Sunday, April 21, 2013

One Essential Volunteer Tells Why


Her name is Linda. We like to honor our special volunteers by highlighting them here.  These are Linda’s own words in response to, “Who are you, and why do you do it?”

“I manage the ever-changing FOTAS website and its sidekick, Facebook. I have Marketing background, and have created a few websites in the past, plus I have numerous dogs, cats and equines in a happy jumble. I am disabled so must limit my activities, especially those that require concentration.

I moved south hoping to heal some, better care for myself and not do the volume of volunteer work I did previously while still working. It can be overwhelming, yet the most rewarding experience. Just find a cause that really matters to you.

What is it about the South? I love it here so much and thank God every day I look out my window. I find such peace, happiness and beauty here. Yet, I have never seen such an overwhelming number of abandoned animals, obviously intact or having had several litters of pups. It’s like the Caribbean used to be 20 years ago. FOTAS taught me that Aiken County Animal Shelter alone takes in over 5000 unwanted animals a year!

One encounter with the President of FOTAS and I was hooked by such positivity and willingness to help an anxious soul who had, yet again, found several dogs along the road. Already overwhelmed with animals, what could I do?

The officers of FOTAS have inspired me, I have worked with two regularly, sometimes side-by-side at events. How could I not volunteer when they give countless hours, day and night, dedicated to the abandoned and neglected animals of Aiken County? They will do anything to help save a life. They are intelligent, driven, energetic, and, above all, positive about the changes they can make. They are the women I want to be when I grow up.

Yes, I take care of the website, try to make it easy to follow, hope to encourage people to donate or give of their time. I have set up donate buttons for one-time or monthly donations hoping that people will have $5 or $10 a month deducted automatically from their account dedicated to our new shelter, spay/neuter, transport north.  They can even get a documentary DVD about an Aiken Shelter therapy dog just by donating $10 to FOTAS.

Why do I devote so many hours to this cause? Is it because once I start something I enjoy doing I can’t stop until I get it right? Am I avoiding finishing my taxes or doing housework? I could be reading a book, talking on the phone, checking Facebook, or riding my horse! I do all those things anyway, but when FOTAS calls, I drop everything I can and give my best. My commitment to FOTAS volunteers and our FOTAS community is with me constantly, because there is always the chance, if I do my best, that one more life will be saved.”

Young or old, families or groups, come to the shelter, help at or support an event or volunteer behind the scenes. There is always something to do to make a difference. 
 Please, find your own way to help.
FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.  For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on line at www.fotasaiken.org

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”


April 8th thru 14th   

Received: 28 dogs and 26 cats
Adopted: 15 dogs and 2 cat
Euthanized:  39 dogs and 21 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

MUFFIN -  1 yr.  22 lbs.  Silky Terrier mix. Another Sweet, sweet girl!  Only $70



LUCY 1 yr.  Green-eyed calico.  Soft and sweet for a good lap.  Only $35!

 


*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip.











Thursday, April 11, 2013

Snoopy Daniels and Lessons of Love

In lieu of an interview, Dineen Daniels wrote the following piece.  She and her children are huge supporters of our Aiken County Animal Shelter.

 "There is no greater legacy to leave than a beating heart that would not have had a chance had it not been for you." - unknown

 It was a Wednesday afternoon and my three children wanted to make our routine visit to help the animals at the Aiken County Shelter.

Parker volunteering at the Shelter

 While deciding which dogs needed walking, we came upon a large dog recently surrendered; roughly a year old, emaciated, with every rib exposed.  

  
To make matters worse, the dog had tested heartworm positive and was to be euthanized in two days. The children looked at the big dog with their huge sense of empathy and said that he had kind eyes. They asked if he was gentle, and were told that he seemed friendly, but, as he was not destined for the adoption aisle, no one knew for sure.
  
Often my children place their hands gently against the dogs’ cages to test how kid-friendly they are. But on this occasion, as this dog was a large intact male, I decided to enter his kennel instead.  

I entered. He sat and nuzzled his nose between my legs.  

In that moment, we decided to save this dog.  We were able to arrange a transfer for this dog to our vet and neighbor, and six months later “Snoopy” was heartworm free and a brand new dog. 
Josh and Snoopy
Over the last hear-and-a-half, Snoopy has bonded deeply with my children.  When they leave for school, he sits patiently on our front porch.  With over sixty acres on which to run and roam, he prefers a stoic vigil until they return and then wiggles with ecstasy when they arrive. Snoopy sleeps in twelve-year-old Josh’s bed at night and his waking hours are spent demonstrating his love for the children who saved his life.

We are an approved foster home for Aiken County Animal Shelter.  Fostering dogs and puppies has created a passion for animals and a deep awareness of the importance of love and the responsibility to care for living beings that cannot care for themselves.
 
Bailey and Foster Pup
The connection that emerges between a shelter animal and a child is deep and immensely gratifying.  My children’s creed has become:  "Forget the zoo. Let’s go walk the dogs and pet the cats at the County Shelter," and on their birthdays, “Let's ask for donations for the animals instead of gifts."
We thank the Aiken County Animal Shelter for trusting us to help rescue those who wouldn't have had a second chance, especially our amazing and beloved dog Snoopy!


Dineen and Shelter Pup

  

And as a parent, I thank God for blessing my children:  Josh (12), Parker (9), Bailey (7),  with their deep sense of empathy garnered from the life lessons with abandoned, neglected and abused animals. 

They know about the desperate need to spay and neuter; in fact, it would not surprise me if they all grew up to be vets!



      Please consider fostering.  





FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.  For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on line at www.fotasaiken.org  

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”


April 1st thru 7th   

Received: 51 dogs and 21 cats
Adopted: 9 dogs and 1 cat
Euthanized:  34 dogs and 24 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 


HARMONY Young adult Siamese mix with big blue eyes.  Purr-fect for  the cat lover!  Only $35! 

 

 


ROBERTA -1 yr. Pitt/Terrier mix. “Little Rascals” Petey look-alike.  Sweet, sweet girl! Only $70
 




























*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

How Broadway Sang for the New County Shelter

To say FOTAS’ mission has been blessed these last four years is understated.  The quest has been to help Aiken County provide our community with a public animal shelter that is a healthy, happy place, seeking never to euthanize an adoptable pet.  The whole process has been steeped in magic, and last Saturday is another example.

It began in January with some friends off to the Carlyle CafĂ© in New York to see a family member perform. Two of those travelers happened to be on a FOTAS committee working feverishly to raise the money needed to “Fit, Furnish and Finish” the new Aiken County Animal Shelter.

The “family member” performing was none other than Broadway star, Howard McGillin, best known for his record setting performance in the title role of “The Phantom of the Opera.”  Somewhere in that journey north, the idea emerged to ask Howard to come to Aiken and perform for a private fund-raiser for the shelter.

Not only did Howard agree, but he brought his longtime friend and award-winning composer, Joseph Thalken, to accompany him on the piano.  

As the event took shape and the guest list was assembled, the evening expanded to honor some of FOTAS’ most dedicated volunteers and supporters.  Invitees were offered the opportunity to send pictures of their pets.  A slide presentation incorporated these very personal examples of why we do what we do to support the FOTAS mission. 

The slide presentation also educated the audience with visual evidence of the dire conditions at the current shelter.  Prior to the music, Committee Chair, Joanna Dunn Samson, showed the rusted vents, the peeling paint, the overcrowded cages, but even more critical, the facility’s inability to quarantine sick animals in its open floor plan with open-trench sewage drains running past all the pens.  

The watercolor elevations of the new shelter design lifted spirits and set the stage for the show.  Howard’s performance consisted of eleven show tunes interspersed with delightful anecdotes about singing for the Queen Mother in London and being flown on a private jet to sing for a private party by Donald Trump.  Howard McGillin gave the audience multiple excuses for rousing applause.  He is a master of his craft.

In addition to the performance, the evening included a cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, a sumptuous buffet dinner, wine and endless desserts.  Much of the cost was either donated or discounted and FOTAS wants to add their heartfelt appreciation to: Joanna and David Samson, Richard Samson, Alexandra S. Thomas, Stoplight Catering, All-Star Rentals, Diaggio-Guinness Distributers, Jo Mayer, David Trachtenberg and especially Howard McGillin and Joseph Thalken.
A special shout out goes to Tom Bossard. As Joanna's "right hand man", he handled himself with grace and generosity.  He took care of all the food and rental arrangements, set up for the party and worked out the invitations and programs with her.  He also picked up and used his decorating skills to arrange incredibly stunning center pieces for the tables. The ultimate partner and typical FOTAS volunteer, he never asked for anything; he never complained. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful volunteers who give so much of themselves each day!

Not everyone can recruit a Broadway star to help raise the money we need to “Fit, Furnish & Finish” our community shelter, but there are many ways we all can contribute.  There are adult and children’s “Giving Parties,”  the Girl Scout help, golf tournaments by golfers, silent auctions and equestrian events, and, of course, Woofstock, to name a few.

The magic is in just thinking of a way to help and then just doing it.

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.  For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on line at www.fotasaiken.org

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”


March 26th thru 31st  

Received: 32 dogs and 7 cats
Adopted: 3 dogs and 3 cats
Euthanized:  21 dogs and 11 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

MIMI - 11 months .  She is a lovely hound with energy and heart!  Only $70

 

ARA Young adult Siamese mix.  Bright eyes, bright mind.  Only $35!

 

 

 

*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip!

 

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Sylvia and Duke, an Odd Love Story


Sylvia and her two children had always had four dogs because there used to be Apple.  Sylvia found Apple on the road, and it was hard to tell who rescued who, and then Apple died suddenly leaving Sylvia devastated.

Sylvia’s best friend repeatedly dragged her to the County Shelter to find a replacement, but the hole in Sylvia’s heart left by Apple could not be filled. 

Then one day last fall, Sylvia got an urgent call.  A foster home was needed for Duke.  “Send me a picture,” she said.  She took one look, and drove out to the County Shelter to pick him up.

It was not love at first sight.  Duke, a large brown and white pit mix, had had his own share of woe and offered no opening for Sylvia to connect with him, no eye contact, no tail wag.  “It was as if his heart had been broken, too,” she says.

At home, Sylvia showed Duke the basics: food, water, dog door, where to poop, and where to sleep.  It was cold that night and Duke would not come in.  Sylvia picked the large dog up and carried him in to her bed.  He slept next to her all night.

The next morning there was no eye contact, no tail wag, and Sylvia decided to take Duke with her and her shepherd Roxy for a run.  After he dragged her all over the neighborhood she broke out the pieces of hotdogs, cheese, cookies and treats and went to work. 

Sylvia taught Duke to heel, sit, stay, come, even come, stop and sit.  “He was so awesome!” she says, “It was like he was turning himself inside out to hear someone say, ‘Good dog!’  But I still had this disconnected feeling from him.  Like he had loved someone and knew it wasn’t me.” 

Duke would sleep at her feet under the desk while she worked. Duke would go wake up the kids with his tail wagging.  Sylvia took him to work and heard what a great dog he was.  Duke even learned how to obey sign language Sylvia’s daughter learned at school. 

Sylvia wanted to keep him, but it wasn’t working for Roxy, or the four-pound rescued Chihuahua, Chi-Chi, not really.  This big male dog was coming out of his shell and Sylvia felt that it was too much to ask of them.  It wasn’t fair.

But Duke had a spark in his eye and his tail wagged.  He liked people again.  She wrote a letter about her time with Duke, how they had seen each other through a really rough patch, and with a heavy heart she put him on a transfer to Massachusetts, where Duke finally found his forever home.

Now Sylvia and the kids are fostering seven pups born at their house six weeks ago, and having a ball.  Her nine-year-old son named them all from the Spiderman movie. “The puppies are for my kids,” Sylvia says, “Duke was for me.”   Fostering shelter animals brings gifts of life.
FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.  For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on line at www.fotasaiken.org
 

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”


March 11th thru 17th

Received: 43 dogs and 42 cats
Adopted: 8 dogs and 2 cats
Euthanized:  22 dogs and 15 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

-->
HEIDI  1 year old, petite little sweetheart. Purrfect for any lap.  Green eyes! Only $35!
--> CHARLIE – 1.5 yrs. 64 lbs. Shepherd mix.  He is ready to be someone’s new best friend for $70

 




















  *All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip!