Shop takes donations of food to make shelter animals' Christmas merrier

Armfuls of packaged dog food left Herbal Solutions on Tuesday, bound for the Aiken County Animal Shelter.

Business owner Jeri Barrett donated her window display of Nature's Logic all-natural dog food to the shelter to feed the canines housed there.

Aiken County Animal Control Officer Rick Davis loaded his truck with roughly 26 bags and a handful of canned dog food.

"Those animals out there need help. It's like 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?' They never know. That's an everyday thing. I hope this gets people to think, 'What can I do to help?'" Barrett said.

Barrett admits she has a special place in her heart for the shelter. Herbal Solutions' shop dog, Petey, was adopted there.

On Saturday, volunteers will be at Herbal Solutions to collect donations from the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those wishing to donate can dip a bowl into a bag of dry pet food, if they already have it, and bring the food in a Ziploc bag to Herbal Solutions.

"If enough people do it, it will be a Christmas miracle for the animals," Barrett said.

Animal Control Advisory Board member Bill Busser was on hand Tuesday to help with the heavy lifting.

"The shelter is limited on their funds," he said. "Any little bit helps."

Davis said, at any given time, there are 100 animals at the shelter to feed.

"We absolutely appreciate it. Programs like this are great," he said.

Herbal Solutions is located at 722 Silver Bluff Road in the Centre South shopping center.