The dog days of summer may be gone but it’s dog days at the shelter. We have two wonderful 10-year-old girls hoping to find their new forever homes soon. Bella is an apricot, toy poodle, making her hypo-allergenic. She’s a little shy but is a real lap dog that loves to snuggle. She responds to affection, gives kisses, and will be an angel once she feels secure in a home. She also gets along with other dogs and cats. Bella would probably be happiest with someone retired who can spend a lot of time with her.

The other girl is a sweetheart of a yellow Labrador retriever named Bessie. She has been spayed and is up to date on all her vaccines. Bessie gets along with other dogs as well as with cats. This girl is a real gem, very calm, gentle and well trained.

We have two awesome guinea pigs hoping for homes. They are big singers and quite affectionate. Onyx is a black, long hair, Abyssinian with a very shiny coat. He’s a super friendly boy, coming to the side of the cage, and will even eat from your hand. He also loves to sing. Maple is a big, calico boy with a maple colored face. And he’s extremely friendly coming to the side of the cage for attention. Both these guys are very communicative and enjoy being held and played with. These piggies were hand raised and love attention.

We have two special needs cats looking for special angels to fulfill their lives. Holly is a six year-old tabby that came to us from an unfortunate situation so she is not always trusting of people. She needs that special owner who will allow her the time and space to set the boundaries and learn to trust. During her time with us she has begun to come around. Hazel is an elderly, diabetic tabby who seeks out attention and is very sweet. She purrs and purrs when being pet.

We had another successful nail clinic last Saturday. The next nail clinic will be held on Nov. 17 and takes place at the shelter from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The suggested donation is $15. And we are taking jewelry donations throughout the year for our Summer Garden Party.

We’d also like to remind everyone that hunting season has begun. Remember to wear bright colors when walking in the woods, and keep your dogs leashed. And please stay out of wooded areas at dawn and dusk.

We still need adult volunteers to answer the phone and meet and greet people on Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons. If interested give us a call or stop by for more information. And if anyone needs any crates or dog food, please stop in to pick some up. We have an abundance of both and are happy to share.

Shelter hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The shelter is closed Sunday and Monday. The telephone number is 508-627-8662. Contributions are always gratefully accepted; the shelter is funded solely by donations. Please make checks out to Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard; the mailing address is P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539 or visit animalshelterofmv.org.