A New-merical Look at the Aiken County Animal Shelter

In the summer of 2010, when FOTAS added county shelter stories to the Standard’s regular columns, it was suggested that county shelter statistics appear in a side-bar called, “By the Numbers,” serving as a wake-up call to a community largely unaware of the dire circumstances located right next door to the other shelter, Aiken SPCA.

The Numbers, typically the weekly numbers straight from the county shelter records, show how many cats and dogs come into the shelter, the number adopted, and those euthanized.  It is heartbreaking.  People have complained.  Some say they can’t look.  But no one who reads the column can say they had no idea.

In their accountability to the tax-payers, Aiken County amasses a huge amount of data about their operations, and the shelter is no exception.  Since FOTAS began partnering with Aiken County, the figures have taken on new significance.  More than tracking a heartbreaking problem, we can now determine if we are truly making a difference, not just in the heart-warming anecdotal way, but in beginning to get our arms around a problem no community should be willing to tolerate.

The fiscal year for the county begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 each year.  FOTAS operationally began in February, FY09, with a transfer of dogs to Massachusetts. 

Beginning in FY09, with calls received at the shelter (with one phone line and one dispatcher), the change over the last three fiscal years has been minimal.  There were 5,909 in FY09; 5,626 in FY10; and, 5,641 in FY11, averaging by year 468 to 492 calls per month.

Animals received at the shelter: 5,283 in FY09, 5,275 in FY10, and 5,313 in FY11.  These figures are especially frustrating because there are numerous popular and low-cost spay/neuter options, and no-cost programs that are used to the maximum; but at the county shelter no animal can be turned away, and they come.

The picture brightens with a trend in the county’s euthanasia rate, thanks to three programs which rely entirely on FOTAS supporters and the volunteers who work with shelter staff: shelter adoptions, foster care, and the transfer program.

A core group of FOTAS volunteers go regularly to the shelter. The dogs get out of their cages; learn to walk on a leash and simple commands, which makes them much easier to place in forever homes.  The cats teach the humans what they need; they’re cats after all.

The county euthanasia rate for FY09 was over 91% and in FY11 it was under 75%.  This figure derives from the 26% increase in the number of cats and dogs adopted or transferred.  We are growing our transfer program.  In FY11 82% of the dogs transferred were sent to our partners out of state.

Education and aggressive spay/neuter programs are essential.  So is an adequate shelter that keeps our animals healthy and invites more of the community to participate in any way they can. 

You can help.  Donate. Volunteer.  Adopt a shelter pet.  No adoptable animal should have to die.

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”

Animals Received FY11:  5,283

Dogs adopted: 585

Cats adopted: 184

Animals transferred: 322 

Dogs euthanized: 1,974

Cats euthanized: 2,001

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

BUBBA Bull terrier mix. 

An affectionate sweetheart! 18 mos. 47 lbs.  

$70 includes shots, neuter, microchip.

TIGGY 8 years young and sweet as can be!  

 $35.00 and she’s yours to cuddle.

FOTAS Introduces a Trailer Named ‘Herbie Brown‘

Herbie Brown’s story began three years ago this month with the first transfer of Aiken County Shelter dogs to a no-kill shelter in New England.  Since then, Mark Choper and the drivers for Fairway Horse Transport have helped FOTAS save literally hundreds of dogs who probably would have joined our County Shelter’s heart-breaking euthaniasia statistics.

Neither words of praise nor appreciation can do justice to how Mark’s business has blessed our homeless animals at the County Shelter through rescue and huge food donations.  The only down side to his service to our cause is that the transfers are necessarily tied to transporting horses, making coordination with our partners a nightmare.

That’s where the FOTAS magic stepped in.

A couple of volunteers dreamed of a feasible way to travel with their too-many dogs.  The dream involved an old Airstream trailer, light enough to be easily pulled by an SUV, and reliable for providing HVAC for the family pack at any destination.  For years the project languished as a fantasy.

Then the complications of coordination and scheduling for the growing transfer program pushed a transfer vehicle to the front of the FOTAS wish list, and FOTAS miracles began to happen.

“Weren’t you looking for an Airstream?” the email read.  The ’69, already gutted, was on Craig’s List in Georgia for $3,500.  While trying to make that deal work, a ’78 Airstream Land Yacht appeared in Lexington, SC for $3,000, and this deal almost made itself.

“My uncle loved this trailer. It’s been everywhere,” the seller said, “He eventually lived in it until a few months before he died.” Then he added, “And he liked to help people.”  And so, for $3,050, Herb Brown’s nephew repacked the bearings, replaced the power converter, delivered the RV to the County Shelter, and threw in a $300 stabilizer hitch. 

Herbie Brown, the future FOTAS transport trailer, was no sooner parked next to C.A.T.S. (the cat colony at the shelter) then FOTAS received a magnificently generous grant from a private donor specifically for our transfer program.  The grant will fund the acquisition and refitting of our vehicles and pay enough of our transport expenses to firmly establish the program.  And we have added two more rescue partners.

If that isn’t pure magic, what is?

Unfortunately, without aggressive spay/ neuter, micro-chipping and heartworm prevention, there are never going to be enough Mark Chopers or Herbie Browns, beyond our adoptions, to assure that no adoptable dog has to die.  There are not enough miracles or magic for that. 

Under current intake numbers, a reasonable projection says that the FOTAS transfer program may increase a dog’s chances of surviving by about 13%, not good odds.  Put another way, we can transfer about 3 of the 22 who will be put down. 

2012 could be a landmark year for our shelter.  We need volunteers to prepare dogs for future transports and new homes, and for events and fundraisers.  Believe in miracles.  Make a difference.  Join 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”

For Jan. 9th thru 15th 2012

Received: 59 dogs and 26 cats

Adoptions: 6 dogs and 2 cats

Euthanized: 29 dogs and 17 cats

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of theWeek” 

POOKIE – Staffordshire terrier mix, 1 yr. 

Soft as a bunny and sweet as a kitten! 

Loves to run.

$70 includes shots, neuter, microchip.

GRIS – 4yrs. Male.

Neutered, declawed, and affectionate.

A purrfect companion for $20.

Three is a Charm at the FOTAS Hunter Pace

It was the third year that Three Runs Plantation donated its magnificent equestrian amenities to host the FOTAS Hunter Pace 2012, and the turnout by the event’s 100+ riders was surpassed only by the 111 local businesses who donated to our first Hunter Pace Silent Auction, and the Red Pepper Grill’s ability to put out a delicious lunch for 250 people, and Nanci’s Cedar Creek neighbors who delivered 250 gorgeous cupcakes for dessert to her porch.

“It is just amazing how a community can give,” said Edie, FOTAS Chairwoman of the Silent Auction, “And it is not easy in this economic climate.  Businesses are hurting.”

True enough, but random acts of generosity must ease the pain, because 111 contributions were assembled into 79 auction items by a remarkable team of four women, all from the Cedar Creek community. 

Two Sandras, Janet and Edie began in late October with a list, divided among them, of where to solicit in the area.  But by early November their “Let’s go do this,” was replaced by “How are we going to do this?” Then a couple of things turned the project around. 

 One of the Sandras is part of a team of Cedar Creek volunteers, the heart of the County Shelter Volunteers Program, who work with the dogs and puppies four days a week.  Sandra is driven by the first-hand experience with the Shelter’s heart wrenching need. 

“She’d go back again and again and whine,” Edie said with clear admiration for Sandra’s tenacity.  The donations started rolling in.

Then a local estate planner offered a complete estate planning package worth about $2,000. “That was when I started to think more positively,” she said.

There was the business owner on the phone who launched into a tirade about how the county shelter had cost him a dog, then turned around and donated a beautiful table fan.  At another site, a patron of the business being solicited heard the pitch and reached into her pocket offering the eight dollars and change she had with apologies that she couldn’t afford more.

With the holidays upon her, Edie cleared auction items from her dining room table to serve 16 people for Thanksgiving, and again and more for Christmas, then lay awake nights worrying about the auction’s presentation.

The Cedar Creek Property Owners Association was to loan six tables that turned into ten.  And when the question arose as to how to display the artwork donated, someone suggested the Aiken Historical Museum, and the Museum came through with the screens for the display.

“Presentation is everything,” Edie says, and took responsibility for the artful bid sheets and the resourceful displays, often using tissue covered Clementine crates to elevate items.

The Silent Auction made thousands of dollars for our County Shelter.  The Hunter Pace and luncheon made thousands more.  And to make the occasion even more perfect, FOTAS volunteers helped 6 dogs and 3 cats get adopted at Petsmart and at the Shelter.  What a great day for our community shelter!  

 

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 Jan. 2nd thru 8th  2012

Received: 38 dogs and 14 cats

Adoptions: 13 dogs and 2 cats

Euthanized: 21 dogs and 23 cats

Compare to Same Week 2011

Received: 66 dogs and 43 cats

Adoptions: 10 dogs and 0 cats

Euthanized: 33 dogs and 30 cats

MIA – 3 yr old spayed female tabby

A cuddler with an endearing purr.   

$35 includes shots, spay, microchip.

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

SHADY  – 2-yr-old pit-mix.   

This lovable guy will help you meet people everywhere you go!  

 He’s a charmer.

$70 includes shots, neuter, microchip.

Desperate for Puppy & Dog Food

 

This week only! Pedigree Dog/Puppy food at PUBLIX By 1 Get 1 Free 3.5 or 4.4 lbs Aiken County Animal Shelter could really use that extra bag!!

 

The Aiken County Animal Shelter Desperately needs adult dog and puppy food, especially the puppy food! All corporate food donations stopped. Please grab a bag the next time you are out & bring it by the shelter. hey feed Pedigree. However, they will take what you want to give... no holistic brands please. THANKS EVERYONE!!! They really need our help!

 

FOTAS at Applebee’s is More than Breakfast

Sometimes bad breaks are the best indicator of how good things truly are. Here’s how FOTAS’  4^th Annual Applebee’s Benefit Breakfast started out.

The dishwasher had broken down the night before and three sinks of tepid water: one detergent, one disinfectant, one rinse, waited for the volunteer who was to assure clean utensils and plates for all 250 breakfasts we hoped to turn out. 

We knew from experience that Applebee’s could not produce coffee in the volume that our patronage required, but when a well-meaning volunteer said that she had a “big” coffee urn, no one thought to clarify what she meant by “big.”  For a family of four, her urn was big.

We had a new manager running the show who had done exactly one of these events before.  He was congenial as he poured batter on the grill, making up breakfast plates with an easy confidence: scoop of scrambled eggs, two strips of bacon, and two generous pancakes.  He even told the volunteer who knew we would get slammed at about 8:45 to relax and enjoy herself, like he had everything under control.

Applebee’s provided the food, facilities, and 2.5 people who worked the restaurant business for a living, and they don’t normally serve breakfast.  Of the 15 FOTAS volunteers who showed up to set up tables, scoop butter, make coffee, pour syrup, bus tables, take tickets, sell tickets, sell hats, shirts and really cool bumper stickers that  read, “My Dog Digs Aiken,” serve hundreds of breakfasts, and wash the dishes, one was a restaurant professional.  Thank God.

The dishwasher repair guy showed up and got the machine working.  The young manager learned to take help where it was offered.  When the crowd arrived, the customers learned to yield to the big picture as they waited, and waited, and waited for what is, in all honesty a mediocre breakfast as breakfasts go, but the genesis for such a grand, special occasion.

We estimated that between 200 and 250 people would come out.  We served 285 breakfasts that morning.  By 10 o’clock we were out of food.  It was fantastic.

We owe a debt of gratitude to every single person who bought our tickets, came and waited to eat, who helped to plan and execute the event, who promoted it as something worth supporting, and to Applebee’s, who have opened their kitchen and their restaurant to us for four years and helped us build a following.

This year, we want to give special recognition to two of our hunt clubs, Aiken Hounds and Why Worry Hounds.  Saturday morning hunts have their own rituals and customs, and these clubs modified theirs to come out in support of the FOTAS breakfast.

The group from Philanthropic Educational Opportunities (P.E.O.) sought us out to reserve their usual long table and they kept their members cycling through all morning.

We mobilized our Aiken community around a cause, made the best use of resources, and addressed the need.  Let’s apply this gift to our County Shelter.

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 Nov. 7th thru 13th    

Dogs taken in: 71

Cats taken in: 18

Dogs adopted: 16

Cats adopted: 3

Dogs euthanized: 36

Cats euthanized: 8

Aiken County Shelter “Pets of the Week” 

SNOOPY

HEFTY

 

Dog Up for Adoption at Shelter Wins Aiken's Buck-a-Like Contest

From The Aiken Standard
By HALEY HUGHES - Staff writer

Border collie mix Bandit is the winner of the Buck-a-Like contest, which was promoted by the month-long Aiken Wild Read program.

The contest sought a dog who most resembles Buck, the protagonist in Jack London's "Call of the Wild," a domesticated canine who is stolen from his owner and trained as a sled dog. Buck, a St. Bernard/Scots shepherd mix, learns to draw on the primitive instincts of his ancestors to become the dominant dog in the sledding pack. At the end of the book, Buck answers the "call of the wild" by joining a wolf pack.

Bandit was nominated by veterinarian Sybil Davis, who owns Aiken Pet Fitness & Rehabilitation, after she read about the contest.

"Bandit, like Buck, is part herding dog and possibly St. Bernard. He is thick boned, strong, with a wide head and an alert, intelligent expression. He, too, has come on hard times. He is a fun dog who is maintaining his love and trust for people," Davis wrote.

Bandit was picked up as a stray and, as of Friday, was available for adoption at the Aiken County Animal Shelter. He is neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped.

"He is high-energy, very intelligent," said Friends of the Animal Shelter (FOTAS) Vice President Mary Lou Welch. "He is very representative of all the beautiful dogs out there FOTAS supports."
The winning $50 cash prize was donated to FOTAS, which promotes successful adoptions and spay/neuter, coordinates fundraising and raises awareness for the homeless animals at the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

Bandit's new owners will receive a copy of "Call of the Wild."

"Bandit opens the door for a lot of other animals," said Bobby Arthurs, chief enforcement officer with Aiken County Animal Control.

The Aiken Woman's Club and the Aiken County Public Library partnered with several community leaders and organizations in Aiken Wild Read. Based on the National Endowment for the Arts nationwide program, The Big Read, this month has been full of activities, events, public readings and the Buck-a-Like contest.

Bandit's adoption fee is $35. He walks well on a leash and should be only pet in the household, Arthurs said.

For more information on Bandit, call 642-1537 or visit the shelter at 411 Wire Road. 

Effective Projects Begin with the End in Mind

When you read or hear about “The Shelter,” think, “Aiken County Animal Shelter.”  It is located right next door to the Aiken SPCA on Wire Road.  There is a big beautiful sign at the entrance, donated by a FOTAS member, which belies the fact that the facility tucked out of sight at the end of the gravel driveway is a public embarrassment.

These 5000 square feet on a concrete slab are the sole accommodations for 5,400 unwanted animals in a year, and the employees who work for Aiken County Animal Services must accept them all.

Three years ago more than 95% were euthanized.  As of June 30, 2011, our euthanasia rate was down to 72%.  That’s less than 3,900.  We have accomplished this much progress due to the monumental efforts of a stellar public-private partnership between our FOTAS volunteers, members and Aiken County government.

The heartbreaking reality is that without an adequate facility this may be the best we can do.
 

Of course, extensive affordable spay/neuter is essential to solve this problem.  Numerous ongoing, public and private, educational and subsidy programs are trying to address it from that end.  But, in the mean time, what about the present and foreseeable reality?

Our community shelter was built to house 100 animals more than 20 year ago.  In those same 20 years, Jackson County Oregon, FOTAS’ partnership model, has virtually eliminated the need to euthanize an adoptable pet.  In those same 20 years, shelter management and shelter medicine has made a giant leap forward, because communities realize that their essence is reflected in how they treat their animals.

These innocents, who add so much to so many lives; who are so dependent on us for their well-being, have committed no crime.  They die not because they have failed us, but because we have failed them. 

Studies show that if provided with an adequate shelter environment, community involvement, awareness, and adoptions go up, and intake goes down.

What is a satisfactory shelter environment?  One with adequate space, waste management and healthy air to accommodate requisite length of stay for population demands; one that does not cause the citizens who pay for it to recoil in horror and disgust.  Our shelter is none of the above.  

For a nominal fee this summer, FOTAS retained a nationally recognized shelter expert to do a professional needs-assessment.  Recognizing that funds are severely limited, he evaluated options and made recommendations to County Council.  His report is currently under consideration.

While county government seeks the most efficient and effective ways to fulfill its animal control obligations to the public, FOTAS is stewarding our animal advocacy initiatives. 

It is a good and solid partnership.  While we envision a desirable future for our animals, all our feet are firmly planted in reality.  We are all Aiken County and “The Shelter” is our community shelter.  What we deserve is a healthy, humane, happy environment that one day will never have to euthanize an adoptable pet.  You can help this dream come true.

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 October 3rd thru 9th   

Dogs taken in:  55

Cats taken in:  43

Dogs adopted:  12

Cats adopted:    0

Dogs euthanized:  60

Cats euthanized:   28