Shoppers at Saturday’s garage sale and bake sale for a local animal shelter didn’t just land great deals — they also helped raise more than $5,000 to provide emergency medical care to rescued pets.

The Fairfield County Animal Adoption and Control Center held its annual fundraiser Saturday in the parking lot of Trinity United Methodist Church of Blythewood at 90 Boney Road. Bargain hunters browsed through a wide range of donated items, including jewelry, tableware and glassware, seasonal decorations, framed artwork, videos, handbags and even a pair of blue suede cowboy boots.

A popular stop was the bake sale table, which was nearly sold out in the early hours.

“It’s all about the animals,” said West Columbia baker Ruthie Player, who owns seven dogs, most of them rescues. “Fairfield needs to be rural so badly and it doesn’t get the funding that other shelters get. It’s my heart now.

“The need is so great,” agreed Sharon Spicciati of Winnsboro, who attended with Celia, a boxer-pit bull mix she’s fostering for the shelter until he’s adopted. Spicciati said the shelter is designed to house 25 dogs, but can have two to four times that number at a time, for a total of 1,800 over the course of a year.

Proceeds from the yard and bake sale allow abused animals to be seen by a veterinarian and made adoptable, according to organizer Sonja Murphy. This medical care includes the treatment of injuries sustained by abused animals, such as the surgical removal of a chain collar that has become embedded in a dog’s neck.

Other fundraisers for the shelters include a booth in Blythewood during the Big Grab Regional Garage Sale in September and a drive for pet supplies at the Blythewood Artists’ Guild Holiday Market towards the end of the year. ‘year.