Nine-week-old Alvin is an accident, his owner said. The infamous sneaky neighbor dog visited an unspayed female and Alvin and his littermates surprised the human family two months later. Fortunately, Alvin was too cute and naturally loving to be treated like an accident. So, he’s a happy, social, ready-to-adore-someone puppy.

Of course, for him to stay that way, never knowing he wasn’t wanted, Alvin should go home soon. He’s at the age when he’ll naturally transfer all the love that he felt for his mama to his new human family.

Alvin is also at the age when he’s learning like a tiny sponge, faster than ever again. Alvin is learning his roles, his purpose. The tiny puppy needs people to show him he’s a BFF.

Grace trusts her brother Harry, but not too much else. After all, the six-month-old, spayed kitten was betrayed by the people she loved. Then, out in a world that snowed on and froze little kittens, only cuddling with Harry kept her alive. Grace hasn’t seen much indication that the world or people are kind.

So, safely in the shelter, Grace peeks out of her cat tree’s hidey hole. She watches Harry taking risks, approaching visitors, but she’s not ready. Still, Grace has a lifelong history of following Harry’s lead.

Grace’s adjustment to her future would be gentler and easier if she could follow Harry into a new home. Soon, she’d joyfully, contentedly share a lap. Soon, Grace would help create a miraculously happy human/kitten family.

Strangely, people sometimes seem to quit loving several pets at once. Matilda, another sweet, four-year-old pup, with an Old English Bulldog’s short legs and body and a Pittie’s face, was bravely trekking through killing weather with Double Stuff. Since the loving dogs are the same age and body type, they’re probably siblings with different dads, born together and, last week, nearly dying together.

Luckily for the world, they didn’t die, because the world needs love and perfectly mannered dogs. Matilda, pure love on four funny legs, “… doesn’t know a stranger!” the shelter director says.

Matilda arrived already spayed, obviously once loved, now mysteriously doomed. Maybe her person, desperate, trusted the wrong person with his treasured dog. Maybe someone else will fix this horrible mistake.

Clyde, a 60-pound lap dog, is asking people not to stereotype. The six-year-old Black and Tan Coonhound might be able to sniff out a dog treat, hiding under the sofa, but he’s never sniffed out a coon. In fact, Clyde could get hurt if he tried to learn.

Despite his impressive coonhound lineage, Clyde is applying for the job of house dog. Given an interview, he can demonstrate, with his affection, kindness and good house manners, that he has experience. He’s also, the shelter staff verifies, “quiet as a mouse.”

Clyde has every skill a pet should: he leash walks, is house broken and never bays. Unfortunately for Clyde, his people might have wanted a hunter, not a lover. Clyde hopes someone else feels differently.

Snow-white Tundra, with movie-star good looks, puzzled people in the community where he was roving, obviously completely on his own. Yet, Tundra was also obviously a pet, one who had been taught good manners with people and with other dogs. Tundra’s looks and good training made him an unlikely pup to be forgotten and abandoned.

But Tundra was living from paw to mouth and worrying an entire community. The community contacted the shelter. Because he’s a good boy, Tundra was happy to come in from the cold, into the shelter.

The staff is still trying to figure out Tundra’s past. It seems that his people left temporarily. Maybe Tundra was looking for them. Whatever happened before, now he’s looking for someone new to adore forever.