“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: 42Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week”
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BRAVO
3 yrs old charming gentleman.
Only $35 includes shots & microchip.
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DUTCHESS
Bassett 1yr, 40 lbs.
Sweet and gentle.
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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.