Spring has sprung at the animal shelter! Everyone knows that new life arrives during this season. It is happening here at the shelter, too.

Mrs. Whiskers, a double pawed orange and white lady, is indeed expecting, as we surmised when she arrived last week. Her due date is uncertain, but we anticipate kittens will be arriving within the month. The staff and volunteers are excited at the prospect. The kittens will reside at the shelter until they are 8 to 10 weeks old, then we will start contacting people who have signed up on our “kitty list.”

The shelter calls the people on this list according to the date they signed up. As this birth is a rare event due to the success of the spay and neuter program here on the Island, we can never be sure if all those people are still interested in adopting. Anyone is welcome to come to the shelter and add his or her name to the list. You might get lucky.

The animal shelter is not exactly the set of The Honeymooners, but two young male guinea pigs are making it a temporary home. Ralph is black and Ed is brown and white. Like others of their ilk, they are cuddly guys and make excellent, undemanding pets. No fenced backyard required, just a fridge with some carrots and lettuce, and a box of guinea pig food.

Meanwhile, the cat room still provides housing to Daisy, a seven-year-old gray tabby, and O.B. otherwise known as Diva. The senior member of the group is 18-year-old Penny. A sweet and shy tabby the shelter has named Betsy is a new resident. She will see the vet this week to determine her health status and to confirm whether or not she has been spayed. If not, the shelter will schedule the procedure. She will then be available for adoption.

A reminder to all pet owners: the animal shelter holds its annual rabies clinic on Saturday, April 5, beginning at 10 a.m. — no earlier. For $20 your animal can be vaccinated against this lethal disease either at the shelter location in Edgartown or the West Tisbury Fire Station. Edgartown will close at 1 p.m., and West Tisbury at noon. If you have it, bring your animal’s last rabies certificate in order to obtain an immunization good for three years.

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.