This week we have some good news and a heartwarming story to relate.

The good news is that six-year-old tabby, Holly, has begun to come out of her shell. She’s enjoying pets and seeking out attention. This is a big deal for Holly. She’s been with us for over a year and was rather fearful, but that seems to be subsiding.

Onyx is still looking for the love of his life. He’s an Abyssinian Guinea Pig with a long, shiny black coat, that’s fun to brush and also could use a trim now and then. And he’s the friendliest Guinea Pig in the world. He’s been hand raised, loves to interact with people and actually comes to the side of the cage for attention and snacks. He’ll even eat from your hand. Onyx adores singing too. Even if you’re not in a position to take him home you can still stop in and visit; piggies need affection as much as any creature. And now for our story. Last Friday night indoor cat, Stella, ran out the door at 10:30 p.m. and wound up getting herself stuck up a tree. Her family tried to talk her down for an hour, to no avail, and it was 22 degrees. They decided to call dispatch and they sent two fire trucks, an ambulance and Animal Control, but when Stella saw the ladder she only climbed higher. Since there was nothing more they could do, they went to bed with the front door open, but listened to her crying all night. At 6 a.m. Stella was as high up as she could get, and the temperature was down to 10 degrees. When she saw her family she would cry loudly. To make matters worse they were scheduled to leave on the noon ferry.

It was suggested that they contact a tree service and at 7 a.m. Mark Clements answered his phone. He arrived at 8 a.m., told her the charge would be $100, and as he was trying to rescue her, Stella jumped and landed on her owner’s chest, knocking her to the ground. Stella turned out to be fine, other than some bloody paws. Mark refused to accept payment, told the family he would rip up the check. So instead they have decided to donate $200 to the shelter in his name, and have a brick at the shelter in his honor since his patience, grace and kindness saved Stella’s life.

With the cold weather upon us be mindful of the temperature if you plan on leaving your dog in a car for any length of time. And we are always taking jewelry donations for our Summer Garden Party.

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.