Tag Archives: foster

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, 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, Dogs, FOTAS

Roxy: Another heartworm positive dog is adopted and saved

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

It is mid-May and Roxy is crying out from her kennel at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. The disappointment of being passed over by visitors while dogs around her get adopted is upsetting her. The 3-year-old, black Retriever mix needs to find a forever home before her frustration turns into complete despair.

While Roxy struggles with her situation at the shelter, Patty McDonagh is about 30 miles away in Martinez, GA, checking out her Facebook news feed. She scrolls to a photo of Roxy posted by Martha Anne Tudor, a FOTAS volunteer and animal advocate. The post reads, “Roxy loves all people and other dogs, too. She just wants to be loved back and to have a real home where she’s safe and wanted.”

The photo and description of Roxy calls out to Patty and she hops in the car to go see the remarkable dog. It has been eight years since her last dog crossed the rainbow bridge and she and her husband, Paul, are ready to welcome a new canine companion into their home.

“When I met Roxy in person, I knew I hit the lottery,” Patty said. “She was so lovable and walked right up to me and put her paws on my lap like she was asking for a hug.”

Like 16-20% of the dogs who arrive at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, Roxy is heartworm positive but otherwise very healthy. Heartworm disease is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause health problems and even kill a dog if left untreated (which is why it is so vital for all dog owners to give their pets a monthly heartworm preventative). But thanks to the advances of veterinary medicine and FOTAS funding treatment for heartworm positive dogs on the adoption floor, the disease is no longer a death sentence at the shelter. This year alone, 55 heartworm positive dogs have been successfully adopted from the County Shelter and all have been treated and are expected to live normal, healthy lives.

The fact that Roxy is heartworm positive doesn’t worry Patty since years earlier her daughter, Sarah, adopted a dog with heartworms from a shelter in Atlanta and her pet tested heartworm free following treatment.
Roxy’s FOTAS-funded heartworm treatment was completed at the County Shelter and she and Patty go on walks nearly every day. The Retriever’s favorite activity is to stretch out in her lovely, new fenced-in yard and watch the squirrels play in the trees.

“If you find a dog you like that happens to be heartworm positive, don’t let that be the determining factor,” Patty said. “Don’t let that stop you from adopting her. FOTAS pays for the treatment, which can be expensive, and you will be saving a dog that deserves a second chance. A dog like my sweet Roxy.”
For more information about heartworm treatment and donating to the FOTAS “Have a Heart, Save a Heart” fund – helping a heartworm positive dog in need – please go to FOTASAiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Patty McDonagh and her new canine companion, Roxy, relax in their backyard.
Patty McDonagh and her new canine companion, Roxy, relax in their backyard.
Cats, Foster, FOTAS

Fostering kittens more rewarding than volunteer ever imagined

Posted on by Angel Hartline
17
May

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications
Debbie Snyder arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) carrying cans of puppy formula. She’d read on the FOTAS Facebook page that the shelter was running low and needed donations. Being a dog lover and owner, she often did her part to drop off food, treats and other goodies for the canines waiting to be adopted.

But on this day, she would not leave empty-handed.

“When I got there, (FOTAS Programs Coordinator) Kathy Jacobs asked me if I’d ever fostered kittens,” Debbie said. “I told her I wasn’t really a cat person and I didn’t know much about them, but if it would save their lives, I’d give it a shot.”

The kittens in question had been found and brought to the shelter by a good Samaritan but their mother was nowhere in sight and they needed continuous bottle feeding and care. Debbie took the newborn foster kittens home and what started out as an act of kindness, gradually became a rewarding personal journey for the retired lawyer.

“From the moment I got home, I set up a warm spot for them and let my two yellow Labs smell them and they quickly got very comfortable with the kittens,” Debbie said. “Over the next seven weeks, the three little guys went from being completely helpless to very affectionate, and it’s been wonderful watching their personalities develop.”

In the beginning, taking care of the kittens was a bit challenging. They had to be bottle fed every few hours and needed help with elimination. Debbie would patiently massage their bottoms and tummies until they pooped and peed. But after about three weeks, they could eliminate on their own and at five weeks old, they started sleeping through the night and could be fed kitten food mixed with water in a bowl. It was about this time that Debbie named her three fosters: The fuzzy, black one became Edward and the two Tabbies were christened Ben and Keith.

Today, the three brothers are nearly two months old, healthy and happy, and running and playing in Debbie’s home. They love playing with her large Labs and are so comfortable around them, they’ll sometimes climb on top of them. In a typical fostering situation, the kittens would be ready to head back to the shelter for adoption. But Debbie became so smitten with the cuties, she adopted them herself. The ailing orphan kittens, who were fighting for survival, now have a forever home and an owner who is committed to giving them love and care throughout their lives.

“I’m so glad I decided to foster them,” she said. “If you have the time to do it and love animals, I think you should try it. FOTAS provides terrific guidance on what needs to be done and is always available if you need support or have any questions.”

Many kittens and puppies ,along with dogs and cats, are currently being received at the shelter, and FOTAS is in urgent need of foster homes. If you can help foster shelter animals at your home, or are interested in volunteering in other ways, please email info@angelhartlinedesigns.com.

Their lives are in our hands.

debbie snyder kittens

FOTAS Volunteer Debbie Snyder at home with her three foster kittens.
FOTAS Volunteer Debbie Snyder at home with her three foster kittens.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Mom and son add something special to FOTAS volunteer team

Posted on by Angel Hartline
04
Feb

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

The first thing you notice about Derek DeMio is how open and friendly he is, even with total strangers. The 26-year-old makes a habit of greeting everyone he comes across, and if he hasn’t met you yet, he will introduce himself and offer his hand to shake on a new friendship.

Derek’s good manners undoubtedly come from a solid upbringing by his mother, Susan Walker. But it’s more than just the result of great parenting. He loves people and they tend to return the favor. He has a natural ability to connect with others and his positive outlook is not only appreciated by the staff and fellow volunteers, but also by the animals.

“Derek and I love to volunteer at this wonderful shelter,” Susan said. “He loves the dogs so much and they respond to him in a special way. The staff and volunteers are all wonderful and being here is always a great experience for both of us.”

Today Derek and his mom have been walking the dogs, changing their kennel blankets and playing with most of the 16 puppies that have recently been added to the adoption floor. Like nearly all the volunteers and staff members, Derek gets attached to the underdogs – animals that take the longest time to get adopted. His latest favorites are Hilde, a pretty, 5-year-old Retriever mix who has been on the adoption floor the longest of all the current residents, and Shelby, a sweet, 3-year-old Retriever/Terrier mix. Earlier this morning, Shelby got some needed nurturing from Derek, resting her head on his chest and wagging her tail as he stroked her shiny, brown coat.

When Derek and Susan are not volunteering at the shelter, she works as a registered nurse while he is hoping to find a job soon through a special needs work program. Derek, who has Downs Syndrome, was just notified that he is eligible for job placement and expects to get hired soon. Before moving to Aiken from Connecticut six months ago, he worked for the Coast Guard Academy and several restaurants. But Derek always finds time to volunteer and said he won’t stop helping out at the shelter once he starts a new job. He would miss the animals too much, as well as the great feeling he gets when he sees them getting adopted to loving homes.

“The companionship and friendships we’ve made here – it’s been a morale booster for us,” Susan said. “Plus the education we are getting by being here…learning so much about how to handle and take care of these animals.”

“It’s a wonderful therapy just be with a dog or hold a cat, she added. “There is a connection – a bond – there. It definitely makes your heart smile.”

If you are interested in joining the FOTAS volunteer team, please contact us at 803.514.4313 or volunteer@angelhartlinedesigns.com.

Their lives are in our hands…

 

Derek and his mom, Susan Walker, volunteer at the shelter twice a week and help socialize shelter animals like Miss Kitty, a 2-year-old tuxedo cat who needs a home.
Derek and his mom, Susan Walker, volunteer at the shelter twice a week and help socialize shelter animals like Miss Kitty, a 2-year-old tuxedo cat who needs a home.
Adoption, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Volunteer

‘Dogs Playing for Life’ team helps make shelter canines happier, more adoptable

Posted on by Angel Hartline
08
Jan

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

Nearly every morning, a small team of volunteers heads to the Aiken County Animal Shelter’s play yard and gathers dogs from the kennels so they can exercise together. The canines romp, wrestle and chase each other while the team observes and oversees their joyous activity.

“The play groups make the dogs more adoptable,” said FOTAS Volunteer and Board Member Ellie Joos. “They give the dogs a chance to interact with each other and learn important skills and behavior that improve their self-esteem.”

While group interaction may seem like an obvious way to enhance a dog’s quality of life while kenneled, social isolation is still the norm at most shelters across the country. Organizing group play for dogs is a cutting edge approach and a big step forward for the shelter. Until introducing “Dogs Playing for Life” in May of last year, all the dogs were walked on a leash or brought into the play yards for solo exercise.

“The intent of this group play approach is to reduce the overall stress, anxiety and frustration of shelter life,” explained ACAS Adoption Coordinator Traci Deaderick. “Most of the dogs come in as strays with unknown backgrounds. But play group allows us to determine how well a dog will socialize with other dogs and pass this information on to prospective adopters – and this greatly improves their odds of being adopted to the family or person that best suits them.”

Running the playtime sessions is much more challenging than it looks. It takes skill, confidence and keen observation to mix dogs that get along and have the same playing style.

Canine coaches Chris Newell and Darling Rios usually lead the sessions, introducing dogs one at a time and combining canines like field generals running a team practice. Traci, FOTAS Volunteer Bonnie White and FOTAS Programs Coordinator Kathy Jacobs also consistently help manage the sessions.

While one-one-one time is still vital to every dog’s development, group play complements leash exercise. It has especially helped painfully shy dogs find their confidence and overly aggressive dogs discover how to play with others.


“Sometimes dogs have to learn how fun it is to play and get used to interacting with other dogs, Chris said. “For many, it’s a new experience.”

“But the first time you see a sad, shy dog break out of his shell and run full speed in play group and start to get a happy look on his face…there’s just something about that,” he adds, beaming like a proud parent. “It warms your heart.”

For more information on the Dogs Playing for Life program, go to dogsplayingforlife.org. To learn how to participate in the play group training at the shelter, please contact FOTAS at info@FotasAiken.org.

Their lives are in our hands.

Canine Coach Chris Newell takes notes on the dogs during their play session. These observations help FOTAS and the shelter staff to assess animals and their adoptability.
Canine Coach Chris Newell takes notes on the dogs during their play session. These observations help FOTAS and the shelter staff to assess animals and their adoptability.
FOTAS Volunteer Bonnie White (left) and Canine Coach Darling Rios manage a canine playtime session at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
FOTAS Volunteer Bonnie White (left) and Canine Coach Darling Rios manage a canine playtime session at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Transfer, Volunteer

FOTAS: Going the extra mile

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Dec

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Did you ever wonder where every homeless, injured, stray or abused animal picked up in the County (outside of the City) goes? Or where a homeless animal goes if the “no-kill” shelter is full? Or where an irresponsible County resident takes their bewildered pet when they decide that pet is inconvenient?

That would be the Aiken County Animal Shelter, which is required by law to take homeless or injured County strays, abused animals, community cats, and owner-surrendered pets. Five thousand forsaken animals a year pass through those doors, which is not only tragic, it’s costly. Caring and finding a home for all those animals is the responsibility of the County, funded by taxpayer dollars. FOTAS supplements the County’s care through private donations and volunteer effort.

Taking care of that many animals is a daunting, never-ending job for the County’s dedicated staff and FOTAS volunteers, yet every year, they manage to save more and more dogs and cats. It requires getting up close and personal with all those animals to make them appealing adoption prospects. They need to be groomed, walked and exercised. They need human attention.

FOTAS and the County go the extra mile even for the animals that seem hopeless, neglected or injured; and in virtually every case, we find a place for those animals, too.

Take Henry, a handsome, one-year old shepherd mix who was picked up by Animal Control, severely injured from being hit by a car. When Dr. Levy determined Henry’s injuries needed special surgery, FOTAS recruited and paid for the services of Dr. Groover at Aiken Veterinary Clinic to repair Henry’s badly displaced hip. Today, this sweet, hopeful dog is recovering in foster care arranged by FOTAS.

Then there’s Mr. Chuck, a Corgi/Spaniel stray picked up by Animal Control. Not only is Mr. Chuck heartworm positive, but both of his eyes were badly damaged (one had to be removed by Dr. Levy). FOTAS tapped its network of supporters and made a special plea to Martha Ann Tudor in Augusta, who has a remarkable knack finding homes for hard-to-place dogs. Mr. Chuck now resides with a fabulous family on a horse farm in Aiken.

Finally, there’s Helen, a beautiful, white Lab/Bully mix that could break your heart. Animal Control found Helen abandoned, walking in circles in the middle of a country road. She had no eyes—NO EYES! (What kind of heartless fiend would do that to a dog?) Once again, FOTAS reached out to its network of rescue partners, one of whom found her a remarkable family with a special-needs child and a seeing-eye dog for Helen. Perfect.

These are just recent examples of the extra mile that FOTAS volunteers and Shelter staff go to help these unfortunate animals find the love they deserve. There is a special place in heaven for those folks.

This week, bring the joy of the season and some heavenly grace to one of the wonderful animals at the Shelter.

Like the gentle, housebroken Henry, who won’t fit in a stocking, but will gladly stay up to share some milk and cookies with Santa.

Merry Christmas and God bless.

Their lives are in our hands.

Henry and his new pals in foster care share a bone.
Henry and his new pals in foster care share a bone.
Henry takes it easy while he recovers from surgery.
Henry takes it easy while he recovers from surgery.