Special pet adoption event in Aiken Saturday

John Hart
·3 min read

AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) – Friends of the (Aiken County) Animal Shelter (FOTAS) celebrated its 15th Anniversary with a special adoption event on Saturday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In addition to celebrating its 15th year of being a volunteer-based nonprofit in its private/public partnership with Aiken County, FOTAS also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the shelter building at 333 Wire Road, according to a news release from organizers.

They say that FOTAS’s greatest accomplishment has been helping the shelter dramatically raise its survival rate (see chart below). Officials say the nonprofit partnered with the county to change its stats in 2009 from euthanizing more than 90 percent of the 5,500 dogs and cats received per year to instead saving more than 90 percent of the animals received each year. Over the past six years, every adoptable pet at the shelter has been saved and rehomed.

“FOTAS was established to help our community’s Aiken County Animal Shelter to never have to euthanize an adoptable animal received at the shelter,” said FOTAS President Jennifer Miller.

According to the releaser, FOTAS milestones include:

  • In 2014, the opening of the needed new shelter at 333 Wire Road, which was built in private/public partnership with the County. (Ten-year anniversary this year!)

  • In 2016, the County passed a resolution in establishing a Trap/Neuter and Return to Field community cat program. The County and FOTAS pay for the altering of community cats, saving thousands from euthanization while combatting cat overpopulation through sterilization.

  • In 2017, FOTAS received the Angel Award from the South Carolina Secretary of State, one of ten nonprofits out of 14,000 recognized as representing the most effective and efficient charities in SC.

  • In 2018, the medical isolation and healing building was built for the animal shelter.

  • In 2018, the Aiken County Council unanimously passed a resolution that Aiken County would work to save every adoptable animal received at the shelter.

  • In 2019, FOTAS established a Home to Home online program, enabling pet owners in need of rehoming their pets not to have to surrender their pets to the shelter.

  • In 2023, the shelter needed PAWS building to increase adoptions as well as promote community and youth educational programs.

  • Work with the County to help citizens in financial need spay/neuter their pets.

  • Fund the treatment and saving of every adoptable heartworm positive dog received at the shelter.

  • Established a Dogs Playing for Life Program at the Shelter with its play groups, increasing dog save rates.

  • Fund extra care and medical treatments for shelter animals and medical equipment and facility improvements.

Barney, the dog pictured above, was one of those to find their forever home during the event.

If you missed the special event, you can still view adoptable pets here. The shelter is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (803) 642-1537 or visit fotasaiken.org.

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