Good Intentions Essay

The Aiken County Animal Shelter has been helping animals for many years now.

They do whatever means necessary to provide the highest quality of care for local animals in need. Whether it be rescuing, providing shelter and a home, or putting them up for adoption, the shelter shows these less fortunate dogs and cats as much love and care as they possibly can. The Aiken County Animal Shelter’s mission statement is to improve quality of life for Aiken shelter animals, increase pet adoption, and help prevent the mistreating and not wanting of pets.The Aiken County Animal Shelter does put majority of the animals down, but they do have the best intensions. The Aiken County Animal Shelter helps provide animal services for the unincorporated areas of Aiken.

The Shelter provides animal adoptions with a $ 70 fee. This fee covers rabies vaccination, micro chipping, and spay/neuter. They rescue animals in need, such as animals that are strays, sick, injured, or unwanted. The employees of the shelter pick the animals up from their home if the situation is bad enough. Also, they respond to cruelty complaints and quarantine animals that have bitten someone.They make sure that there is a label on that in particular animal’s pen that states it bites. The room and space for the animals is very limited.

The dogs have cages and there are three dogs per cage. Half of their cage is inside the building and the other half is outside. The cats have their own separate building. The cat building is basically an outdoor shed.

Half of the building is for kittens and the other half is for adult cats. Of course, the cats have plenty of food and toys to play with. The shelter allows volunteers to come daily to play, walk, and care for the animals.There are many volunteers and workers at the shelter that strive to provide the love and care these less fortunate animals need.

The statistics for the shelter’s animals are shocking. For example, they take in five thousand to six thousand pets per year. Ninety percent of these animals are euthanized, or put to sleep. From 2011-2012, the number of imported dogs and cats combined were outrageous. In Aiken County, there were five thousand and eleven dogs and cats imported into the shelter. Out of these, there were only three hundred and seven returned to their owner.

There was one thousand, three hundred and forty-five adopted. Also, out of the five thousand and eleven, there were three thousand, eight hundred and eight animals that had to be euthanized because there was lack of space in the shelter. In the month of July 2011, the shelter received four hundred and sixty-one animals. They received seven cats and forty-six dogs that year. Twelve of these animals were adopted. Eighty-one percent, about three hundred, seventy-three animals out of the four hundred, sixty-one, were euthanized. In July 2012, the numbers went down, barely.

They received four hundred, forty-nine total animals that month. There were eighteen cats and thirty-four dogs. Forty one of these animals were adopted and seventy-two percent, about three hundred, twenty-four, of these animals had to be euthanized. In just a matter of 6 days, from August 6-12 2012, fifty-seven dogs and thirty-three cats were euthanized. It is very sad to think about all of these cats and dogs being put down because there is just no room for them. Thankfully, a new facility was just built and they are relocating soon.Just recently, a new Aiken County Animal Shelter was built. It is now a 20,000 square foot building which is 4 times the size of the old one.

This new building is environmentally friendly and is going to save a lot of money for the shelter. There are now hot water heaters powered by solar panels on the roof of the shelter. The spay and neuter clinic can now go from a little over 2,000, which is how many surgeries per year they could do in the old building, to now 18,000 per year. This is to help keep animal population down and keep them out of the shelter in the first place.The shelter is getting the word out with flyers and many other ways. There are now huge dog pens outside for exercise and there are now several spaces used for creating a stress free environment. Also, in the new facility, there are sound proof ceilings, which is a huge improvement from the last facility.

Now, the animals have more room and are more comfortable. They can stay in the shelter longer and not be put down due to lack of space. Now, because of the new shelter, the animals will have an all-around better life.The Aiken County Animal Shelter tries their best to provide for as many animals as they possibly can. All of the members of the shelter have the biggest hearts and do what they can to make a significant difference in these animals lives, and in our community.

Thankfully, the new facility will prevent them from having to euthanize innocent animals. Throughout all of the deaths, the Aiken County Animal Shelter does try their best to provide the highest quality of care for animals in need. The Aiken County Animal Shelter really does have good intensions.