In early February, the shelter received a large group of dogs from a hoarding situation. These poor canines were not only fearful, but also emaciated, covered in fleas — and many were bald from demodectic mange.
We were desperate to find help for these horrified, neglected animals, as shelter life is not the best for a stressed animal. That is when FOTAS supporters Steven and Doris Briggs offered their help.
“Since we live on a horse farm and have the perfect set up for taking in more dogs, we started fostering shelter animals to help get them ready for their forever homes,” Doris explained. “We have had four rescue dogs, one of which was a well-known therapy dog. But we are committed to working with fosters.”
The Briggs’ property has an 8-acre paddock with wire fencing and an extra stall, so they agreed to take three of the hoarded dogs.
“I have never seen such pitiful, scared little things in my life,” Doris said. “There were a few challenges we had to work with. Initially, they lived in the barn but as you might guess, they ended up in the house. Six dogs in the bedroom at night was a new experience for us, but it helped socialize them.”
After two months, most of the dogs were ready to leave but one of them – 2-year-old Sadie – was still sad and motley-looking, so Doris thought she needed more time.
“I said let me keep her till she’s presentable and somebody will want her,” Doris explained. “I understand the two that left have been happily adopted and Sadie is doing much better and her coat is filling in nicely.”
Having fosters during the coronavirus crisis has worked out well at the Briggs home and Doris encourages others to take in shelter dogs to help prepare them for their forever homes.
“The self-isolation that we are undergoing has been the perfect time to devote time to these darling little dogs,” she said.
Sadie will be available soon but she will need a secure and loving home so she can continue to bloom into a confident, healthy canine companion.
Times are changing and we don’t know what the future holds with this pandemic. Self-isolation is a very uncomfortable and lonely condition for all of us – not unlike the sad scenario that plays out for unwanted pets when they find themselves at a shelter.
We are blessed to have so many people responding to our pleas to foster and adopt. Please continue to follow us on social media and fotasaiken.org to see what pets are available. Also, be sure to check out the FOTAS Home to Home website. There are many available pets posted on this site that need new homes and can be adopted for no charge directly from their owners: https://fotas.home-home.org/.
As Doris stated so eloquently, this is the perfect time to devote to these pets in need.
Their lives are in our hands.
Note: Due to COVID-19, the ACAS is closed to the public. If you are interested in adopting, please call the ACAS, (803) 642-1537 for an appointment. Adoption fees are waived until further notice.
— By Kathy Jacobs, FOTAS Programs Coordinator
