Nearly every day we see examples of animal neglect, abuse and cruelty.
Dogs arrive at the Aiken County Animal Shelter with such horrors as collars and harnesses embedded in their skin because their owners never replaced them as they grew from puppies to adults. Cats come in with their eyes bulging and covered in pus because their owners didn’t take them to a vet for treatment of upper respiratory infection. Dogs and cats arrive with broken limbs that were never treated, causing them to heal incorrectly and creating lifelong mobility issues. (Sometimes these injuries require amputation.) Then you have the pets that come in with bullet wounds or pellet fragments lodged in their bodies.
Not all of the neglect and abuse is physical. Some of these animals arrive afraid of their own shadow because of the mental abuse they’ve experienced.
This cruelty needs to stop. But the only way to prevent it is through pet care education and punishment to those who treat their pets horribly. It also requires all of us to be more aware of animal cruelty and promptly report it when we see it. If you witness animal neglect or abuse, please call your local animal control agency as soon as possible. If you live in Aiken County, call (803) 502-9000, extension 3704. Or email enforcement@aikencountysc.gov.
Animal cruelty can be as evil as intentionally hurting or torturing an animal to just improperly feeding or caring for a pet due to ignorance.
To see evidence of past animal abuse and neglect, all you have to do is look at the medical records of some of the shelter’s current residents. There are a number of adoptable dogs at the shelter who have endured the cruel actions of humans, including:
Carson – This gentle mixed breed arrived with a severe head wound. He may have been hit by a blunt instrument. Six-year-old Carson is a cuddle bug loved by our volunteers.
Groot – Abandoned in a trailer, four-year-old Groot was skin and bones when a County Animal Code Enforcement officer rescued him. Since being at the shelter, he has learned to play with other dogs and developed into a confident pup.
Justice – This poor senior dog arrived with one of the worst embedded collars our vet has ever seen. Justice is so sweet and looking for a forever home.
Keanu & Keiki – These two-year-old siblings were tied up their entire lives and found without shelter, food or water. Good Samaritans called and reported the situation and now the dogs are healthy and looking for good homes.
Parker – This wonderful three-year-old mixed breed was found with an embedded harness. Now healed, Parker is playful and affectionate but would do best as an only pet.
Amazingly, all of these dogs have remained sweet and loving. They will make wonderful pets! Please come visit them at 333 Wire Road in Aiken, SC.
Their lives are in our hands.
By Bob Gordon, FOTAS Communications Director
By the Numbers: The Aiken County Animal Shelter received 379 Aiken County animals during the month of August, bringing the total to 3299 Aiken County animals so far this year.
