FOTAS Bunch Saving One Animal at a Time

Form The Aiken Standard

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This week, let's look at the bright side.

There's a bright side? Yes, brightness emanates from the plight of far too many abandoned, neglected and abused animals, all generated by our growing Friends of the Animal Shelter community.

Let's start with Patty. She had enough problems with a broken down truck, trying to get home; she didn't need to come across the two strays running along the road, but she stopped. While she waited for Animal Control, she worried about the fate of the beautiful, black dogs - obvious sisters - so she called FOTAS.

FOTAS reassured her that there were things she could do to save the dogs. When the officer arrived, the dogs pressed into Patty's leg, and Patty knew that she would do what she could.

Five days later, the two lucky sisters were adopted, together.

Then there was Skidmark. What a name for a dog, but he earned it honestly while jousting with traffic. The officer who went to collect him had to stop so suddenly that he left rubber on the road.

When Skidmark arrived at the shelter, he cowered flat against the floor. The only way the volunteers could take him out for a walk was to either drag or carry him. Things did not look good for Skidmark's adoptability.

Caroline, a FOTAS adoption counselor, dedicated herself to earning Skidmark's trust. Day by day, she taught the dog to walk with her down to the play yard on a leash. He, too, is on his way to a forever home.

When toy poodle Matty Flea was surrendered to the shelter, there was no telling what kind of animal, beside the fleas, was inside the lifetime of mats that layered his entire tiny body.

It took FOTAS volunteers more than five hours over three days to liberate the 5-pound poodle from his prison of neglect. Through the arduous process of cautious clipping, a terribly timid creature blossomed into a playful, affectionate pet.

After a couple of weeks in foster care, Matty Flea, now "Maximus," reigns as prince of his new home, and he romps with friends in doggy day care while his mom teaches school.

We have recently written of Maya, who came so close to a home in New England until an untreated injury sent her in another direction. As Maya's rehabilitation progresses, we have intrepid Nemo, who is in foster care awaiting surgery to correct a birth defect. His foster sister, tiny Nora, needed emergency treatment for a head injury after seeing a vet for chronic diarrhea earlier that day. Poor thing.

The bright side is that all of these animals are in good hands and will soon be fit for their forever homes.

The message is that FOTAS needs your help, and there are so many ways you can give. Donate to the new FOTAS Magic Medical Fund, become an approved foster home, volunteer at the shelter and, most importantly, help us make the new Aiken County Animal Shelter an imminent reality.

FOTAS volunteers work with the Aiken County Animal Shelter, 411 Wire Road. For more information, email info@fotasaiken.org or visit www.fotasaiken.org.