Lisa is One in a Million and We Have Her at Our County Shelter

“First, you need to know how hard it is to find a vet tech who will work in an animal shelter,” was Sandy Larsen’s response to the question about Lisa’s first three months at the Aiken County Shelter.  Sandy has been a shelter vet tech for 30 years.

Sandy was frank about the reason; it’s all the animals that they have to euthanized.  Then of course they have to work most weekends, and the nature of that work has a component of unremitting chaos.

Lisa Temples started her job as the other veterinary technician with the County Shelter the beginning of August.  

Lisa represents another example of the magic at work among those who have taken on the challenge of creating an Aiken County Animal Services Department that represents the pride and responsibility we take in our community.  In addition to an adequate shelter facility, that means people who are willing and able to do one of the most emotionally stressful jobs any animal-lover could imagine.

Lisa has been around animals her whole life.  Her grandfather raised beagles and her family had emus, and other exotic critters. She and her husband have two dogs.

In her interview, Lisa was asked about her attitude towards euthanasia, a responsibility that came with the position.  She had been working at a nursing facility while getting her vet tech certification, so she was no stranger to death, but now she was going to be its agent.

She couldn’t like it, but she could do it, was her response. 

Lisa was also willing to drive the 20 miles to work from Leesville every day.  She’d ruffled feathers at a previous job for being early, so it is no surprise that she will be in the parking lot at 7:45 ready to begin work at 8:00.

Lisa is not all that interested in talking about herself, but she has a wonderful way with the public.  People who get her on the phone can sense that they have someone on the other end of the line who is prepared to help.  Just last week her boss, Bobby Arthurs, got a letter of commendation and appreciation for just such service. 

Jan, the dispatcher notices that Lisa is always busy.  When she finishes one task, she immediately looks for something else to do, even if it was something from which one of her co-workers was pulled away.

Sandy says that for the first time in her working memory she feels like she can go away on vacation, because Lisa is there.  That is after being in the job for three months, in a county facility that is too small to serve even the most basic of its functions effectively.

 

Lisa Temples is everything we need and more than we deserve under current working conditions.  With her contribution to an esprit de corps among the staff, which is miraculous in that environment, one can only imagine how it will be in an adequate facility. 

FOTAS invites you to join the team.

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER to help the abandoned animals from Aiken and Edgefield Counties in SC, 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”

For October 17th thru 23rd   

Dogs taken in: 79

Cats taken in: 38                        

Dogs adopted: 11

Cats adopted: 0

Dogs euthanized: 54

Cats euthanized: 42

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week”

BRAVO

 3 yrs old charming gentleman.   

Only $35 includes shots & microchip.

 

DUTCHESS 

Bassett 1yr, 40 lbs. 

Sweet and gentle.

 

Top 10 Spay/Neuter Myths

Reprint from the ARFF Website (Animal Rights Foundation of Florida)

Top 10 Spay/Neuter Myths
 
10. Spaying/neutering my dog or cat will change her/his personality.
Spaying or neutering your animal will make him/her less frustrated and more tranquil. Two changes for the better! 

9. Spaying/neutering my animal will make her/him fat and lazy.
Too much food and not enough exercise will cause weight gain, spaying/neutering will not!

8. A female dog should have at least one litter for health reasons.
There is just no scientific evidence to back this claim. Instead, the research shows that spaying your dog/cat greatly reduces the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer and uterine infection, which are common occurrences in unspayed females.

7. I couldn’t look my animal in the eye if I had her/him spayed/neutered.
Your animal will be able to look you in the eyes for a lot longer if she/he is spayed/neutered. Spayed/neutered animals on average live longer!

6. It’s not natural.
Maybe. But, the bigger concern has to be the hundreds of thousands of animals being killed at shelters because there simply are not enough homes for all of them. Think birth control v. killing unwanted puppies and kittens.

5. My dog/cat is so cute and unique; there should be more of her/him.
Animal shelters are full of cute and unique dogs and cats, most with only a few days left to live. If you think you can help find homes for animals, PLEASE, volunteer with your local shelter and help find homes for those who are already here.

4. I want the children to witness the miracle of birth.
There are many excellent videos on the subject that won’t result in adding yet another litter to the existing population of homeless dogs and cats in our community.

3. We will find homes for all the puppies/kittens.
Do you really know where your animal’s offspring are? And the offspring’s offspring are? The current companion animal overpopulation crises demands that we halt the breeding of dogs and cats until we can find homes for those who are already here.

2. My dog/cat doesn’t run loose, so she/he doesn’t need to be fixed.
Murphy’s Law says otherwise— anything that can go wrong will. Please don’t let your dog or cat be a possible number in the companion animal overpopulation equation. Be certain. Spay/neuter.

1. Just one litter won’t hurt.
An unaltered female dog, her mate, and all of their puppies and their puppies puppies, if none are ever spayed or neutered, add up to 16 dogs in 1 year; 128 in 2 years; 512 in 3 years; 2,048 in 4 years; 12,288 in 5 years; and 67,000 in 6 years (similar numbers apply to cats.)

(information from SpayUSA.).

Dog Up for Adoption at Shelter Wins Aiken's Buck-a-Like Contest

From The Aiken Standard
By HALEY HUGHES - Staff writer

Border collie mix Bandit is the winner of the Buck-a-Like contest, which was promoted by the month-long Aiken Wild Read program.

The contest sought a dog who most resembles Buck, the protagonist in Jack London's "Call of the Wild," a domesticated canine who is stolen from his owner and trained as a sled dog. Buck, a St. Bernard/Scots shepherd mix, learns to draw on the primitive instincts of his ancestors to become the dominant dog in the sledding pack. At the end of the book, Buck answers the "call of the wild" by joining a wolf pack.

Bandit was nominated by veterinarian Sybil Davis, who owns Aiken Pet Fitness & Rehabilitation, after she read about the contest.

"Bandit, like Buck, is part herding dog and possibly St. Bernard. He is thick boned, strong, with a wide head and an alert, intelligent expression. He, too, has come on hard times. He is a fun dog who is maintaining his love and trust for people," Davis wrote.

Bandit was picked up as a stray and, as of Friday, was available for adoption at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. He is neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped.

"He is high-energy, very intelligent," said Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) Vice President Mary Lou Welch. "He is very representative of all the beautiful dogs out there FOTAS supports."
The winning $50 cash prize was donated to FOTAS, which promotes successful adoptions and spay/neuter, coordinates fundraising and raises awareness for the homeless animals at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

Bandit's new owners will receive a copy of "Call of the Wild."

"Bandit opens the door for a lot of other animals," said Bobby Arthurs, chief enforcement officer with Aiken County Animal Control.

The Aiken Woman's Club and the Aiken County Public Library partnered with several community leaders and organizations in Aiken Wild Read. Based on the National Endowment for the Arts nationwide program, The Big Read, this month has been full of activities, events, public readings and the Buck-a-Like contest.

Bandit's adoption fee is $35. He walks well on a leash and should be only pet in the household, Arthurs said.

For more information on Bandit, call 642-1537 or visit the shelter at 411 Wire Road.