The Shelter’s New Hire is a Cat Lady and Much More

Before Jesse, cats waiting to go from quarantine into “C.A.T.S.,” the shelter’s adoptable cat colony, would get sick and be euthanized.  Jesse Marie Falcon was chosen to fill the only new position authorized in Aiken County last year, Custodian/Adoption Counselor at the Aiken County Shelter, bringing the full-time shelter staff to four, plus two inmates.  She started on September 20th.

“I’ve always loved animals,” she says, “When I was younger (she’s 22), I wanted to be a veterinarian, until I learned how long you gotta go to school.” She has an easy laugh.  Now she hopes to return to Aiken Tech for its vet tech certificate.

“I love cats.  Well, I love dogs and cats, but I’m mainly a cat person.”  Jesse lives with 5 neutered male cats, a “talkative” female cat, a 4-month-old Rotty-mix pup from the shelter who thinks she’s a cat, her 6-year-old son, and her boyfriend.

When asked the difference between a cat person and dog person, she says, “Cats like me better…we connect more.”   She thinks again and laughs, “Cats are more mature than dogs.”

Jesse’s path to her current position was almost as miraculous as the fact that it was created.  She had done community service for a DUI at the shelter and impressed the Chief and Senior Vet Tech with her performance.  When the position came available she had been looking for work for over 8 months.
“It was bad,” Jesse says, “not even McDonald’s would call me back.”

Not so many of the shelter cats are getting sick anymore, now that they are under Jesse’s care.  The “Cat Closet,” or quarantine room where the cats are held for a minimum of 5 days, was given a deep cleaning and she maintains it and its residents.  She also cleans the office and C.A.T.S., and shows any animal to people looking to adopt.

Jesse sees all the court cases: cats near death, so thin and weak they have to be fed a liquid diet, then canned food.  One was finally adopted, she recalls, as if it were another miracle.

Twenty-six were recently confiscated from a hoarder.

“When they came in they were too weak to clean themselves, like they’d given up.  You couldn’t get near most of them,” Jesse says, “You can touch them now.  They’re not coughing, and their eyes aren’t all gooey.”  Sadly, unless adopted, they still will die.

According to Jesse, the black cats in C.A.T.S. are the most loving, even more than the calicoes and tabbies, but some people…

“They see them and say, ‘Ooh, I gotta leave!’ and walk right out again,” she says.

Nick and Chief, jet black with big green eyes, unrelated “twins” that only Jesse can distinguish, take turns in her lap.

“I love this job; I really do,” she says stroking one of them, “its way better than any job I ever had.”

 Jesse is a blessing to our shelter.  You can thank her by adopting a cat; better yet, make it two.  

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 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”

“Cat Stats” for 2011

Total Cats Received:  2,169 (approx.)

Average in C.A.T.S. colony: 20

Adoptions:  142 cats

Euthanized: 2,019 cats (93%)

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

JUNE BUG 

This Lab/Terrier  is a doll. 2 yrs and 39lbs of pure love. $70 includes shots, neuter, microchip.

CHLOE 

Gorgeous peach Persian mix.   

10 yrs young and already spayed, she’ll settle in with a grateful purr.