Gary Willoughby Leaves County Shelter Memories and Brighter Future

Chief Bobby Arthurs and Gary Willoughby assumed leadership of their respective shelters at almost the same time and began forging a relationship that would transform both operations in five years.

Since 1990, when the current Aiken County Shelter was built, the Aiken SPCA were next-door neighbors, with the City Annex in-between.  But the two shelters might as well have been on opposite ends of the world.

2007, the SPCA, a long-time private no-kill shelter, had big plans for a new regional spay-neuter and pet adoption center moving full-speed ahead.  While our public animal shelter next door had a euthanasia rate pushing 100%, and barely hopes for building and staffing an adequate facility for neglected, abused and unwanted county animals.

The first thing Bobby and Gary did to establish ties between their operations was create a legal “Transfer Agreement” between the public shelter and a private rescue operation.  Although the SPCA can stay full without many County Shelter transfers, that original agreement paved the way for FOTAS to build Aiken County Shelter’s Transfer Program into perhaps the largest in South Carolina.

During the ensuing five years, the two men forged a mutually beneficial working relationship, and a friendship.  The SPCA helped the County move animals they would have euthanized because they are not equipped to house or re-home them: livestock, horses, ponies, pot-belly pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, and some heart-worm positive dogs.

Then, when the SPCA had the fire that required emergency vacating of their facility, the County stepped in with housing, even sharing their “surgery closet” so that the SPCA could continue operating.

Gary Willoughby also partnered with the County by serving with Chief Arthurs on the Aiken County Animal Control Advisory Committee (AC3) throughout his tenure as Executive Director of the Aiken SPCA and their new Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare.  The AC3 provides animal control policy recommendations to County Council, and the SPCA perspective has added breadth and depth to the knowledge base of that advice.

The last, and perhaps most significant, achievement that the leadership of these two organizations has fostered is SNAP, FOTAS’ Spay/Neuter Assistance Program.

SNAP was proposed in late 2011 by a citizen-proponent of spay/neuter during the hey-day of all the building plans between the SPCA and the County.  Piloted as a donor-funded voucher program, SNAP has evolved into a state-of-the-art collaboration among County Animal Control, volunteers, the Albrecht Center’s high-volume spay/neuter clinic, private donors and small grants. 

Last week, Gary Willoughby and Bobby Arthurs sat at the same table, likely for the last time.  Key players from FOTAS and the SPCA were also in attendance.  The purpose was to define the future of SNAP with an SPCA without Gary.

The SPCA has its new Albrecht Center.  The County just broke ground for their new shelter, and FOTAS is feverishly raising money to furnish it.  The missions now unite with Spay/Neuter: FOTAS and County Animal Control target trouble spots; the SPCA provides transport and low/cost surgeries.  All we need are your donations to SNAP. Everybody wins! 

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”

March 4^th thru 10^th

Received: 11 dogs and 4 cats

Adopted: 10 dogs and 1 cats

Euthanized:  13 dogs and 22 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

 AMY – 8 mos. Blue Tick Hound.  This little lady is a “hound-doll!”  Come grab her or her brother Alvin or only $70 



 

SO-SO – 6-year-young Persian Mix.  This lovely lady is purr-fect for your lap.  Only $35!

*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip