Help the strays

[Craig Borges]

Loyal readers of thesunchronicle.com know all too well that there's a boatload of info on the site, from local breaking news, to recaps of the latest high school sports matchups.

What some of you hard-news readers and sports fans may not realize, however, are the many stories and items we have in the Features section of thesunchronicle.com.

An example of this is Pet Day. Each week, under Pet Day -- which is found under the Features tab -- is a listing called "Pet of the Week." Here, the local animal shelters submit a cat or dog, or sometimes a rabbit, to let readers know that this animal is waiting to be adopted.

Recently, one of my own cats went missing and in my quest to find her, I've been spending lots of times visiting local shelters. I didn't think I could do it at first. Figured just stepping into a shelter would be too heartbreaking, too much of an ordeal seeing all those cats and dogs, desparate for a home.

Once through the door I realized it was time to put my own feelings aside and do what was best for them -- spend a bit of time petting, playing and chatting with them. What I've learned is that the animals love the visits. Hey, not everyone can take cat or dog home but that shouldn't stop you from stopping by once in a while. What you'll find at each shelter is a group of loyal volunteers and workers, dedicated to the well-being of the animals as well as dozens of charming cats and dogs. Yeah, they'll tug at your heartstrings for sure and if you're willing and able to spend the time and effort needed to keep a pet, make sure to talk to a shelter worker or volunteer about what it takes to adopt. But again, even if you can't take one of these guys home, your visit will surely brighten their day.

The photo above shows Reeses, one of the cats waiting for adoption at the Attleboro Animal Shelter. Their number is: 508-761-5617.
Check the latest listing of adoptable pets at thesunchronicle.com/pet_day

[Tiffany]

I agree-I visited the North Attleboro shelter not too long ago and their was a friendly little black cat there and we bonded instantly-very sweet!