Aiken County Shelter Hosts Woofstock Event as Facility Faces Overcrowding

The Friends of the Animal Shelter in Aiken County will host its Woofstock Family Day of Fun this week. The facility is bursting at the seams. Next week's event welcomes everyone, whether they want to adopt or not.

Last week alone, the shelter admitted more than 100 animals. Kathy Cagle, programs coordinator, called these numbers impossible to maintain.

"We took in over 100 animals last week. And so in a five-day period to take in over 100 dogs and cats, that's way too much," Cagle said, per WRDW. "We can't sustain that without the community's help."

This year's event looks different. Organizers restructured Woofstock to shine a spotlight back on the animals themselves. Amy Peterson chairs the Woofstock 2026 committee. She explained the board's thinking.

"One of the things that the board wanted to do was bring the focus back to the animal shelter," said Peterson.

The nonprofit builds skills in dogs and cats to boost their chances of adoption. Staff members work with animals every day. They teach trust. They teach manners.

Peterson sees potential in these animals, not problems. "They're good dogs. They just need a little support and a little patience to get to that next phase of their best life," Peterson said.

Money raised at Woofstock pays for medical care and life-saving programs. The nonprofit gets no funding for these services. Cagle maintains that matching animals with the right families is what matters most.