Tag Archives: volunteers

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, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS

The endless flow of homeless animals at the County Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
20
Aug

By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Vice President

Yesterday, the Aiken County Animal Shelter participated in the National Clear the Shelter Day for the second time. By all accounts, the day was an awesome success, and for a few short moments in the afternoon, the Shelter was blissfully empty and quiet.

It won’t last. It can’t last. Summer intake is out of control. In a single week this month, 186 animals were admitted to the Shelter…186 animals! Do the math. At that rate, thirty-one animals a day, every day, need to be adopted to keep up with that staggering intake. Not likely, not in a community this size.

Summer is always tough at the County Shelter. While the rest of the world settles into the sleepy tempo of summer, FOTAS volunteers and County staff shift into hyper-drive to address the inevitable onslaught of puppies, kittens and owner-surrender animals that crowd the intake wing and stress county resources.

These animals come primarily from the County, and generally intake is roughly equal between strays and citizen-surrendered animals. In the summer months, however, the number of citizen-surrendered animals doubles between the people who surrender their pets to the Shelter when they go on vacation and the people who didn’t fix their pets and dump the puppies or kittens at the Shelter for the rest of us to take care of. Unspeakably sad, unthinkably heartless, but true nevertheless.

Over the past year, the County and FOTAS, with the help of the community, has made great strides in saving more animals and reducing the euthanasia rate, but until rampant overpopulation is checked and the horrifying intake numbers come down (a 10-year proposition under the best of circumstances, according to most experts), our goal of never having to euthanize another adoptable animal is out of reach.

In the meantime, the County Shelter, with the help of FOTAS, is responsible for the care and disposition of the 4600-5000 unwanted animals each year. Paid for with taxpayer dollars, the County Shelter has a legal obligation to accept all comers – it cannot refuse to accept an animal because there isn’t enough room.

It’s like sweeping back the ocean with a broom, especially during the summer months.

How can you help?

First and foremost, spay or neuter your animals, and urge all the people in your universe—friends, family, and people you come into contact with at work, at the grocery store, and at the drug store—to spay and neuter their animals. If you or they cannot afford the cost to spay/neuter, you may be eligible for County or FOTAS financial assistance.

Help us take care of the animals – volunteer at the shelter.

Become a short-term foster for dogs selected for transfer or a long-term foster for mama dogs and their puppies and mama cats and their kittens until they are weaned and rehomed.

Make a tax-free donation to the cause at www.fotasaiken.org.

Most of all—adopt! For every animal you adopt or foster, you save two lives – every time an animal moves out of the Shelter, another animal can be moved to the adoption floor.

Call us at (803) 514-4313 or email us at info@angelhartlinedesigns.com and see how you can get involved. You won’t be sorry.

Their lives are in our hands.

By the Numbers
August adoption specials: Cats/Kittens $10, Dogs/Puppies $35

 

Pets of the Week

IRMA: Terrier/Beagle mix, female, 1-1/2 years old, white with black, 22 pounds – $35
LOUIE: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 1-1/2 months old, gray and white, 2 pounds - $10
LOUIE: Domestic Shorthair kitten, male, 1-1/2 months old, gray and white, 2 pounds – $10
FOTAS, Volunteers

Quick action and teamwork saves Shelter dogs during fire

Posted on by Angel Hartline
29
Jul

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

Finally, the skies were quiet again. The severe storm that caused the Shelter’s power to go out several times, had moved on. Stranded adopters who didn’t want to leave with their adopted pets during the torrential rains, headed for their cars. FOTAS volunteers began cleaning the kitten condos while staff finished paperwork. Everyone was a bit relieved that the rush of activity was over and the dangerous storm had left the area. It was 4:20 on Wednesday, less than an hour until closing time.

“Fire!” somebody called out. “We have a fire in adoption!” It was Veterinarian Technician Judith Gulden-Schmitt. Judith had been chatting with Administrative Assistant Liz Kornaus when she glanced over at the adoption wing and saw flames showing through the door of one of kennels. Liz immediately called 911 and Judith alerted her fellow Vet Techs, Betty Milne-Erikson and Lynn Irilli, who grabbed leashes to move the dogs out of the burning adoption wing. At the same time, Kennel Custodians Christin and Summer Foster jumped into action and moved dogs from the smoke-filled adoption pod to the intake wing located on the other side of the building. FOTAS Volunteers Pat Ludwig, Paul Tallent and Lannie Brancato also grabbed leashes and began moving dogs to safety.

Paul and I moved two of the dogs, Flash and Gracie, to the main building, putting them in the employee break room temporarily. The goal was to get the dogs out before they were harmed by the fire either directly or through smoke inhalation. We rushed back out to evacuate more dogs. One of the dog beds was on fire along with the ceiling tiles but luckily it wasn’t spreading as fast as we feared. Betty helped me leash Phoebe and I leashed Rowdy, then took them into the main building. Behind me was Animal Control Officer James Fisher with another dog. He said we could put all three dogs in his office.

When we got back outside, we could already hear the sirens of the fire and rescue trucks, and all the dogs were out of the adoption wing and safe from harm. Shelter Manager Bobby Arthurs managed to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher as the dogs were evacuated. Director of County Code Enforcement Paige Bayne arrived at the scene right away and provided direction and support. County Administrator Clay Killian, Assistant Administrator Ashley Jacobs, and County Council Chairman Andrew Siders were also on hand. Many other County leaders and community members responded to the emergency, either by coming to the Shelter or calling to see how they could help.

“Everyone’s response time was very quick,” Bobby said. “It was a solid team effort and wonderful to see everyone get the dogs out so fast. Aiken Public Safety got here right away and the County’s Buildings & Grounds folks got our power back on and worked to get the air conditioning up and running again in the adoption wing.”

The Shelter’s Veterinarian, Dr. Lisa Levy, rushed to the scene to examine the dogs. She was joined by Dr. Wells, Dr. Groover and Dr. Timmerman.

Some dogs were doubled up in the kennels of the intake wing since they had to be moved from the adoption wing. The Shelter is in urgent need of dog walkers and foster homes, and any donations would be appreciated! Thankfully, all the dogs are okay.

Their lives are in our hands.

Aiken Public Safety clears the smoke and assesses fire damage in the first pod of the Shelter’s adoption wing.
Aiken Public Safety clears the smoke and assesses fire damage in the first pod of the Shelter’s adoption wing.

 

PETS OF THE WEEK

PHOEBE & ROWDY: Corgi mix & Retriever mix, female & male, 3 and 1 years old, bonded pair needs to be adopted together, $70 for both
POLAR BEAR: Domestic Shorthair cat, male, 3 years old, white, 8 pounds - $10
POLAR BEAR: Domestic Shorthair cat, male, 3 years old, white, 8 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, Cats, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Surgically saved shelter cats bring joy to their new families

Posted on by Angel Hartline
22
Jun

by Bob Gordon, FOTAS Director of Communications

In last week’s column, Dr. Lisa Levy, the Aiken County Animal Shelter’s veterinarian, wrote about saving three cats that were brought in with chronic conditions. But after these special felines were saved through challenging surgeries, what happened to them? Here is how three cats – Rose, Stump and Aimee – beat the odds and found loving forever homes. These extraordinary animals are not only recovering from their dark, painful pasts, but are making a positive difference in their adopters’ lives.

Rose, who had to have emergency surgery to remove her infected uterus, is lucky to be alive. But now fully recovered, she is thriving in her new home with Annabel Bradham. The 3-year-old, long-haired, gray cat was shy and a bit skittish at first due to the trauma she’s been through, but is blooming into an outgoing, confident feline.

“Rose is doing wonderfully,” said Annabel. “I have absolutely fallen in love with her and she’s made herself at home…usually you can find her sleeping on the couch. She’s the perfect cat for me.”

Rose is currently staying with Annabel, her mom and two sisters, in their North Augusta home. But she will be Annabel’s roommate when she goes back to school at the College of Charleston.

Annabel Bradham adopted Rose – “She’s the perfect cat for me.”
Annabel Bradham adopted Rose – “She’s the perfect cat for me.”

Stump, the cat brought to the Shelter with his tail torn off, is also doing very well. Kristen Walker, who found the 7-month-old kitty badly injured and with a belt wrapped around his neck, ended up adopting him! Kristen said she’s not the kind of person that usually gets all warm and gooey inside when she sees a stray animal. But something about Stump (who she renamed Panda) touched her. Maybe it was the abuse he had suffered or the way he looked at her. But she knew her life had changed the instant she pulled the bleeding, maggot infested cat out of the bushes.

“I’ve never had an animal click with me like that,” Kristen said. “From the moment I picked him up and held him, I felt he should be part of our family.”

Panda is now a very happy cat and Kristen and her husband, Chris, are thrilled to have him in their Graniteville home. The big-eyed, white and black feline sleeps in their son’s bed and is best friends with the family dog, Kenway.

Aimee, the 1-year-old cat who arrived at the Shelter with her left, rear leg so deformed and mangled it had to be amputated, is now living the good life in her new Augusta home. Brad and Dana Harris adopted the special needs feline after seeing her photo and story posted on Facebook. They renamed the three-legged cat “Ilean” and she has already bonded with the Harris family’s other pets – Gilligan, a 26-pound Lynx hybrid cat; Skipper, a Siamese cat; and Bella, a German Shepherd/Boxer mix.

Brad Harris adopted Ilean, a three-legged cat who’s had a difficult past.
Brad Harris adopted Ilean, a three-legged cat who’s had a difficult past.

Ilean has also become fast friends with the children in the family – especially the Harris’s 8-year-old grandson.

“She’s been good for him and the first animal he’s really gotten close to,” Brad said. “And I’ve noticed he’s more interested in the other animals as well. Maybe it’s because he can tell she’s had a hard life and needs extra love.”

Their lives are in our hands.

 

PETS OF THE WEEK

 

FOXY Mountain Feist mix, female, 1-1/2 years old, brown -- 49 lbs $35.00
FOXY
Mountain Feist mix,
female, 1-1/2 years old,
brown — 49 lbs
$35.00
TAZ Domestic short hair cat Male -- 1 year old Orange & white tabby 6.7 lbs $10.00
TAZ
Domestic short hair cat
Male — 1 year old
Orange & white tabby — 6.7 lbs
$10.00

By the Numbers
From June 1-21, 2017,   360 dogs and cats were received by the County Shelter.

All cats are just $10 in June — Dogs are $35.00.

 

Adoption, Cats, FOTAS, Volunteer

Injured and abused cats get second chance after successful surgeries

Posted on by Angel Hartline
16
Jun

by Dr. Lisa Levy, ACAS Veterinarian

This month, we’ve already taken in more than 300 strays and surrendered animals at the County Animal Shelter. Last month, we took in more than 500. When you receive this many animals, some are certain to be injured or abused, and May was a rough month for kitties. We had several special needs cats come through our doors.

First was Rose. Rose came in just as I was leaving for the day. She was listless, weak and her back end was covered in pus. On examination, it was determined that she had a severe uterine infection, also known as pyometra. These animals get very sick as the uterus fills with pus and causes them to become toxic. The only treatment is surgery to remove the uterus. But obviously there is great risk to doing surgery on a patient that is so ill.

After I graduated from veterinary school, my first boss had a saying that has stuck with me. He said, “Never let the sun set on a pyometra.” What he meant is that surgery needs to be done immediately because they will be sicker in the morning. So, I put my scrubs back on and immediately did the surgery. She made it through anesthesia and we gave her fluid therapy and antibiotics, although I had little hope that she would make it through the night. But when we came in the next morning, she was sitting up in her cage! She got stronger each day and showed us a gentle, loving personality that wasn’t evident when she was so sick.

Stump is a kitty who was brought in by a couple who found him tied to a tree. His tail was gone (either cut off by someone or possibly ripped off by a dog) and he had exposed bone sticking out of a mound of raw, infected tissue about two inches in diameter. My first thought was, “I can’t fix this.” But amazingly, once the bad tissue and bone was trimmed away, there was enough skin left to close the wound. Now the big question was would there be nerve damage that might interfere with his ability to urinate and defecate? The next morning, there was no urine in his litter box and he was straining and not able to defecate. We put him on kitty laxatives and within two days he was going on his own.

Aimee came into the shelter with a rear leg that was severely deformed. It had been broken at some point and healed without being set properly. She was unable to bend at the knee and the lower part of the leg pointed in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, there was no way to fix the leg, so we amputated it. Aimee adjusted beautifully since she really couldn’t use the leg before the surgery, and is doing terrific!

It was a trying month but all three cats were adopted and are doing extremely well. Great outcomes like these are why we – the entire shelter staff and volunteers – do what we do.

Next Week: How these special needs cats are making a difference in their adopters’ lives.Caption: Stump arrived at the Shelter with his tail cut or ripped off, but he is doing great following surgery.

Pets of the Week

POTW JUNE 18 CHIANNAH
CHIANNAH: Retriever/Terrier mix, female, 2 years old, brown and white, 48 pounds – $35.00
TEASPOON POTW JUNE 18
TEASPOON: Domestic shorthair cat, male, 9 months old, black/gray Tabby, 7.5 pounds – $10.00

      

BY THE NUMBERS

May 1- 31:  580 dogs and cats were received by the County Shelter.

June Adoption Special:  Cats $10.00 and Dogs $35.00

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, Dogs, FOTAS, Volunteer

Touched by an angel at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

Posted on by Angel Hartline
12
Jun

By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President

It is May 24th as I write this article, only three weeks into the month of May, and a heart-breaking, record number of animals—480 to be exact—have been consigned to the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

You read that correctly; your eyes are not playing tricks on you—480 dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in the first three weeks of May.

Do the math; I did. Every single day the Shelter was open this month (21 operating days), 22-23 animals were consigned to the Shelter. That’s hard to fathom—there is no way to find local homes for or transfer out that many animals on top of the ones that are already there. Supply far exceeds demand. It’s like sweeping back the ocean with a broom.

A shelter is a stressful place for an animal under any circumstances, but the stress level in a crowded shelter is even worse for these unfortunate animals who are there through no fault of their own. They need lots of help to manage their stress levels until we can find them a home.

That’s why volunteers like the indomitable Nanci Santos are so important.

Nanci has been a FOTAS volunteer for a long time. She has never wavered in her commitment. You can find her at the Shelter every day, seven days a week, without fail. Even a serious health condition some years back did not deter Nanci—unable to walk dogs, she organized and conducted orientations for new volunteers until she had the physical strength to pick up the leash again.

Today, she touches every dog, literally. After the morning walks, Nanci folds and arranges blankets in all the kennel beds so the dogs will be comfortable. She cleans up any messes.

She gives every dog an appropriate toy, making certain that, say, a determined chewer is given an indestructible rope toy and a dainty licker gets a nice squeak toy. That’s how good she is—she figures it out for every one of them.

Nanci’s compassion and intuition have made her invaluable in working with shy, anxious and fearful dogs whose contact with humans has been either non-existent or just plain bad.

“It’s not unusual for Nanci to sit for hours on the floor of a kennel working with a terrified dog, speaking softly, coaxing it to take a treat,” says Kathy Jacobs, the FOTAS Program Director. “Two days later, I’ll find her sitting on a bench in a quiet place, that very same dog curled up in her lap – it could be 15 pounds or 50 pounds—it doesn’t matter. In the end, every dog, no matter how scared, climbs into Nanci’s lap, so to speak. She transforms them.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” Thousands of canine lives have breathed easier because of Nanci Santos. Her success is immeasurable.

The Shelter needs your help all the time, but particularly in the summer months when intake skyrockets and folks go on vacation. Please volunteer, foster, or donate; call the FOTAS hotline (803-514-4313) or email info@angelhartlinedesigns.com and start making a difference today.

Their lives are in our hands.

 

Nanci Santos, FOTAS volunteer, with one of the dogs at the Aiken County Animal Shelter
Nanci Santos, FOTAS volunteer, with one of the dogs at the Aiken County Animal Shelter