation and grace under pressure was exceptional. This is how an effective private/public partnership works.

Finally, the response of you, the Aiken community, was nothing short of breathtaking. We asked for your help on behalf of these homeless animals, and you showed up in spades—amazing, compassionate people who wanted nothing more than to make a difference and be a part of this historic day.

We are profoundly touched. Thank you and God Bless.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Patricia Rameau of Aiken adopts Robin, a hound puppy, on Clear the Shelters day.
Patricia Rameau of Aiken adopts Robin, a hound puppy, on Clear the Shelters day.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Volunteer

Fix-A-Pet Program provides assistance for spay/neutering surgery

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Jul

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications
While it is impossible to determine exactly how many orphaned dogs and cats live in the United States, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that for cats alone the number is upwards of 70 million. That figure is staggering but the ASPCA stat that is a true jaw-dropper is this one: only 10 percent of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered, while 83 percent of pet dogs and 91 percent of pet cats are spayed or neutered.
This means a vast majority of pet owners are acting responsibly by getting their pets fixed. But a small percentage of people who do not get their animals spayed or neutered are the source of our cat and dog overpopulation crisis.
FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter are well aware of this troubling trend, and that is why they are working together to make spay/neutering pets as easy as possible for local residents. Aiken County has a voucher program to assist its citizens who are in need of financial help to spay/neuter their pets and community cats. It also has a Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) program in which feral cats are fixed and then returned to local cat colonies. 

FOTAS supplements both of these limited County initiatives with its “Fix-A-Pet” program. In fact, since launching Fix-A-Pet in 2013, FOTAS has organized and, through donations, paid for the spay/neuter surgeries of more than 1,800 community cats and pets owned by citizens in need of financial assistance.
Now you may be thinking, “How can such a small minority of irresponsible pet owners create such a huge overpopulation problem?” If we take a look at some more stats, the answer to that question becomes crystal clear.  According to the ASPCA, a fertile cat produces one to two litters of kittens a year; the average number of kittens is four to six per litter. A fertile dog produces about one litter per year and the average amount of puppies in a litter is four to six. In other words, the cute little critters can make a lot of babies in a very short time.

Cats are especially impressive breeding machines. They can become sexually mature at four months old. Since the average gestation period for a cat is about two months, a kitten could deliver a litter when she is as young as six months old. Kittens having kittens! This is why it is not uncommon for people to start caring for a small group of cats living on their property and soon witness the manageable group explode into a cat colony of 20 or more felines.
It is heartbreaking when cats and dogs are abandoned by their owners and left to fend for themselves. The animal’s world is shattered. But when the dog or cat is not fixed, the result is a cycle of heartbreak as multiple unwanted, orphan animals are born.
Please help spread the word to spay/neuter your pet. Until everyone in our community fixes their pets, the County Animal Shelter and other local shelters will continue taking in thousands of homeless animals every year.
For more information about the FOTAS Fix-a-Pet Program, please go to www.fotasaiken.org or call the Fix-A-Pet Hotline, (803) 514-4313.

Their lives are in our hands…

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Transfer

FOTAS partnership with New York rescue saves County shelter animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
10
Jul

By Gary Willoughby, Executive Director, SPCA Serving Erie County
Nine years ago, when I moved to Aiken, South Carolina to join the SPCA there, it was difficult to imagine the progress that would be made in animal welfare in such a short period of time. The SPCA and the Aiken County Animal Shelter both have wonderful new facilities and important in-house and community to improve the lives of homeless animals and family pets in need of help.

The work that FOTAS has done with their partnership with the Aiken County Animal Shelter is very encouraging, particularly in developing a transport network that helps so many dogs find their forever homes in other parts of the country.
The overwhelming number of surrendered and stray animals brought to the Aiken County shelter has forced FOTAS to look at other alternatives such as transferring some of the animals to other shelters all across the country. The logistics and coordination of these transfers to the “right” shelters requires a tremendous amount of work but it is all worth it when a successful shelter-partner is found.

These FOTAS transfer programs – combined with access to affordable spay and neuter programs, treatment for heartworm positive dogs, volunteer programs to socialize and exercise the animals there waiting for adoption, community outreach, and a vibrant foster network – have made a significant and positive impact in Aiken County.

I’m honored to share with the Aiken Standard’s readers that FOTAS and the SPCA Serving Erie County have formed a new partnership to send Aiken County dogs and cats to my facility in Buffalo, NY.

The SPCA Serving Erie County is fortunate to find new homes for around 8,000 dogs and cats each year and this new partnership with FOTAS and Aiken County has the potential to help hundreds of dogs and cats find their forever homes, while helping to ease the overcrowding of the county shelter.

The staff and volunteers of the SPCA Serving Erie County are excited about the new partnership with FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter and what it will mean for the homeless animals each group helps. The potential adopters here in Buffalo are eager to help and most of the animals that make the over 800 mile journey through seven states will be adopted in the first day or two they become available.

Our first transport in June was unique for both groups, in that it included nine kittens. Nationally, dog intake trends for northern shelters have decreased, allowing dogs and puppies to make their way to the Midwest and New England areas, but only recently have the same trends occurred with cats and kittens.

We are thrilled to be part of this new win/win partnership but need to remind all of you that the number of adoptions we hope to generate from the Aiken County Animal Shelter represents a tiny sample of the overwhelming number of animals that must be saved from there.

Thank you to all of you in Aiken County who donate, volunteer and adopt – as well as those of you who set an example by getting your animals spayed/neutered, have a veterinarian care for them and who consider your pets a part of your family. We couldn’t do this work without you.

 

ACAS ADOPTION COORDINATOR TRACI DEADERICK CARRIES KITTENS FOR TRANSPORT TO NORTHEAST RESCUE.

Adoption, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

Our little man Sam

Posted on by Angel Hartline
02
Jul

By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

I first saw Sam at the Aiken County Animal Shelter on a Thursday morning. I had returned a foster puppy that was ready to be moved to the adoption floor and asked one of the vet techs, Judith, if there were any other pups in residence that needed a foster. Judith introduced me to a five pound ball of fur trembling uncontrollably in his kennel. The puppy, which could not stop crying, had been picked up as a stray, alone and terrified. I knew I had to take him home, so I took him in my arms and christened him “Sam”.

At home, I prepared a place for Sam where he could feel safe and protected – a cozy crate in my bedroom covered with a sheet. He scarfed down a bowl of food and gulped a full bowl of water as fast as any full-size dog. My heart ached for this sad, helpless puppy that deserved so much better. I was determined to turn his life around.

Later on, my husband and I took Sam outside to let him explore the yard. He immediately bolted under the porch. My husband, shaken because he had never seen a puppy that fearful, wholeheartedly joined our campaign to turn little orphan Sam into a lovebug.

We employed our own dogs to lure him out from under the porch. Fortunately, Sam liked dogs more than people. He came out, wagging his tail hopefully whenever they looked his way. Interestingly, our dogs were hesitant with Sam at first – they instinctively knew how fragile and scared he was, and they moved cautiously to avoid overwhelming him. Now I ask you, aren’t dogs awesome?!

Our little Sam progressed, growing more confident each passing day. He still ate and drank quickly – like he was afraid the food and water would disappear. Eventually, Sam came to trust that we would not take away his food and water and occasionally left a bit of food in his bowl.
By day 3, our terrified, voiceless Sam even barked! He still froze when we held him, so our son Noah spent hours talking and sitting with him. We hoped that, with enough love and attention, Sam could learn that maybe humans aren’t so bad after all.

The shelter is full of puppies, dogs, kittens and cats that, like Sam, are fearful and unloved. Staff and volunteers can only do so much. The kennels are always full, and the cries and barking from these abandoned animals never stops. They have done nothing to deserve this fate.

FOTAS and the shelter desperately need people to temporarily care for these animals in their home – particularly during the summer when the shelter is terribly overcrowded. Trust me, there is nothing quite as rewarding as loving one of these scared animals out of their shell.
Please don’t hesitate. Call FOTAS at 803-514-4313 or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com. You won’t regret it.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the way, little Sam found his forever home, thanks to his foster family, volunteers and shelter staff who advocated for him, and someone like you, who decided that a rescue puppy would make a fabulous pet.

 

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