A Day of Firsts

A Day of Firsts

By Joanna Samson, FOTAS Director

At 5 a.m. on March 3^rd, Sandy Larsen, the County’s Vet Tech, pulled into the parking lot of the new Aiken County Animal Shelter.  Because she was scheduled to feature a couple of the shelter’s residents at 6:20 a.m. on Channel 12, she was the first person to work that Monday morning.

It wasn’t just any Monday morning, however; it was the first day the County’s new shelter was open for business.  Sandy, who shares with Chief Animal Control Officer Bobby Arthurs the notable distinction of being the first and longest employee of the County shelter, was struck at once by the difference in the setting.

“The building was well-lit,” says Sandy, “warm, welcoming.  The old shelter was always dark that time of morning.”

“Then,” she continues, “as I walked from my car to the back door, it hit me.  I could see the dogs in their outside kennels in the Intake Wing.  Wow!  What a difference!  In the old shelter, the dogs would be inside barking like crazy because they were doubled or tripled up in a small crate and stepping on each other.  Here, they were quiet!  It was amazing.”

At 9 a.m., the first volunteers, Caroline Simonson and Sandra Procter, arrived to walk the dogs.  Caroline and Sandra have been FOTAS volunteers for years.  In fact, according to Jennifer Miller, the President of FOTAS, Caroline may well have been the first person to respond to her first calls for help at the shelter when FOTAS was formed in 2009.

When I asked Caroline about her impressions on that first morning, she too was struck by the remarkable change in the dogs.

“They were relaxed.  They each had their own kennel.  They weren’t fighting for space or defending their food.  They weren’t bored - they could lie outside in the fresh air and watch the world go by.”

“Plus,” says Caroline, “at the old shelter, there was one small play area with a dirt surface.  The new shelter has two large, grassy areas.  When we first released the dogs, they went wild with joy - rolling gleefully on the sod.  We couldn’t stop laughing.” 

By noon, all of the adoptable dogs were played-out, and peace had settled over the shelter.  The hounds were particularly happy to stretch out in the sun and snooze.

Then came the magical moment – the first adoption on the first day.  Brooke and Jacob Jones and their beautiful daughter, Charlotte, came to the shelter to look for a family dog. They found her:  Debbie, an affectionate black border collie crossbred with a white nose and a ton of personality.

“It was a perfect match,” says Annette van der Walt, the Shelter’s Adoption Coordinator.  “Debbie and Charlotte bonded immediately.  As Debbie piled into the car with her new humans, Brandon Anceume, the kind and perceptive shelter custodian who introduced the family to Debbie, and I high-fived each other and did the 'Happy' dance from the movie “Despicable Me.”

“It was silly,” says Annette, giggling, “but we were so, so happy.”

It’s a brand new day at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, so come on over: adopt, volunteer, or just visit.  We’d love to see you.

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 333 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”

Mar. 3, 2014 - Mar. 8, 2014

9 dogs and 1 cat adopted

Year to Date:  

91 terrific pets adopted

THANK YOU AIKEN COUNTY COMMUNITY!

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

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

LOLA   Shepherd mix,  female, 2 yrs old, 49 lbs  Only $70 

BEN STILLER  Domestic short hair -- male -- 7 yrs. old, 10 lbs  Only $35