One Citizen, One Program, and a Step Forward for Spay/Neuter

If you cringe at “By the Numbers,” or don’t even look, 70 dogs were euthanized week-before-last at the County Shelter.  In one day, thirty-five homeless dogs came in.  The staff is scrambling to find foster homes while bursting with unwanted mama cats with kittens.  The SPCA received a transfer of one cat with a litter of ten! 

When intake numbers explode, with the obligation to receive them all, not nearly enough space, and the requirement to keep strays for five days, too many potentially lovely pets have to die.  We can’t adopt out, transfer, or house indefinitely, so many animals. Not even a new shelter can fix that.

If Aiken County Animal Services were to join the top echelon of community shelters around the country that don’t euthanize adoptable pets, it will be due to aggressive spay/ neuter programs, essential components of an appropriate animal shelter.  There is no other way to bring the intake numbers down to a level where animals that come in stand a reasonable chance of finding a good home.

Last year the veterinary community of Aiken County rose to the occasion with their Stomp Out Strays Program, contributing their services for spay/neuter to pet owners needing financial assistance.  The demand soon overtook their capacity.

Aiken County dedicates $30,000 dollars each fiscal year to subsidize spay/neuter with the County Spay/Neuter Voucher Program.  The shelter makes the vouchers available at the first of each month, and there are never enough.

Even with the spay/neuter assistance programs funded by Aiken County and private organizations such as SPCA, too many pet owners, especially those in rural areas, do not know about, how to qualify for, or cannot even pay the minimal fees necessary to take advantage of the assistance. 

Then along came Carol, a woman who cared enough about this problem to try and address it, and who backed up her commitment with personal funds to get a program started.  She called her initiative SNAP: Spay Neuter Assistance Program.  Since January, SNAP inaugurated collaboration between FOTAS, the County Shelter, and the Aiken SPCA, who administer the funds.  The SPCA provides its own vouchers to the county shelter, which added its own innovation: most of the SNAP vouchers are handled directly by the county officers in the field.

Animal control officers have direct contact with the neediest households to benefit from spay/neuter financial assistance, especially those with multiple animals.  Until SNAP, the officers could only refer them to one of the existing programs. 

Chief Enforcement Officer Bobby Arthurs recommended providing the SNAP vouchers to his officers so they could give them directly where needed.  

Since January, 75 vouchers have been distributed.  Of those, 24 surgeries have been performed at SPCA and 33 more surgeries are scheduled.

Carol cared enough to start SNAP.  We need your help to keep it going.  As of this summer the SPCA will be able to do 1000 surgeries a month.   Imagine the possibility!  If this is your issue, send FOTAS a check with “SNAP” in the “For” line, or go to the FOTAS website under “Donate.”

 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”

For April 9 thru 15, 2012 

Received: 58 dogs and 31 cats

Adoptions:  13 dogs and 3 cats

Euthanized:  70 dogs and 21 cats

Aiken County Animal Shelter Pets of the Week

Adoption fees cover shots, worming, heartworm test, microchip and spay or neuter!

CODY – 1 yr/60 lb Boxer mix.  This guy is a darling! $70 is a steal of a DEAL!

JINX – 3yr gorgeous male kitty.  A perfect companion for any home.  $35!