A Proud Community Partnership
By Joanna Dunn Samson, FOTAS Director
as seen in the "Aiken Standard" on January 5, 2013
The Friends of the Animal Shelter – Aiken County (FOTAS) is, by its very nature, a private charitable organization created for one purpose: to supplement the limited resources of the Aiken County Animal Shelter to improve the lives of the animals who are consigned to the County’s care.
The job of the Aiken County Animal Shelter is daunting. It provides animal control and adoption services for the largest County in the State of South Carolina. It is required by law to pick up stray dogs and cats and to accept all dogs and cats surrendered to the shelter by County residents and by City residents to the extent space is unavailable at designated City facilities. In 2012, the County took in 4800 animals, and the intake number for 2013 is expected to be equally distressing. Needless to say, the euthanasia numbers, by necessity, are haunting.
FOTAS takes its job as the private partner seriously. It created a large network of dedicated volunteers to help with the animals squeezed into the frightfully overcrowded shelter. It organizes off-site adoptions, foster care and transfers to no-kill facilities in other parts of the country. It organizes donations of food, blankets and funds to help the dedicated staff at the County shelter address the day-to-day needs of a facility strained way, way past its design limits.
Perhaps the proudest achievement of the County/FOTAS public/private partnership is the new shelter under construction on May Royal Drive that when complete in February, will meet modern standards for humane care for the thousands of homeless animals that pass through its doors.
FOTAS worked closely with the County every step of the way. It helped develop design criteria, funded the cost of the architectural plan ($125,000), and helped with the selection of the project architect.
FOTAS volunteer Bob Bye, serves as the project construction manager, saving the County an additional $30,000 dollars.
FOTAS has also funded the kennels, cage banks and equipment for the new shelter.
Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of this public/private effort has been the extent to which the community has rallied around – its generosity of spirit, resources, and donations to FOTAS and the thousands of unwanted animals in the County has been nothing short of breathtaking.
And of course, all of the countless, dedicated volunteers of all ages and all walks of life from the Aiken Community who walked dogs, played with cats, helped with adoptions, managed databases, created and managed the FOTAS website, Facebook Page and prepared blast emails, wrote thank you notes, and prepared mass mailings - these are the folks that form the bedrock upon which the County/FOTAS partnership thrives.
When the new County shelter opens next month, it won’t be flashy or grand, but it will be a healthy, humane shelter built by all of us in the Aiken community.
As well it should be. The new shelter will be able to manage the County’s current intake, but unless those numbers are reduced, all our noble efforts will be for naught. Success depends upon the collective commitment of the whole community to a robust spay/neuter program.
We at FOTAS believe the Aiken community is up to the task and the day is nearly at hand when more people will visit their community shelter to adopt or volunteer rather than to surrender their unwanted pets.
That day can’t come soon enough.
Join us in the next phase of our work. Contact us at www.FOTASAiken.org or call us at 803-514-4313 to see how you can make a difference.
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”
Dec. 23 - Dec. 28, 2013
16 dogs and 4 cats adopted
Year to Date:
742 terrific pets adopted
THANK YOU AIKEN COUNTY COMMUNITY!
**All adoption fees include: spay/neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip.
TEXAS Hound, male, 3 1/2 yrs old, 36 lbs Only $70
SHYRA Domestic medium hair -- female -- 6 yrs old, 12 lbs Only $35
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Your comments and input are always welcome. We appreciate any suggestions or thoughts that will help FOTAS with their goal to help the Aiken County Animal Shelter become a happy, healthy place that never has to euthanize an adoptable pet.