Swan Lake Porch Project

06/20/2026

See Something? Say Something!

Credit: Friends of Carolina Animals & The Humane Society of the United States

06/18/2026

🐕🐈🏡🤝💙🙏📦💸

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06/13/2026

See Something, say something. 👇🏼

Call law enforcement if you have concerns about an animal or pet in potentially unsafe conditions. Minutes, even seconds, can make a difference.
If in the city of Sumter, call us at 803-436-2700 or 803-436-2741.
Always dial 911 in an emergency.

06/12/2026

⚠️⚠️ SOUTH CAROLINA URGENT PET HEAT ADVISORY ⚠️⚠️

The humidity and relentless temperatures we are experiencing right now are not just uncomfortable, they are LIFE-THREATENING for our animals. With tomorrow’s heat index pushing 110°F followed by potential thunderstorms, our street animals and pets are in severe danger.

🗣🔈The Swan Lake Porch Project reminds you that protection from this heat is NOT a suggestion; it is a requirement for responsible pet ownership.

We are seeing a disturbing increase in community concerns:

🐕 Animals tethered at seemingly abandoned properties with zero access to fresh water. (Relentless heat + No water = A quick death sentence.)

🐈 Stray colonies without adequate water sources.

🐕 Pets forced to walk on scorching asphalt and concrete. (If the ground is too hot for your bare feet, it burns their paws instantly!)

Your Pets Need You To Act Now:

Bring them INSIDE. In this kind of humidity, a outdoor dog house is just an oven. Fans or air conditioning are essential.

Provide MULTIPLE bowls of fresh, cool water. Check them several times a day. Water evaporates rapidly and gets too hot to drink.

Know the signs of Heatstroke (This is a Medical Emergency!): Excessive/violent panting, glazed eyes, bright red gums/tongue, vomiting, and lethargy.

🙏 PLEASE, SHARE THIS TO EVERY SUMTER COMMUNITY GROUP.

We must be the voice for the voiceless. If you know of an animal tethered with no water or in active distress, do not ignore it. Together, we can prevent tragedies this weekend.

05/31/2026

Patience • Commitment • Daily Responsibility 🔁

Dogs are more than companions; they are loyal partners who place their complete trust in the people they love. Caring for a dog requires patience, commitment, and daily responsibility, as their well-being depends entirely on the care and attention they receive. This unique bond is built through consistency, affection, and mutual understanding over time.

Many pet owners describe their relationship with their dogs as a source of emotional support and personal growth. The experience often teaches empathy, accountability, and unconditional love. For countless families, dogs are not simply pets but cherished members of the household whose loyalty enriches everyday life.

05/31/2026

✨🐾🥹✨

There’s something in the way my dog looks at me that makes me feel fully seen, without ever having to explain myself. Out of all the connections I’ve experienced in life, this four-legged heart seems to understand me on a level deeper than words could reach. It isn’t about perfection both of us have had messy days, stubborn moods, and quiet hurts but it’s about the way he chooses me every single day. His love remains steady, even when I’m tired, overwhelmed, or not at my best, offering a kind of devotion that quietly settles into your bones and transforms the way you move through the world.

Out of everyone I’ve loved, it is his unwavering affection that feels the most like home. Each glance, each nuzzle, each silent moment together is a reminder that true companionship is rooted in trust, loyalty, and the purest form of understanding

05/31/2026

🥹…’Helping them feel safe enough to live differently.’

He kept running into the same Dollar General for one reason.

Not food.
Not shelter.
Not people.

A purple unicorn toy.

That is what made Sisu unforgettable.

Back in Kenansville, North Carolina, the young stray Lab mix kept slipping through the automatic doors of a Dollar General and heading straight for the Easter section. Employees noticed it was always the same toy, a purple unicorn priced at $10, and after he kept trying to take it, they called Duplin County Animal Services for help.

What could have been a simple stray pickup turned into one of those stories people never forget.

Animal control officer Samantha Lane bought the unicorn for him.

And from that point on, it went everywhere with him.

According to shelter staff, Sisu stayed calm as long as the toy was nearby. If it got dirty, he would not touch it again until it had been washed. Then he would go right back to laying on it, peaceful again, like that little plush unicorn had become his safe place.

That detail says so much.

Stray dogs do not get to keep much.

Not routine.
Not security.
Not a favorite toy.

So when one of them finds comfort in something that small, it hits hard.

Before leaving Duplin County Animal Services, Sisu even made one more stop back at the Dollar General to see the employees who first noticed him. After that, he was transferred to Lab Rescue LRCP, where he could get training before moving into his forever home.

Shelter staff said he needed help learning to feel safer around other dogs, something many strays struggle with after spending so long fending for themselves.

That is the part people sometimes miss.

A rescue is not only about getting a dog off the street.

It is also about helping him feel safe enough to live differently.

Sisu did not just steal a unicorn.

He stole people’s hearts because, in a world that had probably given him very little, he held onto the one soft thing that made him feel okay.

And somehow, that little purple toy helped carry him all the way to a new life.

05/26/2026

Sadly, this applies to the Sumter area as well. 'Please be the person your dog thinks you are and stop trying to dump them on an already overcrowded and overextended shelter system.'

If you need help to keep your dog, please reach out.

The amount of owner Surrender emails and phone calls I've gotten over the past two weeks has been astronomical. People are trying to surrender their dogs for… I'm sorry… The most dumb s**t reasons I've ever heard. The most manageable reasons. The most temporary reasons.

We typically don't take owner surrenders from the public which means your only other option is the Shelter. Once your dog enters the shelter, no matter how amazing you think they are before you drop them off there, no matter how great of a chance you think they have once they enter those doors… They arent, and they don't. They're a number in the system Once a dog enters the shelter system they are no more special than the dog who was dumped there 20 minutes before yours was.

Obviously, there are very legitimate reasons why someone may need to rehome their dog but, if only the people who had a legitimate reason were rehoming their dogs, shelters and rescues wouldn't be overwhelmed with perfectly healthy and happy dogs with nowhere to go.

Statistically, there are simply not enough homes for every single dog in need. Please do the world a favor. Stop supporting breeders. They're not the ones that are gonna take your dog when you don't feel like dealing with the them anymore. If you have a fixable problem, figure out a solution. Save up for a trainer, spend more time with your dog. Having a baby isn't an excuse to ditch your dog. Thousands of women every single day
have babies and keep their dogs. Find a place to live that allows dogs. It might not be where you want to live ....but atleast you get to keep your dog.

Having a pet is an honor, it's not a right. And we should be thankful every day for the love and unconditional companionship we get from the dogs and cats in our lives. That being said, please be the person your dog thinks you are and stop trying to dump them on an already overcrowded and overextended shelter system

If you need resources, we can help but we cannot take your dog. We're already full with a bunch of dogs a bunch of other people didn't want anymore.