The cats at the Animal Shelter wonder, like the song says, “Where have all the people gone?”

No one is beating a well-shoveled path to the door these days. There is precious little to report. Lacey, the lovely little black kitten, has moved into the cat room with the big kids and seems to have adapted to her roommates and they to her. Joe Frazier has become more sociable. He has emerged from his man cave in the carpeted cat tower and has claimed a warm bed with room service in the main cat room. He is a top purrer. Little old Penny has barely moved from the rocking chair. O.B., a moody lady, could use some human interaction. Tortellini, with her beautiful mottled coat, and Bubba, a young tiger male, are hanging out while awaiting someone to claim them.

Remember Jackson, the bichon frisee who was in foster care? His adoption into that foster home has been completed and he is doing well with his new owners. The Animal Shelter now has no dogs, which makes the staff and volunteers both happy and sad. Happy because the Shelter’s primary mission is to find suitable homes for abandoned pets; sad because Jackson was a happy presence in our lobby. May he “live long and prosper” with his new family.

News of the sighting of snowy owls around the Island is exciting! They might be hard to see in the all-white world we have on the Island at the moment, but the adventurous among us can prowl the beaches and hope to catch sight of these unique and beautiful creatures. Meanwhile, remember that our native feathered friends require our help during these interminable snowfalls. Keep those feeders full!

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.