The animal shelter is having a run on kittens. Just this week a litter of seven motherless little ones was delivered to us in a plastic bin. It will be about six weeks before they will be ready for new homes. They will need to be hand-fed around the clock, a relentless job for a caretaker. The last kittens brought to the shelter in that condition were nursed to adoptable status by star volunteer Mary and her daughter Emily at their home. They were inoculated and chipped at the shelter. Claimed by a new owner almost instantly upon re-arrival, they were named Desmond and Molly and taken to their new digs to be playmates forevermore.

However, our kitten supply is not yet exhausted. We watch the four three-month old kittens play all day long. They love the renaissance tower to climb on and welcome all the visitors who come to observe their antics. The gray and white male named Matteo and his sister, Sofia, are resting comfortably after being spayed and neutered. Two spayed females, a calico and a tortoiseshell, are young’uns also waiting for the perfect person to fill their food bowls. Fortunately, Lainie has gone to a forever home. Now, if someone wants to adopt a shy older female named Cody, they can have her for free.

Hurray for Habitat for Humanity! They are restoring our habitat for animals. So far their object is to tighten up this leaky structure to conserve our heat and cooling. On September 5 and 6 additional help will be necessary for painting and light construction. The children will be back in school by then. Anyone at a loss to fill those hours will be welcomed at the shelter to help put the finishing touches on the building. No experience is necessary, just a willing heart and a pair of hands.

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.