Foster a furry friend during the holidays in the CSRA
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Everyone deserves a home for the holidays - take a furry friend home from animal shelters in Richmond, Aiken and Edgefield counties.
Across our area, animal shelters are pushing to get animals out of their cages and into foster homes for the holidays.
These programs usually give you everything you need to take care of the pet and all you have to do is open your home.
With friends and family coming together to enjoy Thanksgiving, the Augusta Animal Shelter is hoping you have room for one more to celebrate with you.
The shelters Home for the Holidays event is back for the fifth year in a row and on Tuesday, people lined up before the shelter opened to take home a new best friend.
“They get to lay on a couch, stretch out, get love at a minimum for the holiday and when they come back, they’re back up for adoption,” said Reece. ‘If the person who took them home for the holiday falls in love, they might have their new forever home.”
If you would like to foster a pet for the holiday you can pick one up at the shelter from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Annual Feast before the Feast helps feed those in need
We are just eight days away from Thanksgiving and various organizations across the community are providing a hot meal this holiday season.
They also say there is no commitment.
“You can just go through and meet the dogs we have available for home for the holiday,” said Reece. We’ll help you find the right fit and you can leave the same day and hopefully, you’ll fall in love and the animal won’t be back with us.”
The shelter is providing a collar, leash and goodie bag filled with toys and treats for you to take home with them. If you need food, they can help you out with that too.
If you decide to not keep the animal you can return them on Dec. 2 or 3 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
If you decide to keep them, the adoption fee is free and the shelter says they will assume they have found their forever home.
“We encourage everyone to fall in love and you do not have to bring them back,” Augusta Animal Services stated.
They ask that people wanting to participate bring any children and existing pets with them to the shelter so we can make sure they all get along. You do not have to reside in Richmond County to participate.
They say events like this help them battle a problem they face year-round.
“We do have a severe problem with pet overpopulation in August,” said Reece. “Pretty much all animals, but especially medium to large dogs, especially pitbulls.”
Finding Solutions: Salvation Army programs help families during holidays
The Salvation Army in both Augusta and Aiken kicked off the holiday season with the Angel Tree Program and Red Kettle Campaign on Wednesday.
Families say they’re ready to open their hearts and home for the holidays.
“We have other cats at home and we just felt bad for any cat that was sitting without a family so we thought she would make a nice addition and just be the icing on our cake,” said Amanda Gordon, who added a furry friend to the family.
If you can’t participate this Thanksgiving, they also do Home for the Holidays during Christmas.
If you’re interested in volunteering, they’re always looking for new volunteers.
If you’d like to volunteer, you can just either come in and sign the interest form that’s on the front counter, or you can send a direct message to the Friends of Augusta Animal Services Facebook page.
In Aiken, SPCA Albrecht Center events manager Jade Garrett says you can pick up your pet through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and drop them off Friday or Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Or you can keep them forever,” Garrett says.
Also in Aiken, the Friends of the Animal Shelter announced you can take a pet home for the holidays but you must get pre-approved by Nov. 26. Email FOTAS with your name, address and current pets so they can make the best match for you.
Pick up will be on Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and returns will be on Nov. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In Edgefield County, the Friends of the Edgefield Animal Shelter says you can get your foster friend from Nov. 25-27 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and return them Dec. 2 and 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Officials gave us a preview of a few of the dogs available this Thanksgiving.
If you are interested fill out this form.
Fostering or adopting an animal is needed now more than ever.
When you go to foster some or all the materials you may need might be provided by the shelter so make sure you ask them what they can provide.
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