With the support of the BISSELL Pet Foundation and MetLife Pet Insurance, Friends of the Animal Shelter in Aiken and the Aiken County Animal Shelter are hosting a special “Empty the Shelter” event through Monday, July 31.
The adoption fees for dogs are reduced to $25 or less, and fees for many dogs will even be waived during this promotion. The adoption fee for cats and kittens is only $10.
“Our kennels are full of incredible dogs right now,” said Kathy Cagle, FOTAS programs’ coordinator, in a news release. “We have yellow and chocolate Labrador Retrievers, shepherds, beagles, pointers, you name it! Most are active in playgroups with other dogs, which makes them easier to integrate into homes with existing pets.”
Despite already being at or over capacity, the County Shelter, like many shelters across the country, is experiencing a summer surge of new intakes for various reasons. Some of those reasons include kitten and puppy season, an increase of strays that have escaped and have not been claimed, and rising owner surrenders due to economic conditions and lack of access to medical care.
“Summer is always the worst time for animal shelters,” said Jennifer Miller, FOTAS president. “In June, our shelter took in more than 500 animals. Finding homes for these dogs and cats is becoming increasingly difficult.”
During BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters quarterly national events, nearly 1,200 shelter pets are adopted each day, creating a lifesaving solution to this problem, the release said.
“There is no way we can save all of these pets lives if our community doesn’t adopt,” Cagle said. “Rescues are full, shelters are full…the model of no-kill is not sustainable if people don’t start adopting.”
The County Shelter is open for adoptions 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday. For more information, contact FOTAS at info@FOTASaiken.org or call the County Shelter at (803) 642-1537, option 3.
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