Rocking, Rolling and Riding at Woofstock!

Rocking, Rolling and Riding at Woofstock!

By Joanna Dunn Samson

as seen in the "Aiken Standard", April 20, 2014 issue

Where can you load up your kids, dress up your dog, paint your face and rock to the tunes of Jason the DJ and the live music of the fabulous 4 Cats in the Doghouse?

You can do that at the Woofstock Dogs, Cats and Music festival to be held on Saturday, May 3^rd on the grounds of the brand spanking new Aiken County Animal Shelter.

And where can you take your family to marvel at the obedience and the agility of the canine species at the Obedience and Agility Demonstration performed by the Palmetto Dog Club? 

Woofstock, that’s where.

Where can you show off your bordering-on border collie’s best tricks, your sort-of shih tzu’s gorgeous hairdo, your doubtful dachshund’s adorable smooching behavior, or your howling hound’s talking ability?

Uh huh - that would be Woofstock.

But wait!  There’s more!

Where in the world can you adopt the sweetest, most grateful, beautiful black dog for $33 or black cat for $13?  Or get a rabies vaccination for only $5 and an annual Heartworm test for only $15? 

Yep, you got it: Woofstock.

This will be third year FOTAS has organized The Woofstock Dogs, Cats and Music Festival, only this year, FOTAS has moved the festival to the new Aiken County Animal Shelter at 333 Wire Road.  It is an amazing place to take the whole family and your beloved canine friends for a carefree day of music, mindless fun and a few yucks. 

Although the festival starts at 10:30 at the shelter, the festivities actually start earlier with the Ride to Woofstock - a benefit motorcycle ride that starts at the Aiken County Public Works parking lot on May Royal Drive across from the Shelter at 9:30, proceeds to the Wagener town square and ends back at the Shelter.  

Two years ago, over 50 motorcyclists joined the procession for the 50 mile round trip in one long, rumbling, magnificent line.  It was a spectacle to behold, and this year’s ride promises to be even more impressive.  For more information on how to participate in the Ride to Woofstock, either with a real bike or a “pretend/virtual” bike team, call the FOTAS hotline: 803-514-4313.

And here’s the thing: not only will you and your family be having a grand time on a beautiful spring day (fingers crossed on the weather), you will be benefitting the County’s thousands of homeless and abandoned animals.  

Proceeds from the Woofstock Festival will be used by FOTAS to assist the County in its dauntless task of taking care of those animals.  Proceeds from the Ride to Woofstock will be used to prevent more unwanted animals from being brought into this world – that money will support the FOTAS Fix-a-Pet Program and Lenny’s Brigade.

I’m excited.  On Saturday, May 3^rd, I plan to gussy-up my terrier Jack (if he can take some time off from the important work of excavating my garden in search of moles) and my dutiful Maggie (if she feels she can temporarily abandon her duties of guarding the property from the blasted neighborhood cat), pack them into the truck along with my husband, and head on over to the Shelter for the day.

Aside from the pure fun of it all, I plan to take advantage of the $5 rabies shots and $15 Heartworm tests that will be available during the festival.  I intend to use the hefty chunk of change I will save by availing myself of these services to buy more flowers for my garden and a bottle of wine for my neighbors, who are, no doubt, a little weary of Maggie’s endless pursuit of the blasted cat.

See you at the Festival.  While you are there, take a tour of the new community animal shelter.  It’s awesome.

FOTAS Volunteers work with the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 333 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”

Apr. 7, 2014 - Apr. 12, 2014

7 dogs and 0 cats adopted

Year to Date:  

215 terrific pets adopted

THANK YOU AIKEN COUNTY COMMUNITY!

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” 

**All adoption fees include:  spay/neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip.

OLIVIA   Boxer, female, 2 yrs old, 40 lbs.  Only $70 

HEATHER  Domestic short hair -- Female -- 8 weeks old, 8 lbs  Only $35

FOTAS Grows the Board for “The Year of the Shelter”

The FOTAS board opened its first meeting of 2013 welcoming Councilwoman Kathy Rawls, the New Shelter’s greatest champion, and FOTAS’ biggest advocate on County Council.  She joined the board as an ex-officio member adding renewed life to the partnership we have built with the county over three-and-a-half years.  

Kathy’s quiet humility belies her confidence and competence as a fiercely dedicated public servant.  She is the lynch-pin between FOTAS’ vision and Aiken County’s resolve to see the New County Shelter become a reality.  County Council will soon hire the building’s contractor.

Following that good news, board spirits were further buoyed by the year-end financial report.  Not only has FOTAS more than tripled its revenue each year for the last three years, we are well on our way to reaching the mid-point milestone of our “Capital Campaign.”

2013 is a year dedicated to raising over half a million dollars for the new shelter. The money will pay for nearly everything that is not concrete or steel.  These essentials will help assure that our community shelter can care for the animals, support its staff, and inspire the gratitude and involvement of the public it serves. 

Last Monday, the six board members addressed the challenge of raising the necessary funds, while expressing sincere gratitude for every contribution, no matter the size.

There will be so many ways for the public: individuals, families, clubs, businesses to help, and then see themselves, or those they love, immortalized in the new building project. The Capital Campaign Committee anxiously anticipates the ground breaking ceremony, perhaps as early as next month.

Money is only one indicator of our progress.  Look at “The Numbers.”  Intake is down, and transfers and adoptions are up.  With County Animal Control, FOTAS has continued to grow our Transfer Program and the targeted spay/neuter assistance program, SNAP.  We are working to expand our foster-care for puppies and transfer candidates, and are recruiting more volunteers to work with the adoptable pets.

FOTAS will launch our “Year of the Shelter” with two new board members.  FOTAS is proud to welcome Charlie Timmerman and Edie Hubler.

A practicing vet in Aiken for nearly 43 years, if you haven’t heard of Charlie Timmerman, you must not be around pets. Raised on a South Carolina cattle farm, the way he learned to feel about animals is, “You are a part of them, and they are a part of you.” With FOTAS, Dr. Charlie will continue to give his mind new places to feed and his heart new places to care.

Edie is an organizer.  After 25 years with IBM, and another 16 in real estate, she “retired’ to Aiken and started volunteering.  Edie toured the county shelter and knew she had to get involved.  This year she led the Woofstock Festival and doubled its revenue. 

FOTAS is an all-volunteer organization.  The dedication of our volunteers is incredible; ask anyone.  Among other things, we are helping our county build a new animal shelter.  Join us. We are a great team to be part of!

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:  PROGRESS “By the Numbers”

                                          2011    ->     2012   

Intake	5,317	4,745	-572
Adopted	762	839	+77
Transferred	355	704	+349
Euthanized	3,973	3,564	-409

 Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!”

CAREN – 4yrs. Her eyes are as golden as her fur – she is solid gold! Only $35

 
                           

BEN – 3 YRS. Bulldog mix.  “Gentle Ben” is what he is.  Take him home for $70

 

       

 

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

 

Children Offer Advice about Our Homeless Puppies and Kittens

Last summer, as the Woofstock Festival approached, as images of the new Aiken County Shelter appeared, and as FOTAS kicked off its first community-based SNAP (Spay/Neuter Assistance Program), we invited elementary school children to write an essay for prizes. 

In the Essay Contest flyers, Meg, the Woofstock Festival mascot, posed the question, “What can we do about all the unwanted puppies and kittens?”  Children were given until October 1^st to submit their reply.  Here are some highlights:

“We just adopted a fun loving puppy.  That has given me more time to learn about dogs and how wonderful they are... I think it would a good idea if the FOTAS picked out some dogs that were calm.  Then the dogs could go stay at a nursing home for a while because it is helpful for lonely people to have a dog to love.

The more the dogs go out in the community the more people would see and want to adopt them.”  Sophia, age 9, 4^th grade.

“I think what you should do about the animals is try to get them adopted.  I know that’s obvious, but you should try various locations at the same and at different times…I think what you’re doing is the best!  It’s what I want to do when I grow up.”  Sofia, age 11, 6^th grade.

“I’ve been to an animal shelter.  I think that the animals need more space to run and play.  They also need more food…  They also need toys to play with.  I hope they get everything they need from a family that loves and cares for them.”  Christian, age 7,  2^ndgrade.

“I got a kitten at the animal shelter… He likes to play with me.  He is cuddly.  I think people should get kittens and cats, because cats and kittens are fun.”  Noah, age 7, 2^ndgrade.

I think we should give the puppies to the farmers around Aiken…  The farmers can train the puppies early because, you know, the puppies are very trainable.  I think the farmers would be very happy to know that they are going to get a working-dog.” Sydney, age 10, 5^thgrade.

“…I love animals and I hate to see them on the streets and/or abandoned.  Also, I don’t like seeing them in the kennels… So I would love if people could help in two ways.  1. Donate to the FOTAS so if anything is wrong with the animals, they can fix them. 2. Adopt the animals.  My family adopted their dogs.  Abby, age 10, 5^thgrade.

“When someone adopts a dog or a kitten show them other cats or dogs that get along good and like each other.  Or you could offer foster before someone thinks about adopting so they know how the dog behaves so they won’t get returned.  Also you can get the cats and dogs spayed and neutered.” Macy, age 9, 4^thgrade.

Out of the mouths of babes, insights on responsible pet ownership and the many joys rescued animals can bring.  Happy New Year to all!

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”

November  2012 vs  2011 

Received	306	369
Adopted	60	72
Transferred	47	36
Euthanized	229	288

 Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!”

All adoptions ½ price through tomorrow, 12/31!

AMBER – 2 yrs. 46 lbs. Boxer mix.  Not just beautiful, but sweet too! 

This long time resident is Still only $35!                           

CHAD – 2yrs. 39 lbs. American Bull Dog mix.  This guy is a sweetheart!  Start the year with a great best friend.

 

 

 

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

FOTAS Gives Thanks for Many Things

This year, Friends of the Animal Shelter have much for which we can be grateful.

We are deeply indebted to individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools, clubs, and communities throughout Aiken County who have given generously of their time and money to help the animals at the County Shelter. 

We are grateful for our local business community’s ongoing support.  Talent, expertise, professional services and resources, and dollars have been invested over and over in our cause.

FOTAS is a 100% volunteer organization, and we are so very grateful for that spirit which moves our volunteers to go out to the shelter day after day, week after week, to assure our adoptable dogs get the attention and exercise they need; to spend time with the cats and kittens; so our homeless pets can be seen as potentially great family members.

Our volunteers plan and execute fund-raisers like Woofstock, Breakfast at FATZ, the FOTAS Hunter Pace at Three Runs Plantation, golf tournaments, and special “giving parties.”  We have clubs like Future Farmers, Girl Scouts, Serteens and NJROTC who dedicate themselves to advancing the FOTAS Mission to help provide a Community Shelter in which we can all take pride.  We are so thankful for all they do.

We have a state-of-the-art website because of a volunteer.  We have broadcast email capabilities, keeping our membership 1000-strong up to date on our progress, special needs, and involvement opportunities – all because of a volunteer. 

We are blessed with rarely talented volunteers who understand database management, how to maintain financial accounts, how to recruit and organize the right help at the right time, and those who can appreciate contributions in just the right way.

We are profoundly grateful for the volunteers who take on litter after litter of abandoned puppies and kittens, who find transfer partners at no-kill shelters, and who see that some very lucky dogs and cats find their way to forever homes.

We have volunteers who are developing targeted spay/neuter programs across the county, who make the calls, who help the owners, rescuers, businesses do the right thing and spay/neuter as many dogs and cats as they can in their communities.  We are so very thankful for all their combined efforts.

We are blessed with county staff and county officials who have joined us in one of the finest public-private partnerships ever seen in creating a better community.  For the officers in the field and shelter staff dealing with daily heartbreak, to county administration and officials determined to find the optimal combination of resources and outcomes, we are thankful.

Perhaps there is nothing for which we in the FOTAS family can be more grateful than the miraculous creatures whose cause we champion day in and day out, our pets.  Dog lover or cat lover, we know the loyalty, affection, entertainment they bring us. 

If we let them, our pets can teach us about tolerance, patience, forgiveness, honesty, and love.  We are thankful always for them, and the opportunity to live up to their image of us.   

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”

November 12^th thru 18^th   

Received: 37 dogs and 46 cats!

Adopted: 8 dogs and 1 cats

Euthanized: 48 dogs and 22 cats

 Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” So much LOVE for so little!

TIGER – +/-1 yr, 34 lbs, He has stripes.  He is great on a leash.  Super friendly and only $35

 

SHADOW – Golden boy.  3 months old. Lovely, quiet personality. Purr-fect gentleman! $35

 

Woofstock like Aiken County Just Gets Better!

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Could there have been a better way to spend that perfect Saturday?  The sun came up and shone all day on what is becoming FOTAS’ signature fund-raiser, the Woofstock Festival of Mutts and Music.  In its second year, and  continuing to grow, Woofstock is yet another reflection of a very special community. 

The kick-off to the day was a parade of dogs called The Mutt Strut, a special fund-raiser with an assortment of local celebrities, prizes, and the opportunity to win the 64G iPad with cellular and wifi.

At the festival entrance, it was plain that no one would go hungry.  Papa Russ’ Bar-B-Q, Papa John’sPizza, Bruster’s Ice Cream, Coach T’s, and the Willcox were all on hand to satisfy a range of appetites.

This year, the “Music” component offered live broadcast from 93.9 Bob FM, Tony B. from WKSX  92.7 FM, and a return engagement of Aiken’s own jazz ensemble, 4 Cats in the DogHouse. 

Woofstock offered so much to do and see at the event, one might have missed the rockin’ backdrop that gave the day such a festive feel.  Tony B and “The Cats” went out of their way to include all the dog-lyric favorites: “Hound Dog,” “Walkin’ the Dog,” “Who Let the Dog Out?” rendered by some of the finest musicians anywhere.

In addition to the 18-plus businesses and individuals that contributed door prizes or raffle winnings, more than forty-five vendors and exhibitors encircled the two performance rings.  There were artisans, unique and pet-related products and services, rescue groups and community nonprofits. Local and national businesses, too, signed up to have a presence in front of Aiken’s dog-lovers, knowing there probably isn’t a better group of people with whom to do business.

The centers of the rings offered a variety of dog events, from efforts to match adoptable shelter dogs with potential homes; agility and training demonstrations, and health and fitness exercises, to three dog contests reminiscent of the Mutt Dog Show from Woofstock I. 

Surely, the opportunity to see if one’s dog was Best Kisser, had the Best Trick, or Best Costume had to be one of the festival highlights.  What made those contests even more special was that the judges, Sofia, Sophia and Christian, had won their positions as judges in the Woofstock Essay Contest.  They had written responses to the question, “What can we (Aiken County) do about all the unwanted puppies and kittens?”

That question is at the heart of FOTAS mission, as well as six-plus months of work to create our Woofstock Festivals.  Although hundreds of people contributed to the festival’s success, there are two, without whose tireless leadership Woofstock II would never have happened: Edie Hubler and the late Susan Henderson.  God Bless them both where they reside.

The Woofstock Festival brings us together around a very special cause.  This year, in addition to raising nearly $20,000 for the new County Shelter, it brought us all together on a beautiful day to enjoy how much we can accomplish together.

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”

November 5^th thru 11^th   

Received: 43 dogs and 21 cats!

Adopted: 18 dogs and 5 cats

Euthanized: 28 dogs and 26 cats

 Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week!” So much LOVE for so little!

--> DWIGHT – +/-1 yr, 45 lbs, bright brindle lab/terrier mix. Affectionate, good on leash. $70.  Tiny price for a new best friend

--> ANGEL – Young, snow white with one green and one blue eye.  Purr-fectly yours for only $35

 

 

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