Tag Archives: Trap Neuter Return

2020, Adoption, donations, FOTAS, Have a Heart, Save a Heart, Home-to-Home adoption program, News, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program, Transfer, Volunteers, Where your donations go, Where your donations go

FOTAS and 11 Years of Progress at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Bob Gordon
30
Jul

On July 29, 2009, the South Carolina Secretary of State officially approved FOTAS as a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to the care of the homeless, abandoned, and abused animals consigned to the County Shelter, kicking off the beginning of an extraordinary public/private partnership with the county and a new, comprehensive approach to caring for homeless animals. It was a massive undertaking. At the time, more than 6,000 animals a year passed through the doors of the county’s tiny, antiquated shelter. Only 5% made it out alive.

FOTAS helps fund the TNR program, which has been so effective in curbing community cat overpopulation in the Aiken County

All of that has changed in the past 11 years. With the opening of the new shelter in 2014, the FOTAS/county partnership solidified and blossomed. FOTAS volunteers are an integral part of the shelter’s operations (it is estimated that FOTAS volunteers provide the equivalent of ten full-time positions). FOTAS donations supplement the shelter’s budget and programs and provide supplies such as leashes, toys, flea and tick prevention, and medicine for heartworm positive dogs. FOTAS has created a network of transfer partners in other parts of the country (where kennels are empty because everyone fixes their pets) where we send dogs (and pay the incurred transport costs) who could not find homes locally. The transfer program saves thousands of animals every year.

We also attack the problem of overpopulation of homeless pets. FOTAS supplements the county’s spay/neuter financial assistance program for county residents who need it, as well as funds to support the TNR (Trap Neuter Return) program to address the problems of community cats. We hire a mobile spay/neuter van to go to hot-spot areas around the county (the FIDO Fix-a-Pet program) to provide free spay/neuter surgeries for citizens who need financial assistance.

Tiffy is adopted following mouth surgery. This poor kitten was rescued after being thrown from a moving car.

Our Home-to-Home program allows folks who can no longer care for their pets to use the power of our social media to find loving homes without subjecting their beloved pets to the trauma of surrender to the shelter (it’s been a huge success during the COVID crisis!) FOTAS works with Animal Control to provide dog houses and humane runners for dogs who are tethered to chains, as well as dog food and other supplies to help folks in a bind.

Biz and Eddie Mann adopted Snowflake (now named Keaton) from the ACAS in July.

FOTAS also helps with the improvement of the physical facilities at the shelter. In addition to funding the medical wellness and isolation pod for animals with curable infectious ailments, plans are currently underway for a building that will house two, much needed adoption rooms and a training area.

In 2017, FOTAS was one of ten (out of 14,000) charitable organizations to be awarded the Angel Award by the Secretary of State, which recognizes the most efficient and effective nonprofits in the state. Plus, for the second year in a row, FOTAS and our signature event, Woofstock, received the Aiken Standard Choice Best of Aiken Award.

We have managed to do all of this with only one paid staff member and an army of volunteers. Has it worked? You bet it has. For the past two years, FOTAS and the county achieved their goal of not having to euthanize any adoptable pet.

None of this would have been possible without you, the generous Aiken community, who have donated your time and money and welcomed shelter animals into your hearts and homes.

Thank you and God Bless. Stay safe.


–By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

2019, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, kittens, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program

Here’s What to Do if You Find a Litter of Kittens

Posted on by Bob Gordon
26
Mar

By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director

Spring is here and with the warmer weather comes lots of newborn kittens.

“We’re already seeing a number of pregnant cats arrive at the shelter and kitten season should be hitting any time now,” said Aiken County Animal Shelter Adoption Coordinator Hillary Clark-Kulis. “Once it does, we likely won’t see the flow of kittens slow down until at least November.”

But what do you do if you discover a litter of kittens or a single kitten seemingly abandoned by their mother? How do you best help their chances of survival?

A flyer to remind people that mama cats “know best”.

Well, like all babies, kittens do best when they’re with their mother. Moms instinctively know how to help their offspring grow up to be strong and healthy. Mother’s milk is also vital in providing the kittens powerful nutrients for their immune system.

If the kittens are underage (under 2 pounds or younger than eight weeks old), see if mom is around. If she is gone, wait two to four hours to see if she comes back. She could just be out getting food for her and her kittens.

If mom is there, leave the kittens where they are until they are two pounds or eight weeks old. To help the mom, you can provide shelter and put out food nearby (but not right next to the kittens because you don’t want to attract other cats or potential predators).

If mom is gone and has not returned, you should foster the kittens or find someone who is willing to foster, until they are at least two pounds. This is done through bottle-feeding the kittens until they are ready to eat on their own.

The mother cat gives her kittens their best chance for survival.

“If you feel the kittens are in danger and in need of rescue, you should be prepared to take care of them for a minimum of two weeks for the around-the-clock care they need,” Clark-Kulis said. “Don’t hesitate to contact the shelter for resources and supplies you might need. We can also answer any questions you may have and provide counsel.”

If the kittens you find are weaned or you’re unsure of their age or care needs, you can bring them to the shelter for assessment and we can help you decide on a plan for adoption or direct you to other options, such as our TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) or spay/neuter voucher program.

The kittens must be at least four pounds and be in a humane cat trap (you can sign one out from the shelter) if you bring them to the Aiken County Animal Shelter for our Community Cats free TNR program. After they are sterilized, you just return them to their outdoor home. This effectively works to reduce the cat population and prevents more cats from entering the area.

The annual flood of orphaned kittens is almost upon us. But you can help save lives by volunteering to foster orphaned, infant felines, supporting and taking advantage of our TNR program and spreading the word about how to best help kittens survive.

The Aiken County Animal Shelter is located at 333 Wire Road in Aiken. If you can help, please stop by or call the Shelter at (803) 642-1537 and speak to a staff member or volunteer for more information and assistance.

Their lives are in our hands.

2018, Adoption, Cats, Chained dogs, community cats, County animal laws, County tethering ordinance, Dogs, Donate, donations, Foster, FOTAS, Fundraisers, Heartworms, News, PetSmart cats, Pibbles, Spay/Neuter, Stray hold requirements, surrendered pets, TNR Program, Volunteer, Volunteers

The Christmas Spirit of Gratitude and Charity

Posted on by Bob Gordon
24
Dec

The Christmas season is upon us. It’s a time of festivity, bright lights, family, goodwill, and faith. It’s also a time to count our blessings. As we at FOTAS look back over the past nine years, it’s also a time to reflect upon our profound gratitude for our friends and supporters in the Aiken community.

FOTAS Volunteer John Berk with Cleo, who was adopted to a good home this year.

We’ve come a long way together. With your help, we successfully lobbied the County Council to build a new shelter and partnered with the county to raise money to fund the architectural design and construction-ready plans.

Once the new shelter opened in early 2014, we recruited and trained an army of volunteers to work at the shelter, performing the equivalent of eight to 10 full-time jobs. We funded training programs for county personnel. We developed and funded exciting new programs with the county to increase adoption rates. We created a network of transfer partners in the northeast that take animals we can’t adopt locally, along with a system of foster care for dogs and cats who have been accepted for transfer or have special needs. We also supplement adoption fees for military personnel and veterans.

LUCY gets some lovin’ from young FOTAS volunteers.

We provided fencing to create exercise yards, bought a new van to move animals locally to outside adoption events, and installed a storage shed. We pay for toys, blankets, treats, flea and tick meds, cat condos, a doggie treadmill to rehabilitate and socialize dogs, and humane runners for folks who need to take their dogs off of chains.

We funded the construction of an isolation pod to separate shelter animals with temporary infectious diseases, as well as a host of necessary medical equipment and supplies. Through this assistance, we’ve made it possible for sick and injured animals to have a second chance. A total of 450 heartworm positive dogs have been saved through our funding. We also pay for outside veterinarian services when necessary.

FOTAS PetSmart Volunteer Twylia with feline Mabel.

Our funding has made it possible to attack overpopulation of pets at the source. Last year, the county and FOTAS paid for the spay/neuter of over 1,300 citizen-owned pets and 1,120 community feral/cats.

Has all this effort made a difference? You bet it has. In 2009, the old county shelter often took in more than 6,000 animals a year; only 5% made it out alive. This year, the shelter will have taken in 4,200 animals, and 90% were saved. Hands down, FOTAS and the county save more animals than any other rescue agencies in the country.

It couldn’t have happened without a lot of hard work, dedication, and support from you, the Aiken community.

Adopted dog HILDE in her forever home December 2018.

We and Aiken’s homeless animals are blessed to have your support.

But there is still so much to do. In the last two months, a whopping 1,000 animals were surrendered to the shelter. Please consider an end-of-the-year donation to FOTAS, either by mail to FOTAS, PO Box 2207, Aiken SC 29802 or online at FOTASAiken.org.

By the way, since FOTAS was recognized by South Carolina as one of the 10 most efficient and effective charity “Angels” in the state, you can be certain that your hard-earned dollars are spent on our mission.

Thank you and God bless your family this Christmas season.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

— By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice-President

 

By the Numbers
Since October 1, the County Animal Shelter has taken in well over 1,000 strays and surrendered pets. Please spay/neuter your dogs and cats.
 
Pets of the Week
ANGIE: Retriever mix, female, 3 years old, brindle and white, 50 pounds – $35

 

BEE BEE: Domestic Shorthair cat, female, 1-1/2 years old, black and white, 6.5 pounds – $10
2018, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program

The County Shelter’s Community Cat Program Works!

Posted on by Bob Gordon
03
Dec
In 2016, Aiken County passed a resolution to implement a return-to-field program at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. Community cat diversion programs (or TNR — trap/neuter/return-to-field) like the county’s program have been hugely successful all over the country. TNR programs are a humane way to reduce overpopulation of homeless cats in the community and public animal shelters like the county shelter. Here’s how it works: citizens trap a feral cat living in their neighborhood (FOTAS provides the traps, if necessary) and bring the cat to the shelter or to a veterinarian designated by the shelter. The cat is neutered and vaccinated at no cost to the citizen, who later returns the cat to the
Vet Assistant Lyn Irilli prepares a TNR cat for surgery.
neighborhood. Thus, with help from the local community, the overpopulation of feral cats is reduced. It’s a win-win situation. Why does it work? Because cat colonies that have been sterilized and cannot reproduce do not grow, and since outdoor cats do not live more than two to three years, the cat colonies eventually disappear. The majority of cats received at the county shelter are outdoor cats, so the TNR program reduces the shelter’s intake of cats and reduces the feline euthanasia rate.
Raymond Hastings takes care of a community cat that has just been spayed at the County Shelter.
In 2016, the year in which the county’s TNR program was approved, the shelter had to euthanize 75% of the cats. One year later, in 2017, the shelter’s euthanasia rate for cats had dropped by two-thirds to 21%. And so far in the first nine months of this year, only 6% of the cats at the shelter had to be euthanized. The county’s TNR program is working! Thousands of cats have been saved in fewer than three years; FOTAS works with the shelter to provide free TNR services to Aiken County residents. In addition, FOTAS has purchased scores of traps to lend to citizens who wish to trap and neuter their community cats and return them to their original colonies. There are so many people who have contributed to the success of the TNR program: • The Aiken County Council and Administration for their continued support for the County’s TNR program. • The shelter staff, Dr. Lisa Levy, and Dr. Mike Wells who work so diligently in-house to alter, vaccinate and ear-tip the thousands of community cats received at the shelter (over 1,100 cats in 2017 alone were saved instead of euthanized). • Our veterinarian partners—Veterinary Services, Aiken Animal Hospital, Aiken Veterinary Clinic, Silver Bluff Animal Hospital—who discount their services to support the TNR program. • Aiken County Animal Control officers who respond to citizen requests for assistance with the feral cats in their neighborhood. • FOTAS volunteers Paula Neuroth and Carl Miller who coordinate and assist in facilitating the TNR program. • Our donors who make it possible for FOTAS to supplement the county’s program and provide additional funding for community TNR cats surgeries. • And of course, our community who cares enough to support this humane and highly effective program. There is still so much to do. The shelter is currently receiving hundreds of homeless kittens. But working together, we can wipe out the county’s feral cat overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia of cats. For more information, please call the shelter 803-642 1537. Their lives are in our hands.

— By Jennifer Miller, President of FOTAS

   

By the Numbers From Nov. 1 to Nov. 28, the County Shelter received 344 strays and surrendered pets.

 

Pets of the Week

PLUTO Retriever mix, male, 3 years old, gray & white, 77 pounds – $35

 

CRYSTAL Domestic Shorthair Siamese mix, female, 2 months old, white, 2 pounds – $10

2018, Cats, community cats, FOTAS, News, Spay/Neuter, TNR Program, Uncategorized

Free TNR Program Saved Community Cats and Made Life Better

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
May
It started when a good neighbor needed to move. He left his feral cat colony, so my husband began feeding them. But years later, we found ourselves with more than 30 cats in two colonies. We knew we had to do something soon! Last fall, a viral infection or inbreeding caused uncountable and horrible kitten deaths. We reached out to FOTAS for help and they informed us of the County’s Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program.  It’s a free program supplemented by FOTAS that benefits homeless felines and the community. You can trap feral or community cats, get them fixed and their ear tipped (the universal sign of a sterilized cat), and then return them to their outdoor home. We borrowed four humane traps from FOTAS and friends, then got a purchase order number to start the TNR program with the veterinarians on FOTAS’s list.
The TNR program allows community cats to remain outside but keeps their population down.
The TNR program allows community cats to remain outside but reduces their population via spay/neutering.
Initially we took four to eight cats in to get spay/neutered each week by appointments with veterinarians and the Aiken County Animal Shelter, where two are allowed with no appointment. The goal was to get this done prior to spring mating time. We would trap on Monday and Wednesday from 3 p.m. to dusk (so we didn’t trap night wildlife), using several teaspoons of canned food in the trap. We checked the traps every 15 minutes because the trapped cats are terrified until the trap is covered with a beach towel. We then moved the trapped cats to an enclosed building for the night.  If two were caught, they would go to the veterinarian appointment in the morning; and if there were more, they would go to the Aiken County Animal Shelter between 8-9 a.m. The vets did early surgery with same day return while the County had pick-up the next morning. The County Shelter offers their TNR spay/neutering on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Connie Jeffcoat of Wagener picks up two community cats she had spayed at the County Animal Shelter.
Connie Jeffcoat of Wagener picks up two community cats she had spayed at the County Animal Shelter.
We captured most of the cats in 30 days, but then we had to get more creative to trap the smarter cats. We photographed them for easy identification and watched their afternoon habits for better trap placement. We also upgraded the food to sardines (heated slightly) and camouflaged the traps. It worked, and now that all the cats are fixed, we can relax and just enjoy watching the barn and deck colonies. With no more additions to the group, there’s no fighting, yowling and spraying. We are so happy!  Both colonies guard their territory, so no new cats are moving in and that means no kittens to take to the shelter. Thank you to FOTAS and congratulations for getting the State Angel Award for non-profit organizations. Thanks also to all the volunteers, donors, the Aiken County Animal Shelter and Veterinary Services. Everyone we met during this adventure was very kind and helpful. Whether you are feeding one community cat or many more, it is important to stop the population problem. Please help FOTAS meet their goal: no more homeless animals. Working together, we can do this! If you live in Aiken County and want to participate in the TNR program, please call the County Shelter, (803) 642-1537.

— By Lynn Carty

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By the Numbers

May 1-16: The County Shelter received more than 300 stray animals and owner-surrendered pets in just two weeks.

 

saveapetlogo

Pets of the Week

mia pet of the week (2)

MIA: Mixed breed, female, 2 years old, black & white, 36 pounds – $35

AMANDA PET OF THE WEEK

AMANDA: Domestic Shorthair, female, 1 year old, tan & black Tabby, 7.5 pounds – $10

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

Resolving to do better by our animals

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Dec

It’s that time again—the end of one year and the promise of a new one. Most of us (myself included) resolve to be better—to exercise more, lose weight, spend less time on our cell phones—and although our resolve is genuine, our willpower and attention span are, shall we say, less than perfect.

My own New Year’s resolutions fail because they are “self” centered, involving changes to my own behavior. When my resolve wavers, so what? Do those extra five pounds matter to anyone but me?

My theory is this: resolutions to take action for the greater good—to help make a life a bit better, happier, easier—are easier to keep and harder to abandon.

There are so many worthy ways to spend your time, but if you happen to love animals the way we do at FOTAS, then we can resolve, collectively, to do better by the thousands of homeless animals in Aiken County.

Let’s resolve to spay or neuter our animals … all of them.

If our own animals are fixed, then let’s lobby our friends, relatives, and neighbors to fix their animals.

Imagine … a spring and summer at the Aiken County Animal Shelter when staff and volunteers are not inundated with, literally, hundreds of unwanted puppies and kittens.

Imagine the Shelter with empty kennels because no new unwanted babies were born to fill them up.

Imagine a world where every home has a pet, and every animal has a home.

It is possible to do; it’s been done in many other communities. Why do you think our sister rescue agencies in other parts of the country have the space to take our unwanted animals? Because everyone fixes their pet as a matter of course.

It’s the right thing to do.

Let’s resolve to volunteer our time at the Shelter.

There are so many ways to help—greeting visitors, walking and socializing dogs, loving-up the cats, fostering animals approved for transfer or providing a safe, healthy home for mamas and their babies, working off-site adoptions, social media, and fundraisers.

The list is endless. Tell FOTAS what you want to do, and we’ll find a place for you. Volunteering at the Shelter is a great way to spend your free time and make friends, and at the end of the day, you will have made a difference in the life of some unfortunate animal.

Let’s resolve to vaccinate our animals and make certain they are protected from fleas, ticks and worst of all, heartworms. Too many animals suffer needlessly, particularly when treatment options are so affordable.

Let’s resolve to adopt all of our pets from the Shelter.

The Shelter takes in over 4600 animals every year—they all need homes. Other rescue agencies can close their doors when they are full, but the County shelter cannot; it is obligated by law to take all comers.

FOTAS and Shelter staff go the extra mile with attention, exercise, training and medical care to make every adoptable animal happy and more sociable, because we know those animals will be better pets and family members when they go home with you.

No other rescue organization in the County saves more lives than FOTAS … none.

These are resolutions worth keeping. Let’s do them together.

Their lives are in our hands.

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

 

Some Recent Happy Adoptions at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

 JESSICA STORY OF GRANITEVILLE ADOPTED GOLDIE DEC 23    RUDOLPH THE PUPPY WAS ADOPTED BY THE DOWLING FAMILY, AIKEN    BEAGLE MIX MARLIN WAS ADOPTED BY THE WILLIAMS FAMILY , AIKEN ON DEC 23

By the Numbers
54 Adoptions between December 18 and December 23! Thank you.

Missed our Christmas adoption specials? No worries! 
January Adoption special – dogs/puppies $35, cats/kittens $10

Pets of the Week

LACEY POTW DEC 31
LACEY: Retriever mix, female, 2 years old, black, 63 pounds – $35

CLARENCE POTW DEC 31

CLARENCE: Domestic shorthair kitten, male, 3 months old, black & white, 3 pounds – $10

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

Feral kittens and the Good Samaritan

Posted on by Angel Hartline
17
Nov

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

One morning, you come downstairs to the kitchen, turn on the coffee maker, and open the back door to check the weather. Then you hear it: faint, pitiful mewing sounds coming from the crawl space under the porch. You grab a flashlight and go out to investigate. What you find breaks your heart: six tiny feral kittens, eyes still closed, mewing for what? Food? Mama? Warmth?

What do you do?

mother cat and kittenThe Good Samaritan in you wants to spring into action and rescue the little snuggle nuggets, but is that the wisest course?

“It isn’t, at least not right away,” says Hillary Clark-Kulis, the Adoption Coordinator for the Aiken County Animal Shelter. “Odds are mama has gone out to feed herself and will be returning soon to care for her babies, and it is always better for little kittens to be cared for by their mama. She can properly clean and feed them around the clock. We advise waiting and watching for mama to return. Patience is the better part of valor in these cases.”

Raising little kittens is tricky business. They need to be fed every two hours around the clock. They cannot eliminate waste on their own, so cleaning and massaging in just the right places is required to allow them to process their food. Mama’s milk also provides crucial antibodies. When the kittens are weaned to hard food, mama teaches them how to be little cats, how to fend for themselves, how to hunt.

kitten bottle feederAssuming mama comes home, the best thing you can do is support mama until the kittens are weaned. Provide her healthy cat food and clean water, maybe a box with soft towels for a warm dry place to nest.

Feral cats are often fearful of humans, so speak softly, move slowly, try to befriend her, get her accustomed to friendly human contact. FOTAS can provide you with the appropriate supplies if needed.

After about five weeks, call the Shelter and make an appointment to bring mama in to get vaccinated, spayed and returned to field (no cost to you), and the kittens to be vetted and put up for adoption (unless the kittens are too feral, in which case, they too can be vaccinated, spayed and returned to field.)

Let’s rewind: what if you watch the little kittens all day and mama doesn’t return, then what do you do?

Now it’s time to collect the little kittens and bring them to the Shelter. Dr. Levy will assess their health, then FOTAS volunteers will foster the kittens at home. That means two weeks of bottle feeding every two hours, watching their temperature, keeping them clean until their eyes open and they can eat on their own. Once they pass that critical stage, the little snuggle muffins can be socialized until they are big enough to be adopted.
“Taking proper care of new-born kittens requires skill and patience, but there are experienced FOTAS volunteers we call upon for help,” says Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Program Director. “We couldn’t do it without them, and we always need more volunteers!”

Call the FOTAS hotline at (803) 514-4313 or the County Shelter at (803) 642-1537, when your Good Samaritan is called into service.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
Jan. to Sept. 2017: FOTAS Fix-A-Pet and the Aiken County Animal Shelter spayed/neutered 864 community/feral cats that were returned to field.

Pets of the Week

REMINGTON: Retriever mix, male, 2 years old, light brown and white, 46 pounds – $35
REMINGTON: Retriever mix, male, 2 years old, light brown and white, 46 pounds – $35

ERIK: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 1-1/2 years old, light orange Tabby, 10 pounds – $10 (available at Aiken PetSmart)
ERIK: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 1-1/2 years old, light orange Tabby, 10 pounds – $10 (available at Aiken PetSmart)

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.