Tag Archives: puppies

2022, Dogs, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, neglected pets, News, PUPPIES, Volunteers

Angels work together to foster, save orphaned puppies

Posted on by Bob Gordon
09
Feb

On January 5, a woman brought seven puppies to the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Their mother had been hit by a car and didn’t survive.

They arrived with umbilical cords still attached, eyes closed, and desperate for care.

I reached out for help to our fosters and within two hours, three incredible women came to help.

seven puppies fostered.

Linda Cooper took two puppies, Beth Platt took two and Shana Pearsons took three.
These women were unbelievable! All asking immediately what to do and how to help them. They all had done research before coming, watched videos and knew the basics. I can’t tell you how heartwarming it was to see these women arrive at the shelter, calmly and confidently ready to help.

Shelter Staff Member Amanda Kaminski prepared pet carriers lined with fleece blankets and small beds. She also had bottles and puppy formula ready for each foster, along with detailed instructions.
Each of these women woke up every two to three hours during the night to feed these babies. It was no easy task as motherless puppies this young often don’t survive. Initially, they do not know how to drink formula from bottles. They are cold and need help staying warm.

“Bottle feeding puppies is certainly time consuming, exhausting and you spend lots of time worrying about them,” Beth Platt said. “However, it is also incredibly rewarding when they do well. It definitely has brought me back to when I had my babies and was up for very late-night feeds, but also a sweet time as well.”

“This was my first time bottle feeding pups as well,” added Shana Pearsons. “Wow, so cool to watch them progress!”

The women emailed back and forth, texted for advice and compared notes. They weighed the pups, took notes on potty times and kept track of how much they fed them. They worked hard to save them.
When Linda Cooper had to go out of town, Betsy Holmes took her puppies home to continue taking care of them. Betty Ryberg stepped up and took care of Shana’s pups when Shana had another obligation. It is a real community effort.

Every one of the puppies found good homes.

“The feeding schedule for these newborn pups has been demanding, as well as making sure they are peeing and pooping,” Linda Cooper said. “But this first-time experience has been very worthwhile, seeing the puppies grow and thrive against the odds and getting a second chance at life.”

Good news: all of the puppies found homes waiting for them through the shelter’s adopter wish list.

Currently, we are struggling to find foster homes for dogs (much easier to care for than puppies), puppies and soon kittens. Can you spare a week or two? Can you open a stall in your barn? Can you add one more dog to your home for five days? Questions? Call 803-514-4313 or email us at info@fotasaiken.org and we will answer any questions or concerns that you may have.

— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator

2020, coronavirus crisis, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, News, PUPPIES

Olympic Events Make Puppy Fostering Fun and Entertaining – Try It!

Posted on by Bob Gordon
22
Jun

The first morning I opened the door to the room of our four 4-week-old foster puppies, the tiny bundles yipped, licked and fell all over each other to climb into my arms. I turned to my husband and said, “You are going to have to up your game. Now, this is a greeting!”

On March 14, I called the Aiken County Animal Shelter hoping they had a foster dog for us., Everything was happening so quickly around the pandemic situation and decisions were being weighed whether to delay transfers or even close the shelter, so we wanted to help.

The Olympic events helped the puppies learn and develop — and were very entertaining!

Yes, they needed us – they had new puppies. We had never fostered puppies before but were given care instructions and eagerly picked up four black, 2½-pound squirming labs. The ride home exhausted them; they fell upon each other into a heap and promptly were sound asleep. So began our 6 weeks of isolation, social distancing and immeasurable entertainment! When we set out their puppy food and supplemental milk, they climbed over and under each other with such eagerness it reminded me of several of our family’s Thanksgivings.

We had a difficult time telling one from the other and their genders. It seems laughable but they were so young, not every part of their cuteness was evident! We named them Scooby, Rubble, Clover and Berrie and set to work on Puppy Olympics. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics had just been postponed and since they were daring adventurers, we prepared them for their first event – stair climbing. Roly-poly Scooby had the hardest time but was also the most determined. Mastering the downward climb event was like slalom skiing. They all jumped back up after taking a tumble.

Greg and Betty Ryberg and their foster puppies Scooby, Rubble, Clover and Berrie.

We built balance beams with boxes and mats and then introduced curling where they chased my push broom around while I cleaned their room. Mixed martial arts came naturally – they playfully nipped, wrestled and pinned each other.

Since they came running when they heard our voices, associating us with their meals, we set up races with their food at the finish line. Puppies are easily distracted. Often in the middle of an Olympic event one would curl up to sleep or chase a bird.

Other events included a low crawl through a little tunnel and a ball chase under a tiny bridge. Hide and seek in the monkey grass was also a daily event. As the puppies grew, we introduced them to swimming. Falling, leaping, belly flopping, splashing into 4-5 inches of water followed by true doggie paddling fascinated them. And was endlessly entertaining to us.

Their most accomplished achievement was napping every two hours and sleeping through the night. Following weeks of all four curling into one tight ball to sleep, they started to nestle by themselves in small areas. After six weeks, they were ready to leave the foursome and fill other families’ hearts. When they left with their forever families, the pups were healthy and happy.

Fostering is as nurturing for us as the dogs we save. If you would like to try it, please send an email to info@fotasaiken.org!

Their lives are in our hands.


— By Betty Ryberg, FOTAS Foster Volunteer

2019, Bully Dogs, Dogs, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, News, Shelter staff, Uncategorized, Volunteers

Sick Puppy Saved Through FOTAS/ACAS Teamwork

Posted on by Bob Gordon
03
Sep

Brindle and white mixed breed Tiffany arrived at the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS) with three puppies that were barely one week old. We had no foster volunteers available, so the pups had to stay at the shelter and endure the loud barking of a nearly full intake area.

Tiffany was a great mother and very protective of her pups. We learned by walking her that she is a sweet, loving girl but just a little shy around people she doesn’t know. Her three pups were weaned and put into foster. They were fat and ready. However, one pup suddenly stopped eating. Still wagging his tail and begging to be petted, the little one just would not eat, even he was hand fed.

TIFFANY, the puppy’s mama, is still waiting for someone to adopt her from the ACAS.

When the puppy started to weaken, the foster brought him back to the shelter for medical attention. He was slowly deteriorating but tests didn’t reveal any underlying reason for his refusal to eat. He yearned for human interaction but looked hollow, which is very unusual. Dr. Levy and her team gave him fluids and kept him warm with a heat lamp. But he still would not eat.

The medical staff kept him under intense observation for days and days. I personally was not optimistic about his chances. But then he somehow managed to eat a small amount of baby food and drink a bit of puppy formula. Even though the odds for survival were still not in his favor, I asked to take the puppy home and foster him.

The puppy was still so fragile but when I gave him some chicken and broth, he lapped at it. It was so rewarding to see him eat! The little guy cries whenever I put him down. He’s still eating and now even runs and plays. He chases my dogs, bites my fingers, barks for attention. Things are finally looking up for this cutie, but he has a long way to go.

TIFFANY’S puppy would not eat but his strong drive to live, extra human attention and good medical care saved him.

His mom, Tiffany, is still with us at the shelter and available for adoption. The poor girl has spent nearly two months at the shelter and still has no forever home. But thanks to her foster dad Kelly, at least she gets to go to a quiet house each night and sleep in bed with a person who cares.

FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter work well together. The staff strives hard to give the best medical care and comfort to those that come to them, with FOTAS purchasing any supplemental medicines and equipment needed. Volunteers and foster families make such a difference with the needed follow-up care and attention.

Tiffany and her pups were saved, but the ACAS shelter has so many other animals waiting for homes. When you receive more than 500 homeless pets a month, it can become overwhelming and we need volunteers to help.

Please join us and be part of our life-saving team. There is nothing more rewarding!

Their lives are in our hands.

–– By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director

BY THE NUMBERS
The Aiken County Animal Shelter took in 509 strays and surrendered pets from Aug. 1 to 29. This marks an unprecedented fourth month in a row the shelter has taken in 500 plus unwanted animals in 2019. Please adopt!

PETS OF THE WEEK


JESSICA
Shepherd mix, female, 11 years old, 50 pounds – $35

WYNTER
Domestic Shorthair, female, 3 months old, white and black, 2 pounds – $10

2019, animal abuse, Dogs, Foster, fostering, FOTAS, injured animals, neglected pets, News, Spay/Neuter

Good Samaritans rescue discarded, distressed puppies

Posted on by Bob Gordon
10
Jun

On Friday, May 31, Lisa Brucchi walked out of her Windsor home into the blistering heat to check her mailbox. She was expecting an important letter from her mom and was eager to see if it had arrived. But as she walked up to her mailbox, she noticed a box on the ground. At first, she thought someone had just left some garbage there but as she got closer, she saw someone had done something much worse. Inside the box were nine puppies covered in their own feces and urine, panting heavily and crying for help.

“When I saw them, I just burst out crying and didn’t know what to do,” Brucchi said. “How could someone leave them out there like that?”

Nine overheated puppies were rescued by a nice couple and are recovering and being fostered back to health by a FOTAS volunteer.

She got them into the cool air conditioning of her home and called her fiancé, Glen Morrow. They brought the distressed pups to the Aiken County Animal Shelter (ACAS), where they were put into some cool water to bring their temperature down. At first, the 3-week-old pups couldn’t open their eyes and their tongues were hanging out, but they slowly came around.

After the veterinary staff fully examined and treated them, a FOTAS foster took them into her home for extra care and monitoring. Being so young, the puppies aren’t quite out of the woods. But their prognosis is good – and Brucchi and Morrow’s quick actions are the reason they have a chance of surviving and living happy lives.

The same afternoon these nine pups were fighting for life in the hot sun, another good Samaritan, Tristan Stone, was driving to a business meeting when he saw two puppies walking along the side of the road. The pups looked confused and were nearly furless from mange. Stone took them to the ACAS and was informed that someone had reported eight puppies in the same area. He volunteered to go back and spotted three more – these were in better shape and from the same litter.

Stone’s girlfriend, Hannah Williams, met him at the Shelter and she volunteered to foster the five pups until they recover and gain strength. They are about 3 months old and look like Beagle/Retriever mixes. Thanks to this caring couple, these babies are getting healthy and will be adopted in no time.

One of the nine pups abandoned in a box on a scorching day recovers after a cool bath.

The shelter received these 14 puppies in just a one-hour period. On the same day, it received 27 other strays and surrendered animals. This was during a short Memorial Day week in which the shelter took in 126 homeless pets.

Please spay/neuter your pets. If you live in Aiken County and need financial assistance, you can get vouchers at the ACAS, located at 333 Wire Road. If you can help us foster, please call the FOTAS hotline, (803) 514-4313. Also note our new adoption hours: 11:00 to 5:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 11:00 to 7:00 on Tuesday and Thursday; and 11:00 to 4:30 on Saturday.

Their lives are in our hands.

— By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

BY THE NUMBERS
In the first week of June, the ACAS received more than 150 strays and surrendered pets. This follows receiving 519 homeless pets during the month of May.

PETS OF THE WEEK

LUKE
Mixed breed, male, 3 years old, brindle, 57 pounds – $35

BROOKE
Domestic Shorthair female, 2 years old, orange Tabby, 6 pounds – $10