Putting the County's Shelter Animals on Your Holiday Gift List

Putting the County’s Shelter Animals on Your Holiday Gift List

by Joanna Samson and Edie Hubler, FOTAS Board of Directors

as seen in the "Aiken Standard" on Sunday, December 1, 2013

FOTAS has much to celebrate this year.  

With the extraordinary support and commitment of FOTAS, Aiken County, FOTAS volunteers and supporters, the new Aiken County Animal Shelter will open in early 2014.  This new community shelter has been designed to provide a proper and healthy place for Aiken County’s abandoned, neglected and abused animals while many wait for a new home.

In the meantime, there is still much to do.  

The needs of the animals in the existing County Shelter, like the Pets of the Week pictured below, continue to be an urgent priority. 

With tight budgets and competing priorities in the County, FOTAS still needs to fund much-needed items and assistance for the new shelter. 

FOTAS will continue to expand its Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) in County hotspots and provide spay/neuter services for community cats through the FOTAS sponsored program, Lenny’s Brigade.

Please consider putting the County animals on your Holiday Gift List in any of the following ways:

• Donate $10 or more as a gift to honor a loved one or friend. We will send them a lovely holiday card to acknowledge your gift.

• Donate “pet food” money to help the Shelter purchase the food that best works for the animals (mark your donation “pet food”).  

• Donate leashes, collars, cat/dog treats and biscuits, durable dog/cat and snuggly puppy/kitten toys: you will make the shelter animals so happy. 

• Donate money: Since FOTAS is a 501(c)(3) public charity, the amount of your donation may be deductible from your taxes to the extent provided by IRS regulations.

• Donate Stock: You can deduct the fair market value of gift stock from your taxes and potentially avoid the payment of capital gains taxes on appreciated stock.

• Until the end of this year, if you are older than 70 and ½, you may be able to donate up to $100,000 from your IRA to FOTAS without having to pay taxes on the transfer. 

• Come to the Aiken County Animal Shelter and adopt a dog or a cat, like Joanne Gable did last week, pictured here with her shelter adoptee, Casper.  Volunteer your time or foster some mama dogs and their puppies.

Put your generous holiday spirit to work with donations that will make a difference in the lives of  the County’s unwanted, abandoned and neglected animals.  Your support is much needed and greatly appreciated.

Help FOTAS take one more step in reaching its ultimate goal: to never, ever have to euthanize another adoptable animal.

 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”

Nov.  18 - Nov. 23, 2013

13 dogs and 0 cats adopted

Year to Date:  

655 terrific pets adopted

THANK YOU AIKEN COUNTY COMMUNITY!

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!”

SKIPPY -- Jack Russell mix -- male --  1.5 years old  13 lbs.  Only $70

DARLA -- Domestic Short Hair -- female -- 2 yrs old -- 9 lbs.   Only $35