Animals overdue for a home.
A few years ago, the Aiken SPCA Board of Directors made the decision to become a limited-admission, no-kill facility. That choice was welcomed in the community by staff and the facility’s visitors.
There is, however, one downside to running a shelter like this. Animals can stay in the shelter for their entire lives if no one chooses to adopt them. This reduces the number of animals that can be rescued each year. There are lots of reasons why some animals live at the facility for much longer than others.
First, big dogs – particularly, large mix-breed dogs – aren’t typically adopted quickly. A purebred boxer, German shepherd or golden retriever won’t stay for long, but mixes are less coveted by potential adopters.
Other dogs blend in, such as black lab mixes or hound mixes, and tend to get overlooked by many people. Many long-term residents get passed over, too, because there are usually cute puppies in the shelter and lots of people prefer very young puppies over a full-grown, 60-pound dog they don’t know.
The SPCA has the luxury of getting to know these dogs well by seeing them every day and knowing that these long-term residents will make great pets. Our dog with the longest time spent in the adoption area is currently Little Bit. She’s a boxer/bulldog mix that came to the shelter as a neglect and cruelty case. She was extremely underfed, heartworm positive and had been abused. She came to the SPCA in January 2008. She was fed well, cured of heartworms and began to trust people again. She’s a great dog who has been overlooked for far too long.
Two other large dogs – Rottweiler mixes, Buster Brown and Tyrone – look intimidating but are also sweet dogs who have spent the past year waiting for their chance at a forever home. They may be large and powerful, but you’d be hard-pressed to find nicer dogs with whom to share your home. Full Story……