The Aiken County Animal Shelter and Friends of the Animal Shelter, also known as FOTAS, are offering two new adoption specials this month to help speed up the process in which dogs and cats find forever homes.
"With the shelter still at full capacity, there is a critical need to create vacancies and move more orphaned canines and felines to the facility's adoption floor," said FOTAS President Jennifer Miller.
The Puppy Love 2 for 1 promotion, valid through Aug. 31, will allow adopters to adopt a puppy at the regular price of $70 and get a second puppy from the same litter for free. The adoption fee includes worming, vaccinations, neutering or spaying and micro-chipping.
This promotion not only boosts the chances for siblings to be adopted together to the same forever home but also ensures they each will have a constant companion even when they are left alone. According to experts, two puppies in a home socialize quicker and more easily.
"Because we have such a large population of puppies at the shelter right now, the timing is perfect for our adoption special," Miller said. "Last month's free cat adoption promotion was hugely successful in boosting the amount of cats that found forever homes, and we hope to equal or surpass that success with our August puppy special."
For cat lovers, the shelter is sponsoring a new feline promotion during August: 9 Lives for $9.
The special $9 feline adoption fee, which includes worming, vaccinations, neutering or spaying and micro-chipping, will be available through the end of the month. The shelter's cat adoption fee normally is $35.
While FOTAS and the shelter are glad to offer such promotions to the community, the rationale behind the specials is tragic.
"The reason for the overflow of animals at the shelter is that people are not getting their dogs and cats spayed and neutered," said Bob Gordon, FOTAS communications director and volunteer. "The resulting offspring of puppies and kittens are then often abandoned or given up for adoption."
Resources are available to help residents get their pets fixed.
Low-cost spay or neuter vouchers are available to Aiken County residents who qualify for financial assistance. Interested parties must come to the shelter and fill out applications for the vouchers.
FOTAS' Fix a Pet supplements the County voucher program and is available to citizens in need.
The SPCA also has a low-cost spay or neuter voucher program for qualified City of Aiken residents, which is funded by the City.
The Aiken County Animal Shelter is at 333 Wire Road in Aiken. Its weekday hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturdays, the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Visit the FOTAS website at www.fotasaiken.org to view photos and profiles of all the available dogs and cats. For more information, call the shelter at 803-642-1537.