In the seven months since FOTAS started our Home to Home Program, we have found homes for more than 110 animals.
That is 110 dogs and cats that did not come through the Aiken County Animal Shelter’s doors. That’s 110 animals who went from a loving home that could no longer provide for them or keep them, to a loving home that could. Had those animals come to the Shelter instead, they would have suffered a much different experience.
Odds are they would have ultimately found another loving home, because our save rate is now consistently over 90 percent, but before that happened, they would have been kept in an unfamiliar cage, frightened by other barking and noisy animals. Chances are they would have cowered when potential adopters came by. They may have greeted them, or they may have refused to come forward and reduced their own chances of adoption. The shelter volunteers would come every day to walk dogs and play with cats, and some lucky few will spend time in a foster home, but as they say there’s nothing like home – your own home.
Home to Home is free to use, free to adopt and we’ve had some wonderful success stories. One such story featured Dirty, a poor German shorthair chained to a tree and abandoned when her owner moved away. Rescued by some kind neighbors, Dirty found a wonderful new home two hours after being posted on FOTAS’ Facebook page and on the Home to Home site. Her horrible plight touched a kind woman’s soul. Pictures the next day showed Dirty living the life she should have always had, stretched out on a porch and asleep on a couch. Hopefully, soon her previous circumstances will be like a bad dream.
Dirty, a dog chained to a tree and rescued by good Samaritans, found a forever home within hours of being posted on the FOTAS Facebook page and Home to Home website.
Owners may be forced to give up their pet due to a move, facing a severe illness, or a death in the family. There have been owners that ultimately decide their family may not be the right home for their pet because they don’t have the time to spend with them that the animal deserves.
A month after posting the animal, I follow up with the owners to see if they’ve found a new home and those that have not are re-posted. Sometimes the second time is truly the charm and someone new sees the post and responds.
Not all animals are adopted and some ultimately end up being surrendered to the shelter. However, every animal kept out of the shelter is not only saved from that stressful situation, but also frees up space for a stray or abused animal without another choice.
There are many reasons a family may choose to give up an animal, but most who ultimately want the best for their pets find the Home to Home program a welcome relief. I’ve had some heartwarming thank you notes from owners so happy to see their pet go to a home more suited for their needs. To see available pets for adoption, please go to fotas.home-home.org.
Their lives are in our hands.
— By Ellen Priest, FOTAS Board Member and Home to Home Coordinator
