Harry, a six-month-old, neutered kitten, never wanted to be a stray, a label for a kitten who willingly wandered away from home. Very few house kittens do. Instead, someone who the kittens trusted either carries them away, too far away to find their way home, or moves away and leaves them.

Little Harry can’t explain how he was made into a stray or who did it to him. However, he proved, at the shelter, that he was, once upon a time, a house kitten. He settled indoors easily, even though Harry was obviously dazed and frightened.

Bit by bit, Harry’s fear is fading. He’s bravely taking the risk to trust people again. That shows real heroism and faith. Very few humans would forgive so quickly.

Double Stuff’s Boston Terrier-looking face is on an Old English Bulldog body. His heart is purely that of someone who’s kissed Ireland’s Blarney Stone and come away overflowing with irresistible charm. Unfortunately, the person who the four-year-old, neutered gentleman needed most didn’t care about charm or loyalty or trust or unconditional love. He abandoned Double Stuff.

That’s usually fatal for any dog, but a dog with hardly any fur and short, bowed legs was doomed in zero-degree weather and snow deeper than he is tall. Yet, the 70-pound, vertically challenged fellow managed to be noticed and saved.

Now the funny boy, who makes a production of climbing three inches onto his kennel’s Kuranda bed but easily jumps two feet onto the sofa, needs saved permanently.

There can be too much of a good thing. Unfortunately, that can mean that the good thing suffers. Luna, an exquisite, midnight black, eighteen-month-old, spayed kitten, lived with 16 other cats and a nice older gentleman. He loved each and every cat, and that shows in their sweetness and eagerness to feel and show affection.

Yet, Luna always longed for more contact with a human. She always had to wait and watch for her chance to have her chin rubbed, a feeling she enjoys immensely. She also had to wait for food and had to watch out for cats who weren’t happy about having to live with so many others.

Now Luna has a chance to feel more special, if someone kind adopts her forever.

Twenty-five-pound, eight-month-old Spudnic is just beginning to sleep soundly, without springing up, hyper-vigilant, looking for his tormenter. The Cairn-terrier-mix pup lived in a house with four other dogs. One of the dogs made Spudnic his squeaky toy. He’d attack the puppy with no warning, for no reason. It was a game for the bully. It was agony for Spudnic.

Now, because their owner lost his home, all the dogs are in the shelter. Spudnic may be the least sad about that change. He’s finally able to ask people for affection. He finally doesn’t need to stay at the back of the pack, hoping to be touched.

Spudnic longs for a safe place and a person whom he can consider his own. He’ll always be grateful.

Blueberry’s eyes seem haunted, maybe because the poor cat is re-living her nightmare. Her first owners abandoned the mitten-wearing cat when she was a tiny kitten. After they loaded the belongings that mattered to them, they drove away, leaving the dependent, innocent kitten sitting in the yard, baffled, then terrified and gradually dying.

Someone saw Blueberry just in time. She took the kitten home to grow up in a house full of kids and pets. Blueberry became very social and, almost, secure. At times, Blueberry still seemed to have bad dreams and woke wide-eyed, obviously frightened. Memories from a bad kittenhood are hard to forget.

This week Blueberry’s worst nightmares, worst memories happened again. Her family lost their home. Blueberry is baffled, terrified, alone again.