Greta is a great dog. That is the consensus of the staff and volunteers at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. She is a medium-sized bundle of love with a grizzled but soft coat, a tail that starts thumping when you speak to her, and big brown eyes. Her intelligence shows in her expression and in her eagerness to please. She is crazy about people, including the small ones, is indifferent to cats, and would prefer to be the only dog in the household. Anyone who adopts Greta can be sure of an enthusiastic greeting returning home.

Is there anything cuter than a baby guinea pig? The shelter has three males and their mother, Sophia. Coco is a calico; Gizmo and Oreo are chocolate brown and white. These are in residence right now. Their sisters will be following when these are taken to new homes. Guinea pigs are perfect pets for children of any age as they love cuddling and squeak when happy.

All the kittens have been adopted, but their mother, Ruby, will need a new place to live after she is spayed, given her shots and microchipped. The importance of microchipping for identification was exemplified this week when some people arrived with a cat in a carrier that they had coaxed from the woods and had been feeding. Running the device over the cat’s back to discover if it had a home, it was discovered that was, indeed, the case. The owner was contacted. She said that this kitty had been diagnosed with renal failure and was on a special diet, critical to its health and survival. The rescuers had no way of knowing this since cats don’t wear wristbands, but fortunately the cat was brought to the shelter and tragedy was averted. A cautionary tale for all those well-meaning people who start feeding a stray. Call your animal control officer instead.

School started this week and the shelter has the perfect addition to that kindergarten classroom. Mickey is a small brown and white mouse who lives in a cage of many colors. He is very friendly and fun to watch as he carries his bedding up the tubes to his penthouse bedroom.

A beautiful black cat named Prada was surrendered to us due to the owners’ health problems. We still have the adult males Michael, Erik and Tux, and the females, Viola, T.C., Athena, and Ethel. All are in good health. Each one wants a home.

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.