‘Christmas is about giving’: Spend holidays with a shelter pet
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - There’s a chance for families to spend Christmas with shelter animals during the “Home for the Holidays” event with animal services in the CSRA.
The Augusta Animal Services and the Aiken County Animal Shelter are hosting the event, where you can sign up to foster a dog or a cat for the holidays.
This event can help the animals get out of the shelter and into your home during a time when employees are not able to be around as much.
Pick up will be from noon to 4 on Friday and you can return the pet on January 2nd or 3rd from noon to 4.
Friends of the Animal Shelter Programs Coordinator Kathy Cagle says the shelter will be closed from December 24-27 in Aiken.
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“It’s a really long time for these dogs and cats to be alone,” she said. “We’re not gonna be here all day for the four days, so yes their basic needs will be met, but they’re not gonna get the socializing, and we don’t want them to mentally have a setback.”
Instead of a setback, she wants to give them a step forward.
The shelter is asking you to help them by welcoming a dog or cat into your home for the holiday, or maybe forever.
“If they don’t come back, we love that, but if they have to come back, they’re that much more adoptable,” Cagle said.
Thats because when the dogs come back from their Christmas vacation, the shelter finds out more about how they act in a home away from a shelter environment.
“Last year, we found out one of the biggest bulldogs that we had, this couple took him home, and they said every morning, he would lay at the door, go get the newspaper, and bring it back, we would’ve never known that that dog had that skillset,” Cagle said.
As you finish getting gifts, the shelter doesn’t want you to forget a gift for these pets.
“Christmas is about giving, and hope, and that’s what we want to give our dogs too,” she said.
All volunteers need is your name, address and current pets to find a match.
You provide a loving home, and the shelter will provide everything else.
You can email [email protected] or call 803-642-1537.
Make sure to get pre-approved by Dec. 22.
Pickup happens this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To learn more about the event, and the shelter head over to the website.
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