“Figures don’t lie, and liars don’t figure.”
That old expression is important when we quantify the accomplishments over the years at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. This success story is a result of the continuous dedication of the shelter staff, FOTAS cherished volunteers, our county government, and a change in attitude throughout Aiken County.
FOTAS was formed in 2009 when the intake and euthanasia rates at the shelter were, putting it mildly, horrible. In 2014, because of the tremendous private/public relationship in the county, the much-needed new shelter was built.
Let’s take a look at some comparisons between 2013 (the year before the new shelter) and 2020:
As you can see, too many animals still end up at the shelter as strays or surrenders, but the trend is (finally!) downward. Three specific reasons account for this downward trend.
1. TNR/RTF (Trap, Neuter, Return/Return-To-Field). Homeless, outdoor, community cats are trapped and brought to the shelter by a citizen. The cats are fixed at the shelter through the sponsorship of FOTAS and the County, and then returned to their natural habitat. Spaying or neutering just one male and one female cat can prevent more than 2,000 unwanted births in just four years. The County began its TNR/RTF program in 2016. In 2020, 1,410 cats participated in this program.
2. Home-To-Home. FOTAS began its Home-to-Home program in 2019, where animal owners who can no longer keep their pet can go to the FOTAS website and promote their pet for re-homing free of charge. This program allows the pet to be adopted directly from the original owner to the new one, eliminating the trauma and stress (both owner and pet) of having to surrender a beloved friend to a public shelter.
3. Spay/Neuter. More pet owners are fixing their pets. The County and FOTAS make it easier for citizens with financial need to fix their pets through their spay/neuter voucher and Fido-Fix-A-Pet programs.
While the number of animals adopted, transferred to no-kill partner shelters, and returned to their owners have steadily increased, the changes in the number of animals saved or euthanized tells the most important story:
• In 2020, the number of animals saved increased by 2,481, an increase of 149%.
• In 2020, the number of animals euthanized decreased by 3,483, a decrease of 96%. Only 144 animals were euthanized in 2020 because they were too sick to treat or too dangerous/aggressive.
These two statistics speak for volumes about the dedicated support of the volunteers, fosters, donors, adopters, and shelter staff, as well County Council’s commitment to the betterment of the County Shelter and the animals in need in our community. All the lifesaving programs, all the cooperation, and all the love is working. On behalf of the homeless animals of Aiken County, THANK YOU!
Their lives are in our hands.
— By Jennifer Miller, FOTAS President
