The dog days of summer are here and the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has nary a dog to adopt. It must be doing its job very well as all the dogs have gone to homes. There are a few cats hanging out in the air conditioned cat room. T.C. is a lovely calico, female of course, as are all calico cats. She purrs when petted and seems to have a very good disposition. The big black male, Michael, has overcome his jitters and now emerges from his hiding place to greet visitors. Then we have a new addition, Viola, a young black and white lady who is content to be either an indoor or an outdoor cat. So far she has not warmed up to her roommates, but that could be because she is new to the environment.

T.C. is a sweet and friendly girl. — Alison L. Mead

Speaking of the environment, the shelter would like to stress that it is inhumane to abandon your pets in it with no visible means of support. Our most recently acquired animal is a beautiful bunny. A male, Doolittle is white with brown spots. He was a stray! His owner must have opened his cage and freed him to join the wild population on the Island. This is not recommended. A tamed rabbit is accustomed to a certain diet that a lawn or garden cannot provide, also to petting and fondling by a human companion. The shelter exists to solve the problem of the inconvenient pet. This facility was founded to care for the homeless animals on the Island. The loving staff and dedicated volunteers will not only provide a roof over the pet’s head, but a proper diet and veterinary care. A suitable home with a new owner will be found. So think before letting a animal go free. Freedom does not equal happiness among domesticated animals. As it is a no-kill facility, each animal brought to the shelter is ensured a natural life span.

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 The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard; the mailing address is P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown MA 02539.