From The Aiken Standard
Submitted article FOTAS foster volunteers give their time freely
What kind of person can bring a litter of puppies, often with the nursing momma, into their home and then six to 12 weeks later surrender them back to the shelter?
The Aiken County Animal Shelter depends on these people to save the lucky few out of hundreds of puppies that come through its door in any given year. Obligated to take every unwanted dog and cat in Aiken County, no matter the condition, the shelter cannot assure a healthy environment for unvaccinated pups. If any are to have a chance, they need to be fostered. And that's what FOTAS volunteers Pam, Birgit and Marcia do; they foster puppies and, amazingly, they do it over and over again.
Pam saw an ad in the paper seven years ago: "Mollie's Militia needs your help now."
The Aiken County Animal Shelter depends on these people to save the lucky few out of hundreds of puppies that come through its door in any given year. Obligated to take every unwanted dog and cat in Aiken County, no matter the condition, the shelter cannot assure a healthy environment for unvaccinated pups. If any are to have a chance, they need to be fostered. And that's what FOTAS volunteers Pam, Birgit and Marcia do; they foster puppies and, amazingly, they do it over and over again.
Pam saw an ad in the paper seven years ago: "Mollie's Militia needs your help now."
"Hey, I'd like to do this," was her response. And so it began with two puppies. Then three, and at one point she had 30 dogs she was fostering, 10 of which were pups. She's fostered and placed over 600 dogs.
She'd go out every single Saturday, sometimes with signs that read, "Our time is up. Please save us." Pam's voice fills with passion as she describes her "Carolina Ditch Dogs," like they are a rare breed. She's had to replace her carpet from making sure her pups are house-trained. Her dedication is breathtaking.
"It's mutt city for me," she declares with pride.
Birgit, too, got started with Mollie's Militia almost 11 years ago when she adopted a puppy. Then she got a little fence, and told herself, "Hey, I can do this."
She got some more puppies to foster and kept another one. Then she was fostering everything: abuse cases, mental cases, hard-to-place cases and mothers with litters; not all of them would make it. Eventually, she ended up with eight dogs of her own and was feeling a little burned out; that is, until she heard about FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter's volunteer program.
Birgit and Pam, friends and partners in the dog rescue business for years, claim a long held soft spot in their hearts for the Aiken County Animal Shelter; but not Marcia.
One bad experience and Marcia spent 11 years telling people to stay away from the county shelter. Then she, too, heard about the need for help, accompanied by the promise, "If you foster the puppies, as long as they are healthy, we won't put them down."
Marcia took two 6-week-old pups for six weeks; then a mother and two puppies; then an escape artist mom with seven puppies.
"They have a chance in life because I got them ready," said Marcia, who now calls it "tithing her time."
"It's almost like an addiction," whispers Birgit like a prayer, "because it just makes you feel so good."
And Pam's husband warned her, "If you adopt one, you have to quit." So she gives them up, each of the pups she has lovingly raised, because it is like a calling, and she can't quit.
FOTAS volunteers work with the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 411 Wire Road. For more information, e-mail info@fotasaiken.org or visit www.fotasaiken.org.
She'd go out every single Saturday, sometimes with signs that read, "Our time is up. Please save us." Pam's voice fills with passion as she describes her "Carolina Ditch Dogs," like they are a rare breed. She's had to replace her carpet from making sure her pups are house-trained. Her dedication is breathtaking.
"It's mutt city for me," she declares with pride.
Birgit, too, got started with Mollie's Militia almost 11 years ago when she adopted a puppy. Then she got a little fence, and told herself, "Hey, I can do this."
She got some more puppies to foster and kept another one. Then she was fostering everything: abuse cases, mental cases, hard-to-place cases and mothers with litters; not all of them would make it. Eventually, she ended up with eight dogs of her own and was feeling a little burned out; that is, until she heard about FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter's volunteer program.
Birgit and Pam, friends and partners in the dog rescue business for years, claim a long held soft spot in their hearts for the Aiken County Animal Shelter; but not Marcia.
One bad experience and Marcia spent 11 years telling people to stay away from the county shelter. Then she, too, heard about the need for help, accompanied by the promise, "If you foster the puppies, as long as they are healthy, we won't put them down."
Marcia took two 6-week-old pups for six weeks; then a mother and two puppies; then an escape artist mom with seven puppies.
"They have a chance in life because I got them ready," said Marcia, who now calls it "tithing her time."
"It's almost like an addiction," whispers Birgit like a prayer, "because it just makes you feel so good."
And Pam's husband warned her, "If you adopt one, you have to quit." So she gives them up, each of the pups she has lovingly raised, because it is like a calling, and she can't quit.
FOTAS volunteers work with the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 411 Wire Road. For more information, e-mail info@fotasaiken.org or visit www.fotasaiken.org.
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