Photographs are courtesy of Ronnie Logue. Our featured pets for this week are Beatrix and Penny.

Beatrix is a beautiful 2-year-old kitty with gorgeous hazel colored eyes and lovely classic tabby markings. This means she has bold black swirls in her coat against a gray and brown background. Beatrix came to us in the spring along with her litter of five kittens. The family spent some time in a foster home until the kittens were old enough to wean and be adopted. Now it’s time for Beatrix to find her permanent home. She is sweet and friendly and does well with other cats. She’s ready to be your purrfect companion.

Penny is a pretty 4 ½-month-old mixed breed puppy. You can see by her generous ear size that she may be part Beagle along with possibly Lab. Penny is mostly black with a big patch of white on her chest. She is playful and affectionate and is eager for attention. Penny shares her space nicely with a couple other puppies her size and she has a loving temperament. Penny should be a great fit for most anyone who is looking for a special puppy to make their family complete.

There are several things that people should consider before adopting a pet. On our adoption application we have some questions that we want adopters to ask themselves before adding a pet to the family. First of all, do you have time for a pet? Some pets are higher maintenance that others. But all require love and attention and some amount of time for feeding, grooming and exercise.

Can you afford a pet? The adoption fee is only a small fraction of what a pet will cost during its lifetime. Pet food, supplies, and regular preventative veterinary care are required. Even the best cared for cat or dog can have an unexpected illness or accident needing additional medical attention.

Are you willing to care for a pet for its lifetime? Dogs and cats can live 15 years or longer. Are you able to commit to a pet for that length of time and care for her in old age? Pet ownership is very rewarding, but it should be well thought out in advance.          

Low-cost, high-quality spay/neuter surgery is available for pet owners with low and fixed incomes.  Call our Happy Paws Clinic today at (859) 691-1137 for an appointment. Please help control pet over-population by having your pet spayed or neutered.