Two of the cages in the lobby of the Animal Shelter are adorned with blue ribbons. Ruby, the white rabbit with artfully-placed black spots and Twinkie, a large black male guinea pig, won honors at the Celebration of Pets last weekend. Both animals have been hand raised and are gentle and cuddly. So are our other less distinguished guinea pigs, Lucy, Ethel, and Robert. Those guys have red eyes like pets from outer space. Quite an unusual feature!

The shelter is always happy when an animal is adopted. This week the large black male cat, Quitsa, left the premises. We still have Cody, a shy ten-year old female who prefers to stay indoors. The adoption fee will be waived for the kind person who comes to claim her. We have fallen in love with our only dog, Lucy, because of her willing and winning ways. She is a healthy eight-year old black lab mix, spayed and house trained with all her vaccinations up to date. She is well-behaved on a leash and will make an affectionate companion.

The Garden Party to be given on Monday, June 30, is accumulating all manner of great items for the silent auction. The Westminster package will allow the lucky winner to join the Dean of the Cornell School of Veterinary Medicine, the executive director of the Baker Institute for Animal Health and the chairman of the Institute’s Advisory Council in their skybox for the final night of the Westminster Dog Show in New York City on Tuesday, February 17, 2015. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served in the box throughout the evening after a dinner for two in a New York City restaurant. It is exciting to watch the top dog in the United States receive the prize and to handicap the event with real experts in the dog world. Much better than watching this on television at home with your fellow dog lovers! We will be reporting on other tempting additions to the silent auction in this column as they become available. Anyone wishing to attend the Garden Party should call the Animal Shelter and ask to be sent an invitation.