Volunteer Family Marks FOTAS ‘Making a Difference’ for 3 Years

It was 1999, and Marcia and her teenage daughter, Samantha, were at a local veterinarian’s when they spotted the notice of urgent need for two homeless dogs on the wall.  Having recently moved to Aiken with their equestrian experiences and equestrian dreams, they had a farm and decided that they could save the dogs.

Unfortunately, the clinic had just shipped the dogs to the county shelter, so Marcia and Sam set out Wire Road to rescue them.  At the shelter, when they told the woman seated beyond the glass window what they wanted, she acted as if recovering the two dogs was not just impossible, but absurd.  The dogs could not be found and she would not bother to ask anyone to look.  That was 1999.

For ten years, Marcia, husband Dan and Sam, would recoil in horror at any mention of the Aiken County Animal Shelter. 

Then, around 2006 or ’07, one woman chose to challenge the status-quo regarding homeless pets.  She was serving on a policy committee for county animal control and was appalled at the prevailing attitudes about our public shelter.  The woman began by walking one dog, proposing one volunteer policy, recruiting one animal advocate, at a time. 

Then a transfer policy, one dog or cat saved, an entrenched attitude, one ally, one risk, one favor, and one miracle at a time, FOTAS was born, summer 2009, already teamed with a renewed and reenergized county shelter staff. 

One day, Marcia and Sam see the article about FOTAS and the Aiken County Animal Shelter in the paper.  The story tells how badly foster homes are needed for puppies and kittens.  It quotes the shelter’s commitment not to euthanize healthy litters that are fostered.

“We can do that!” the mother-daughter team decide, and off they go to join the cause.

That was seven or eight litters, lots of lessons and many stories ago: like the promise that if they kept a puppy they were out of the fostering business…well, except for Misty May who Sam adopted because she had to.

“That’s the only one we ever kept,” Marcia says sheepishly. Then she gives credit to their Chow-cross, Nina, who says, “No more dogs!” and means it. 

Samantha’s career has taken her and Misty May to Florida, but Marcia and Dan carry on. Their vacant barn hosts the litters and the fallow garden pen makes a secure play yard. 

In the last three years, the couple has learned that a determined dog can climb a 10-foot barrier to escape a box stall; that a normally sweet stray can be pretty fierce about protecting her pups; that not all babies survive; and, that the job comes with enough joy and miracles to be worth it.

“Any day you save a dog’s life is a good day,” Marcia says.

On Friday, Dan and Marcia hooked their double-axle pickup to Herbie Brown, the FOTAS Rescue Waggin’, to haul nine lucky dogs to catch a transfer north.

Now that’s Making a Difference! 

Aiken County Animal Shelter:  “By the Numbers”

For July            2012    vs.  2011

Received	449	461
Adopted Cats	18	7
Adopted Dogs	34	46
Transferred	41	12
Euthanized	(72%)  324	(81%)  373

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” are HALF PRICE*!

BRANDY – 1yr. Lab mix. Affectionate, energetic, intelligent.  Highly trainable great pet!   $35!

JESSE – 1yr, gorgeous green-eyed tabby, already spayed.  Come get her for $35!

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

half price thru 9/8/12!

 

FOTAS Celebrates Our “Animal Nut” and an Adoption Event

Birgit’s Max is 13 years old now and his age marks the time since Birgit began rescuing animals in Aiken County.  Molly’s Militia had Max when Birgit adopted him.  She brought him home to her husband and two other dogs, and then started fostering dogs herself.

Birgit spent eight years fostering dogs for Molly’s.  She fostered adult dogs, and puppies, dogs with behavioral issues, dogs and puppies with health problems.  Some were not adoptable and stayed on; some didn’t make it and broke her heart. 

After eight years Birgit took a badly needed break, but she couldn’t stay away.  When she started fostering again, she would help the SPCA some, but mainly worked with the Aiken County Animal Shelter. 

“My heart has always been with the Aiken County Shelter,” she said, “At times I had as many as 20 dogs!  So when FOTAS started their volunteer program with the County Shelter, it was natural to get on board.”

When asked how many dogs have come through her home, she doesn’t know; she’s lost count.  She had to stop doing the puppies because she could no longer handle the emotional devastation of parvo losses.

But Birgit still specializes in the tough cases: the skinny ones from neglect or abandonment, those heartworm positive, the sick ones, and abuse cases with trust issues.

“Gosh, people aren’t perfect,” she says, “But they expect animals to be.” 

Birgit currently has eight permanent resident dogs, along with horses she doesn’t ride, cats, her foster cases, and a husband who gives her the support she needs to do what she does which is love and care for them all.

“If you have a partner,” she advises, “They have to be supportive or it won’t work.  You really need the support.”

Since joining up with FOTAS three years ago, Birgit has become the captain of the FOTAS adoption events.  Once a month she loads the kennels and crates, table, sign boards, and bin of leashes, treats, bowls, food, water, newspapers, towels and toys, the donation jar, envelopes and brochures into  her truck and heads out to the county shelter. 

She picks the dogs, puppies, cats and/or kittens for the event, loads them and their paperwork, and heads for Petsmart.  By 10am she is set up in the store where she and her assistants will stay until 3pm, hoping for a good home for their charges.

This month, Birgit will be heading a special FOTAS adoption event sponsored by Brusters Ice Cream in front of Publix on Whiskey Road,  July 28^th from  11 to 3pm.

Herbie Brown, the FOTAS Rescue Waggin’ will be there with adoptable dogs.  Brusters will pay the adoption fee for the first adoption.  They will also provide a free ice cream cone and “doggie sundae” for every adoption that day.

Come on out.  Learn about volunteering, fostering, adoptions and transfers.  Eat some ice cream.  Meet Birgit, who says of her role in it all, “It’s what I do; it’s part of me.”  She’s a star.  

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”

STRIPE - 1yr, boxer mix.  The volunteers adore this guy!  Your best buddy for $70

 



DELILAH, tortoise tabby & SAMSON, golden boy – 5 yrs.  They love each other and hope to stay together. Only $35

Herbie Brown Represents the Best of Who WE Are!

Herbie Brown’s story is still unfolding.  A 1979 Airstream Landyacht , Herbie has been recently transformed into FOTAS’ state-of-the-art Rescue Waggin’.  How he got his name, his amazing career change, and what he will be doing, are all long stories, but considering what he will be up to in the next couple of months, well worth highlighting.

For over 25 years, the travel trailer belonged to Bert Davis’ uncle, Herb Brown, who traveled among Airstream enthusiasts as far away as Mexico, and who ultimately lived out his final years as a widower calling his beloved RV home.

“My uncle loved this trailer and he liked to help people,” Bert said, and then he did everything he could to help FOTAS get the project going.  Bert was so generous that we named the trailer after his uncle.

Herbie Brown now sports thank-you notes to his major benefactors on each rear corner.  The first are only initials of anonymous donors who funded the project.  Then he acknowledges Ernie Wolf who assembled the first crew for gutting, and basic electrical work.  There’s Robert McBrayer, who spent a few weeks with

metal patches, silicone, primer, more primer, paint and plywood securing the windows, sealing leaks, covering wheel wells, installing subflooring, priming and painting the interior a brilliant fun yellow.

Ken Simmonds did the most exquisite job of laying vinyl on the floors and up the walls that you’d think royalty would be traveling, not dogs.  Eric Figueroa of Premier Metals created the secure generator housing on the trailer’s fork so the animals could have light, music, and climate-controlled travel, winter or summer, wherever they go.

Don Bush was the brilliant craftsman who designed, constructed, and installed the four pens and their wire mesh doors.  It was no small task to get the wood to accommodate the irregular curve of aluminum interior walls designed like an airplane fuselage. 

Anthony Goehl, a recent transplant to Aiken, primed, painted, and sealed the pens so that animals who travel can find clean, healthy accommodations for every voyage.

Herbie is ever grateful to Charlie at Tyler Tire who was under Herbie in a downpour; to Sherwin Williams for the advice, primer and paint; and to Ron at Signworks who designed the messaging on Herbie’s exterior so that wherever Herbie goes FOTAS’ message will be very clear: “Rescue, Adopt, Spay/Neuter & Love!”

Soon, Herbie will be re-stationed between the C.A.T.S building and the main county shelter waiting to be called into service.  On May 26^th, he will be the star of Friends of the Animal Shelter’s march in Aiken’s Memorial Day Parade, along with volunteers with adoptable county shelter dogs. 

On Saturday, June 16^th, we hope Herbie will be the “Kitten Caboose” at FATZ Café, with Senior Vet Tech Sandy Larsen offering adoptable kitties at FOTAS’ first “Breakfast at FATZ for County Shelter Cats!”

Be proud, Aiken County, we are a community making a difference!  Just follow our latest miracle, Herbie Brown, who reflects the best of who we are!

  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 23rd thru 29th 2012  

Dogs taken in: 75!

Cats taken in: 37

Dogs adopted: 14

Cats adopted: 7

Dogs & Cats euthanized: Way too many!

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

WILLOW – An eager beagle, 4 yrs and 27 lbs. She will entertain and accompany many good walks.  $70

 

GYPSY – Gorgeous gal! A purrfect companion who doesn’t need to be walked! $35