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 fourteen years, it’s also a time to express our profound gratitude for our friends and supporters in the Aiken community.
Since 2009, our life-saving programs have expanded to include not only helping with the care and re-homing of every adoptable shelter animal, but to initiatives to help folks keep their animals at home (like augmenting the County’s Spay/Neuter financial assistance for citizens-in-need, sponsoring pet food drive up’s and pet food donations to community food banks, including our partnership with ACTS and Senior Service-Meals on Wheels, sponsoring free pet microchip events, and providing humane runners for dogs who have been tied to a chain all their lives). In addition, we also have implemented programs to help folks avoid surrendering animals to the shelter in the first place, like our successful online Home-to-Home initiative and the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) for community cats. Just this year, the new P.A.W.S. building opened to great acclaim, providing opportunities for quiet meet & greets, training sessions, and a new catio (indoor/outdoor cat patio).
This time of year is also a time for FOTAS to celebrate those who have contributed to our successes.
Thanks to Aiken County Council Chairman, Gary Bunker, and County Council for making it possible to save the lives of thousands of homeless animals in the County. Our partnership grows stronger with each passing year.
Thanks to Brian Saunders, Aiken County Administrator; Paige Bayne, the County’s Enforcement and Animal Services Director; Bobby Arthurs, the Shelter Manager; Dr. Nancy Rodriquez, the Shelter’s veterinarian; and all the Shelter staff for their commitment to increase the opportunities for each adoptable animal to find a forever home.
A huge shout-out and thanks to the army of volunteers who make the work of FOTAS possible – everything from manning the front desk, walking and socializing dogs, helping with 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 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 and outcome for its shelter animals.
All that effort has paid off: for the past six years, the shelter has been able to save every adoptable animal. That’s a big deal, especially since the shelter’s intake is over 4000 animals/year.
Sadly, right now, the shelter is in crisis. Intake numbers have exploded nationally, and the County Shelter is no exception. The shelter is shockingly full for this time of year. Animals are doubled-up in the kennels. Staff and volunteer resources are stretched to the max. Why? Blame inflation; COVID, FLU, and RSV outbreaks, burgeoning development and population growth in the County; chronic shortages in spay/neuter services; and increased pet restrictions in rental properties. At this rate, the shelter’s ability to save every adoptable animal in 2024 is in jeopardy. That’s a heartbreaking prospect.
God bless you and your family during this holiday season, and may God bless the County’s homeless animals during these difficult times.
Their lives are in our hands.
By Joanna D. Samson, FOTAS Vice President
