Her humans were excited when Zelda and her siblings were born. They marked the date on the calendar, August 3, 2025. However, Zelda, a less-than-30-pound, Labrador Retriever-and-something-small mix, was one of seven puppies. As the adorable, beloved puppies grew, their people realized that they couldn’t add so many dogs to their family. Zelda celebrated her six-month birthday in her kennel.

Yet Zelda, who’s spayed, did have a gift from the family where she was born. The puppies were loved. Zelda brought that socialization and love for and trust in people with her to the shelter. The puppy is eager to love someone unconditionally and forever.

However, pups shouldn’t live in kennels. Zelda will think she’s being punished. It would be sad to break Zelda’s heart.

An age-old question is, why do bad things happen to good people, or good dogs? Perhaps, in his shelter kennel, Leroy, the two-year-old, blue-eyed, movie-star-handsome Husky, asks himself that question. He thought he was a good dog, housebroken, leash trained, neutered and good with kids and dogs. Leroy was also sure that he and his person loved each other.

What Leroy and other dogs can’t understand is that humans can’t control everything, even if loyal, trusting, admiring pups believe they can. There’s serious illness in Leroy’s owner’s family. Leroy can’t fit into the requirements of coping with that.

However, the pup brought wonderful training from his old home. Leroy is ready for a forever home where he can love, play and demonstrate his run-for-a-hundred-miles abilities.

Penny is wishing and hoping and praying that this week she’ll be the dog someone is seeking. After all, this is when people want their Funny Valentine. The song says that’s someone “who’s looks are laughable”, but who’ll become her person’s “favorite work of art.” Penny and her twin sister Piper fit the qualifications.

Yet their looks aren’t just funny. They’re miraculous. The spayed, five-year-old girls are Shar Pei mixes. In 1978, they were the rarest breed, with 60 in the world. A few, smuggled out of China, restarted the breed.

But in every important way, Penny is just an ordinary good dog, housebroken, leash trained and happy with kids and cats. Also, she lost her home for the most ordinary reason. Her people moved.

Coty is Celtic’s fraternal twin. This six-month-old pup has the same wonderful qualities as his brother. Both weigh about 35 pounds. Both obviously have those marvelous Labrador genes, looks and personalities. Both would love loyally and unconditionally. The only noticeable difference is Coty’s white, speckled paws, a sign that some Brittany Spaniel genes might be included.

It would be very hard to choose between the sweet boys. One solution, if someone has acreage or a large, fenced yard, would be to take both pups home and be doubly adored. The pups together would be doubly entertaining, too.

And the boys would keep each other fit and exercised. Families are busy. They can’t always be home. Coty and Celtic, together, with enough space, could eliminate guilt.

Sometimes it takes a while before an animal is happy in the shelter. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for five-month-old, golden-eyed Sherman to recognize that his life had gotten better. The obviously once-loved, black kitten had been trying to escape the windy and wet days under a mobile home. He was also asking strangers to let him indoors.

Inside the shelter, Sherman showed that he had spent the first part of his kittenhood indoors. He was definitely comfortable with fluffy beds, couches and cat trees. And Sherman recognized the food bowl from a distance.

Still, Sherman didn’t know he’d narrowly escaped death. Sherman arrived a day before the snow did. Forty-eight hours later the snow would’ve been over unprepared little Sherman’s head.