Tag Archives: spay

Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Transfer, Volunteer

An open Christmas letter from FOTAS

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Dec

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Every Sunday, the Aiken Standard allows us this space to tell you about the Aiken County Animal Shelter, FOTAS and the plight of the 5000 homeless animals consigned to the Shelter every year, and we are deeply appreciative for that opportunity. Over the years, we have used this column to tell you about initiatives designed to save the lives of more animals and to report on our progress. We have written about the special people who have made a difference in the lives of the Shelter animals, and we have showcased particular dogs or cats who had captured our hearts and needed a little extra “ink” to find them that perfect home.

This Christmas Sunday, however, we are not going to use this space to report or convince or to ask you for help; instead, we are simply going to thank you … all of you:

Chairman Ronnie Young and the County Council, County Administrator Clay Killian and Assistant County Administrator Brian Sanders for being responsive and responsible public partners;

Councilwoman Kathy Rawls, who always believed in our mission and helped us build the successful public/private partnership between the County and FOTAS from the ground up;

Paige Bayne, Director of Aiken County Code Enforcement, and the beloved Bobby Arthurs, Chief Animal Control Officer and Shelter Manager, who directly oversee and manage the Shelter operations with kind, thoughtful and dedicated attention to the welfare of the animals;

The County Shelter staff—the intake administrators, adoption coordinators, vet techs, kennel techs and custodians—who make certain that all of those animals are properly documented and cared for with compassion and efficiency;

Dr. Lisa Levy, the Shelter Vet, whose medical prowess and big heart has saved the lives of hundreds of animals who arrive at the Shelter abused, mangled and injured, giving them a second chance;

The FOTAS volunteers, who work on bookkeeping, social media, special fundraising events, and FOTAS Fix-a-Pet; who organize and work on special fundraising and on-site events; who foster mamma dogs and cats and all their progeny, who care for animals designated for transfer; who shuffle animals to off-site adoption events; who walk the dogs, love up the cats, work with play groups, and show animals to potential adopters—the dramatic and steady increase in the Shelter’s live release rate since 2009 is directly related to their efforts; and

Last but not least, you, the Aiken community, who year after year have supported our efforts with enthusiasm and generosity, who have adopted your pets from the thousands of deserving animals who end up in the Shelter through no fault of their own, and who are working to end the excessive population of homeless animals by spaying and neutering your animals—you have designated the Shelter as your community shelter, and we could not be prouder.

The Board of Directors of FOTAS—Jennifer Miller, Mary Lou Welch, Edythe Hubler, Frank Townsend, Dr. Charlie Timmerman, Caroline Simonson, Ellie Joos, Ellen Priest, Grant and Heather Wiseman, Shanna Ryberg and myself—and FOTAS Program Director Kathy Jacobs wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Caroline Simonson, FOTAS volunteer, holding Becker
Caroline Simonson, FOTAS volunteer, holding Becker

 

Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Manager and volunteer, and Susi Cohen, FOTAS volunteer and Palmetto Dog Club President
Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Manager and volunteer, and Susi Cohen, FOTAS volunteer and Palmetto Dog Club President
Hope (since adopted) enjoyed a reading session (at the Dog Ears Reading Program) with a young participant and FOTAS volunteer Karen.
Hope (since adopted) enjoyed a reading session (at the Dog Ears Reading Program) with a young participant and FOTAS volunteer Karen.
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.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Transfer, Volunteer

FOTAS needs your Christmas spirit

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Dec

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice-President

“Every charitable act is a stepping stone towards heaven.”
Henry Ward Beecher

It’s the time of year when the spirit of Christmas thrives. It’s a time of gratitude for our family and friends. It’s a time to rejoice our faith. It’s a time for love.

It is also a time for charitable giving, and if your mailbox is anything like mine, it’s filled with requests from worthy local charities for year-end contributions. They all do good works, but you can’t give to them all. How do you decide?

I am going to take a leap of faith here; that if you are reading this column, you care about the plight of abused, abandoned and homeless animals. If that’s true, then FOTAS, the private partner of the Aiken County Animal Shelter, is a perfect choice for your charitable urges. Here’s why.

FOTAS provides critical assistance to more animals than any other organization in the County: 5000 Shelter animals a year.

FOTAS funded 160 kennel decks at the Shelter, the Cat Adoption Building, 2 cat condos, a grooming tub, an additional hot water heater, a surgical autoclave, supplemental medicines and supplies, and fenced play yards. FOTAS funded veterinary assistant courses for Shelter staff to increase their animal care skills. FOTAS is currently funding the addition of a medical isolation pod. If the medical needs of an adoptable animal are beyond the capacity or capability of the Shelter, FOTAS pays for outside veterinarian services.

FOTAS goes the extra mile to find every animal a home.

FOTAS aggressively markets the adoptable animals through print and social media and purchased a van to transport animals to off-site adoption events. FOTAS supplements the adoption fees for active Military Personnel and veterans and pays for heartworm medicine for HWP dogs adopted from the Shelter.

FOTAS developed a network of rescue partners in other parts of the country and organizes and pays expenses for transfers of adoptable animals. FOTAS recruits foster families (and funds their provisions, if necessary) to provide interim care for animals approved for transfer and longer-term care for animals in “a family way.”

FOTAS addresses the cause of high Shelter intake: rampant overpopulation of dogs and cats.   Since 2013, FOTAS has paid for over 2000 spay/neuter surgeries of community cats and pets owned by County citizens with financial need, and is currently developing a vigorous Trap-Neuter-Return program for free-roaming community cats.

FOTAS recruits and trains the volunteers who do much of the above.

Bottom line: FOTAS saves more animals than any other organization in the County.

Since its inception in 2009, the Shelter’s live release rate has increased from a dismal 5% to a better (but still sad), 70%. That’s literally thousands of animals.

Last month, the South Carolina Secretary of State recognized FOTAS as an “Angel” charity—one that spends 80% or more on its charitable purpose. That means you get a big bang for every buck you donate to FOTAS.

The Aiken Community has been generous to FOTAS, but there is still so much to do. Please send your much-needed donations to FOTAS, PO Box 2207, Aiken SC 29802.

Their lives, all 5000 of them this year, are in our hands

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

Tiffany’s story

Posted on by Angel Hartline
05
Dec

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

My early days are kind of fuzzy—some time on a chain and lots of time fending for myself, raiding trashcans and laying low. But I’m not one to dwell on the past. What’s the point?

Then these nice people took me in, fed me and tried to find me a home. When they couldn’t, they loaded me into a truck and took me to big building with lots of dogs and people called the Shelter.

“Uh oh,” I thought, “more scary humans.”

Turns out, I was wrong. Things started to look up as soon as I got there.

First, I was taken to see a smart lady in a white coat named Dr. Levy. Doc petted and fussed over me, and I didn’t mind one bit because she was so gentle. Doc was particularly worried about my eye, and to tell you the truth, I was worried about my eye, too. It had been bothering me something terrible ever since I got chased around a chicken coop by a very mad rooster and crashed into some barbed wire beating a hasty retreat. Not my highest moment, but what can I say? I was hungry.

The next thing I knew, Doc stuck me with a needle and I fell asleep right there on the table, and when I woke up, that bum eye was history. No need to fret, seriously—one good eye’s plenty for a tough gal like myself.

A couple of days later a FOTAS volunteer lathered me up with shampoo in a big tub. What a mistake that was! She scrubbed off the heavenly aroma of dead squirrel on my neck. What was she thinking? Jeez, rolling on a dead squirrel is one of the great joys of life.

But here’s the thing: after the bath, those nasty fleas were gone. Whoa! Okay, so I don’t smell so good anymore, but I’m not scratching myself to death either. I can live with that.

I have so many pals at the Shelter. FOTAS volunteers take me for walks every day. We stop at a bench in the shade for a nice belly rub and a treat. Who knew there were so many kind humans out there?

It’s a miracle: thanks to the Shelter and FOTAS, I went from being a no-name, scruffy, hungry black dog who slept in the cold and ate out of trashcans to a shiny, sleek princess named (are you ready?) Tiffany who sleeps in a warm, dry place and gets two yummy meals a day. Only in America!

Thank you shelter staff for taking care of me. Thank you FOTAS for the bath, the flea meds, the fenced-in play yards, the beds, my rubber toys and the yummy treats. And thank you FOTAS volunteers for the endless walks and all that love.

Maybe one day some kind human will take me home to a place with no chains and lots of love.

Every day this Holiday season, shocking numbers of bewildered animals are being surrendered to the Shelter by heartless owners. Help us save them—bring joy to their lives and yours: adopt a pet this month for $25 or less.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Tiffany gets some snuggle time with FOTAS Volunteer and Play Yard Supervisor, Darling Rios.
Tiffany gets some snuggle time with FOTAS Volunteer and Play Yard Supervisor, Darling Rios.
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Transfer, Volunteer

Giving Thanks

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Nov

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection for those of us at FOTAS—a time to take stock of our blessings; to consider the remarkable progress we and the County have made in making the world a better place for Aiken County’s homeless, abandoned and abused animals; and in particular, to celebrate the many people who have contributed to our astonishing success and made this journey so meaningful.

Thanks to our committed partner, Aiken County, for making it possible to save the lives of thousands of homeless animals in the County. The strength of its commitment and the success of our partnership is evidenced not only by the state-of-the-art public animal shelter on Wire Road, but also by its increased commitment to subsidized spay/neuter for County residents.

Thanks to Paige Bayne, the County’s Enforcement and Animal Services Director, Bobby Arthurs, the Shelter Manager and Chief Animal Control Officer, Dr. Lisa Levy, the Shelter’s veterinarian, and all the Shelter staff for their dedication to increasing the opportunities for each adoptable animal to find a forever home and their willingness to implement new programs and practices that enhance those opportunities.

Thanks to the army of volunteers who make the work of FOTAS possible – everything from manning the front desk, walking and training dogs (91 volunteers walked dogs during the last 3 months), managing canine play groups, working special events and fundraisers, fostering dogs, organizing transfers, manning off-site adoption events, working on publicity, social media and financial record and bookkeeping responsibilities, and coordinating FOTAS-Fix-a-Pet activities.

Committed volunteers like Bonnie White, who helps at the shelter four days a week. “I get back so much more than I give,” says Bonnie. “When I leave the shelter, I’m not thinking about my bills or the dishes in the sink; I’m thinking about the dogs I helped and what else I can do to make them a better adoption prospect. Or I’m thinking about the abandoned kitten who just needs lots of love.”

Bonnie pauses. “You know what?” she says with a sigh. “I can’t adopt them all, but I sure can love them all.”

I am profoundly touched by her sentiment. I know she is not alone—all of our volunteers feel the same love, empathy, and commitment to the cause that Bonnie does.

And finally, thanks to you, the Aiken Community, for your extraordinary generosity and support. You have made it possible for FOTAS to help the County provide the best possible care for shelter animals, increase adoptions and transfers, and supplement the County’s spay/neuter financial assistance program.

And here’s the best part: all of that love, effort, commitment and hard work has paid off. The live release rate at the shelter has increased from 5% (in the pre-FOTAS years prior to 2009), to 29% (in the year before the new shelter opened in 2013) to almost 70% in the past year.

That’s a very big deal.

FOTAS and the thousands of animals that have been saved over the past 7 years thank you for your continued support. God bless you and your family during this holiday season.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Bonnie White with an adoptable dog from the Aiken County Animal Shelter
Bonnie White with an adoptable dog from the Aiken County Animal Shelter
Adoption, Cats, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter

There’s more than one way to adopt a County Shelter cat

Posted on by Angel Hartline
11
Nov
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications Cats are fascinating creatures. They entertain us with their acrobatics, keep our homes free of mice with their hunting skills, and head butt us and purr to share their love and happiness. Not to mention they clean and groom themselves, don’t need to be taken for walks and come in a wide variety of patterns and colors. As Sigmund Freud once quipped, “Time spent with cats is never wasted.” But even with cats, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing – especially when people don’t get their pets fixed. Indeed, the Aiken County Animal Shelter has been overcrowded with homeless cats since spring. From May through September, about 1,240 cats have been taken in by the shelter. That is an average of 248 surrendered or stray cats per month! With so many strays and surrenders coming in and our facility at full capacity, we developed two other channels for cat adoptions. These other adoption outlets include: Barn Cat Program. Besides our domesticated cats and kittens on the adoption floor, we adopt out feral and less socialized felines as barn cats. These kitties are built more for the outdoors and serve as good mousers. Because of their wilder demeanor, the barn cats are available for free to those able to give them safe homes. However, there is still an application and screening process to adopt them. PetSmart Cats. Thanks to fantastic FOTAS volunteers and PetSmart’s outstanding staff and management, we are able to care for, exhibit and adopt out County Shelter cats from the company’s Aiken store. Having this outstanding alternative outlet for adopters has saved many feline lives. So far this year, more than 116 of our shelter cats have been adopted from the PetSmart located at 2527 Whiskey Road. Due to the unusually high number of homeless and stray cats and kittens being brought to the Shelter, FOTAS extended its $15 cat adoption special through November 30 and just yesterday held its second “Catpacity Saturday” in which all cats and kittens were adopted out for free. The Shelter and FOTAS need these additional channels and specials to place more felines and are working overtime to save as many County Shelter cats as possible. But we need your help. Please spay/neuter your pets. The only way to get the cat/kitten overpopulation in check is to stop the problem at its source. There are a number of ways to get financial help with the surgery. You can obtain a county spay/neuter voucher at the Shelter; or if your cat is outdoors and feral, check out our Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program. For more information about these and other programs, please go to the FOTAS website, www.fotasaiken.org. Their lives are in our hands.
A FOTAS volunteer holds Molly, a beautiful Tabby who arrived at the shelter with kittens
A FOTAS volunteer holds Molly, a beautiful Tabby who arrived at the shelter with kittens
Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Volunteer

The Hurricane Season

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Oct

By Joanna D. Samson, Vice President of FOTAS
By the time it hit the South Carolina Coast, Hurricane Matthew had been downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 2 storm; but the 85 mph winds, 10-14 inches of rainfall and extraordinarily high storm surges nevertheless created life-threatening conditions and caused the wide-spread destruction of property. Thousands of people were evacuated from the coast.

But how about all the animals left behind to fend for themselves?

The Charleston Animal Society sprang into action in the week ahead of the storm, evacuating the 70 animals in its facility to make room for the anticipated deluge of animals rescued by the storm (at last count, 500). Fifty-two animals were evacuated from Dorchester County, 70 from Pawley’s Island and 60 from Horry County. Many of the animals were transferred to places as far away as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio. The York County Humane Society took in 15 cats and three dogs. Here in Aiken, the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare took in an additional 24 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 work overtime to accommodate the influx of extra animals. It’s an exhausting, time-consuming and stressful time.

Thank God those types of hurricanes only come around once every, say, 20-30 years.

But what if every week at an animal shelter was fraught with the same kind of crises, requiring the same level of resources, creating the same level of anxiety, except the cause was man-made rather than an act of God? That would be a monumental tragedy of epic proportions.

That would also be just a normal week at the Aiken County Animal Shelter during the hurricane season.

For example, take the month of August: 603 animals were taken in at the Shelter, that’s an average of 27 animals every single day. September intake was also high, ranging from a low of seven to a high of 38 (IN ONE DAY!) Twenty-one animals were taken in on September 1st, 28 on September 6th), 26 on September 12th, 27 on September 16th, 20 on September 19th, and 29 on September 22nd.

Every month in the summer, intake skyrockets, volunteers and staff are overworked and critical resources run low. It’s an exhausting, time-consuming and stressful time, but it doesn’t end once the hurricane passes.

And because the County Shelter is a public facility, it cannot turn away any animal just because there is no additional room or because resources are short.

The dedication and generosity of the rescue communities and their citizens during the Hurricane Matthew crisis was nothing short of remarkable, and I am gratified by the public response. Thank God, because there’s nothing more heart-wrenching than witnessing the suffering of 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 entire hurricane season. Until every County pet is fixed, your County Shelter needs your help—and not just for the occasional emergency.

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

 

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Adoption, Cats, Dogs, Donate, Foster, FOTAS, Spay/Neuter, Volunteer

Why am I here? What did I do?

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Oct

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Yesterday, I had a home. I had you. Today I am in a kennel in a place where there are so many other dogs. I can see dogs in the kennels across from me, but I can hear so many more. I can smell their fear and anxiety. I am afraid, too.

Why did you leave me here?

I thought we were going for a ride in the car—one of my very favorite things to do. Then we pulled in to this place, and I thought, “Oh, oh, the vet,” but I’m a brave boy, so I figured we’d see the man in the white coat, get a shot, and we’d get back in the car and go home.

But then you left me here, and you didn’t even look at me when the nice lady took me away.

Have I been bad? Is it because I barked too much when you left me outside chained to the tree? I was lonely and wanted to be with you. I just needed a little attention, that’s all.

Is it because I knocked over the garbage can? I was hungry, and there were some good smells in the can. I couldn’t help myself.

Is it because I chewed up your boot? I was bored and it smelled like you. If you had taken me for a walk or given me a chew toy, I don’t think the arm of your chair would have been so appealing.

Is it because my fur is matted and I have these ugly itchy sores on my body from fleabites? All I just needed was a bath and a flea collar.

Is it because I had that accident on the floor? I didn’t know what I did wrong because you never took the time to teach me where to go. I was terrified when you forced my face into my own mess.

Is it because I jumped on you? I was excited to see you, and I was afraid you’d go away before I got a chance to show you how much I like you.

Is it because I’m not affectionate enough? I want to be, but I’m scared when you yell at me or hit me and I don’t know why.

I wanted to be a good family member. I want to please you, but I didn’t know how. Maybe I could have learned if you had taken me to an obedience class or to one of those free lessons at the shelter.

Please don’t leave me here. I want to come home.

*****
About 2500 animals a year are surrendered to the Aiken County Animal Shelter by their owners for problems that, in most cases, could have been resolved with a little time, attention and some outside assistance.

If you are considering surrendering your pet, call the FOTAS hotline first. We may be able to help you and your pet avoid the trauma of separation.

And wouldn’t that be better for everyone?

Their lives are in our hands.

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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, 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…