WRDW Channel 12 Offers a Weekly Opportunity to Shelter Pets

What a joy for Sandy Larsen, Senior Vet Tech at the Aiken County Animal Shelter, to arrive at work early on Monday morning, and hear on the answering machine, “I saw this dog on channel 12.  This is my number…. I got to have this dog.”

It starts her week off right. 

Sandy has been getting up at 4am every Monday morning for almost five years now so that she can give one more animal a chance to find a forever home. 

WRDW, Channel 12 has a segment called , “Take Me Home” featuring adoptable pets in need of good homes.  Our Aiken County Shelter pets star on Monday mornings at about 6:20 am.

You may see a cat, dog, puppy or kitten.  Sandy says that she tries to pick the animal that has been there the longest and that has the personality for this opportunity.  She has learned to avoid the hyperactive ones.

“Once I took this young black lab, and he got so excited when he saw Tim, the meteorologist, that he ripped the button off Tim’s jacket.”

Although there has been recurring turnover among the anchor women, Tim and Sandy have been doing this spot together since the beginning.  One time Tim did the whole weather segment with the kitten Sandy brought on his shoulder.

On Saturdays, Sandy and Denise, one of FOTAS’ volunteer coordinators, have a game they play in anticipation of Monday’s potential “star.”

“Who are you going to take this week?” asks Denise.

Sandy picks a candidate.  More often than not, that animal will be adopted before the shelter closes on Saturday, and Sandy must choose again.  It is her turn to spend time one-on-one with an animal.

“It may sound crazy,” she says, “But you’d be amazed at how much I can learn about a pet in the time it takes me to get them out of the kennel, walk them to do their business, ride to the station, and then wait to go on.”

She learns if they are housebroken, how they do on a leash, how they ride in a vehicle, and how they deal with strangers and new situations.  She appears with them like a proud coach.

The whole process pulls at Sandy’s heart.  She wonders if they think they are going home when they get in the truck.  She recalls  a dog called Amanda, “She sat close, put her paw on my lap, and just looked out the window the whole way.”

Sandy swears that when these animals go on TV it is like they know it is their time to show what a wonderful pet they can be. But you don’t have to take her word for it.

Go to WRDW.com, go to “Community” and then click the drop down “Take Me Home.”  You may still see Uggy offering his belly in the lower right corner of the screen. 

Sandy and the shelter staff love to hear, “I saw this dog on Monday morning; do you still have it?” Check it out. 

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”

September 3^rd thru 9^th   

Received: 57 dogs and 30 cats

Adopted: 7 dogs and 3 cats

Put down: 31 dogs and 36 cats

Aiken County Animal Shelter     “Pets of the Week!”                            

So much LOVE for so little $$!

ANNABELLE-Yellow lab mix. 4 yrs. This dog is a doll on and off leash. $70 includes the love!

 

 

ORLANDO  –  1yr.  This elegant gentleman will be a soothing companion.  $35, purr-FREE!

 

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

Woofstock Festival Begins with a Challenge to Youngsters

“Out of the mouths of babes…” says scripture, and we are counting on the children for their wisdom for a very special event.

If you are the parent, grandparent, guardian or role-model of an elementary school-aged child, FOTAS has a wonderful opportunity for you to share with your youngster: help him or her enter “Meg’s Essay Contest.”

Meg is a little brindle terrier who was rescued from the Aiken County Animal Shelter last April.  Her owner is Edie who is in charge of FOTAS’ Woofstock Festival 2012.  The Essay contest honors our County Shelter’s lucky dogs and cats.

The Essay Contest intends to put children in grades 1 through 6 in charge of addressing a key question at the heart of this year’s Woofstock festivities.

Meg’s Essay question for the children to ponder is, “What can we do about all the unwanted puppies and kittens in Aiken County?” 

Last year 5011 unwanted, neglected or abused dogs and cats were received at our county shelter; 3,808 or 76% died there.  As awful as that number is to confront, over the last five years it is down almost 20%.

Let’s ask the children: “What can we do about all the unwanted puppies and kittens?”  Talk to them.  Help them ponder, and write about an answer. 

On November 10^th FOTAS will hold our second Woofstock Festival, “Mutts & Music.”  The organizers have pulled out all the stops in providing a celebration of families and their pets. 

Woofstock is also an essential fund-raiser for FOTAS’ partnership with the county in providing a new county animal shelter, one that is adequate to the humane treatment of its homeless animals, and to the participation of communities bent on reducing those numbers.

The Woofstock Festival of Mutts & Music promises fun activities for all ages: music by 93.9 BobFM, Tony B. of WKSX 92.7 FM, and 4 Cats in the Doghouse.  There will be contests, demonstrations, a Mutt Strut Parade, vendors, crafters, food by the Willcox, Papa John’s, Coach T’s, Papa Russ’ Bar-B-Que, and Brusters.  And we are just getting started.

The Essay Contest will be judged in three “flights:” grades 1 & 2, 3 & 4, and 5 & 6.  Entries must be made on the Official Essay Contest form.  Here are the Rules and how to get a form if you do not already have one:

ESSAY CONTEST RULES

Essays must be received by FOTAS no later than Monday, October 1, 2012.

Contest is open to students in grades 1 - 6.

One winner will be selected from each “flight:” Grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6.

Each winner will be awarded:

• Chance to co-judge the dog contests at Woofstock (best trick, best kisser & best costume)
• iTunes $10 gift card
• A commemorative Woofstock t-shirt
• 2 free tickets to the Woofstock Festival

Essays must be written on the official form.

To get yours:

Call  803-522-0471 or email woofstock@fotasaiken.org and request one be sent.

Go to the FOTAS website and the Woofstock Tab has everything!

FOTAS wants to hear what the children are saying.   

See you at Woofstock: Mutts & Music 2012!

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”

  August 27^th thru September 2^nd  

  Received: 57 dogs and 43 cats

Adopted: 6 dogs and 3 cats

Put down: 50 dogs and 24 cats

 

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

ELMER FUDDAmerican Bulldog mix 3 yrs. 51 lbs.   
Super-friendly and great to walk on a leash!  $70 includes everything but the love!

NUGGET –  14-week male tabby.  Cute as a bug that purrs!  $35 for kitty, purr-FREE!

 *All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip and are half price thru 9/8/12!

FOTAS Seeks Help for a Family in Sudden Need

Some faiths assure us that God will not place a burden upon us greater than we can bear.  If true, there is a young woman (she turned 27 this week) whose huge heart caused God to call upon her for help. 

FOTAS found out about Taisha, and her new family of five children and one dog, last Monday because the dog, a Jack Russell she named BJ, had been seriously injured in the road. 

Two months ago, Taisha didn’t have any children, or a dog.  The last dog she rescued found its way to a new home, allegedly by a child who stole him.  When Taisha finally found her dog, he was in good care, and she didn’t have the heart to separate him from his new family. Oh, that big heart!

A friend asked Taisha to rescue BJ. She and her dad had just moved to a 3-acre property.  BJ was neglected and abused.  There was talk of dumping him.  BJ arrived at Taisha’s home, starved and scared of everyone, hiding in her closet.

A couple of weeks later, the five children arrived.  The fifteen-year-old, we’ll call Tanya, called Taisha because she and her three half-brothers ages 6, 8, and 9, and little half-sister, 5, had been evicted.  The mother, an addict, was gone, incapable of caring for them, and Tanya was terrified that the siblings would all be separated. 

Taisha and her dad took the five children in.  Beds were donated; clothes and school supplies acquired, with help from Christ Central and Taisha’s church.

Then Taisha’s dad crushed his finger at work and was put on temporary disability, allowing him to be home nights during their transition. 

Tanya had never liked dogs, but the uprooted adolescent, and the little abused dog bonded.  BJ loved the children and learned to play, chasing a foam football that he had yet to learn to bring back. He was a new dog.

The accident occurred because BJ followed Tanya to the school bus.  When she boarded, BJ chased the bus and was hit by a bread truck. Taisha came home from the store to find her neighbor with BJ wrapped in his jacket.

Taisha drives a scooter and doesn’t have a car.  She didn’t have the money to pay for “services-when-rendered” at the vet clinics she called.  Ultimately, she was referred to Aiken County Animal Control. 

Chief Bobby Arthurs could have had the injured animal picked up for disposal.  Instead, he called FOTAS.  FOTAS agreed to loan Taisha a crate and the estimated $1,000-1,500 for BJ’s surgery.  Taisha followed the officer with BJ to the animal clinic on her scooter.  She will repay FOTAS in biweekly installments. 

“Things just keep falling into place,” she says.  This is a young woman worth investing in, we say, part of a responsible, animal-loving county.

BJ After Surgery

BJ came home on Thursday morning. 

To help lighten Taisha’s burden, you can send a check to PO Box 2207, Aiken, 29802, or donate to BJ’s Fund on our Website.

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”

August 13^th thru 26^th

Received: 137 dogs and 87 cats

Adopted: 13 dogs and 8 cats

Put down: 89 dogs and 83 cats

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

WESLEY – Terrier mix 2.5 yrs. 51 lbs. 

He’s a little bit gimpy, but sweet as he can be.  Only  $35!

PRECIOUS  – Adult female tabby with big blue eyes.   

What else could you call her?  $35.

 

*All adoption fees include: Spay/Neuter, heartworm test, all shots, worming, and microchip and are half price thru 9/8/12!