The Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia shelter is jam-packed once again and there are many dogs and cats in need of permanent or foster homes. This week’s adoptable dog is Monty, likely suffering from “black dog syndrome” and being overlooked because of it. Monty is an amazing boy patiently waiting for his forever home.

Monty is just a young, medium sized pup of 6 to 12 months. He was recently surrendered to the shelter when his owner could no longer afford to care for him. He is the perfect gentleman, he takes treats very gently, plays very gently, and even knows “sit”!

He would do great in a home with kids. He loves a good game of fetch and doesn’t mind when you take the ball away from him to throw again. He is mellow and just goes with the flow. He loves treats and is eager to learn, so training shouldn’t be a problem! He also walks like a gem on the leash.

He loves to play with other dogs but is happy to just hang out and chill by them too. He would make a great walking or running buddy and you can’t resist his cute little face! Don’t worry, he also gives tons of kisses too. He is the whole package and would love to be in a home sharing all of his love with you for the holidays.

He will be neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccinations prior to going home with you! Come meet this wonderful boy and have a lifelong best friend.

If you have questions about Monty or if you want to come in and meet him, email: Always8bball@aol.com or otherwise feel free to stop in at ACCT. Hours are Monday-Friday 1pm-8pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm at 111 W. Hunting Park Ave, Philadelphia.

True to the holiday spirit of helping and giving, some local businesses and politicians are leading efforts to support various charitable causes this month. Here are more details on who’s doing what and how you can help.

Holiday Food Drive at Mariposa Food Co-op (49th & Baltimore)

Mariposa Food Co-op is accepting donations of canned and packaged non-perishable food items through Dec. 31. You can drop your donation into the donations box at the store. All donations will be taken to Pathways PA, an organization providing services for women, children and families in the Greater Philadelphia region, or to State Representative James Roebuck’s office for redistribution to neighbors in need. For more information please email outreach@mariposa.coop or stop by at the store.

“ACCT Out For The Holidays!” Holiday Supplies Drive at Baltimore Pet Shoppe (4532 Baltimore Ave)

The Chester Avenue Dog Association and Baltimore Pet Shoppe are organizing the “ACCT out for the holidays!” holiday supplies drive in the neighborhood. Baltimore Pet Shoppe will be accepting donations until Dec. 20 for the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT) to help the homeless cats and dogs that will be staying in the shelter over the holidays. ACCT is in need of many items on their wish list. Baltimore Pet Shoppe is offering a 10 percent discount on all mylar balls, canned pate cat food, stainless steel bowls, and Kong L & XL dog toys that are getting donated to the shelter. The shop has a donation bin where you can drop off any items from ACCT’s wish list. You can also purchase these items online. For more information, visit Baltimore Pet Shoppe’s Facebook page.

Cafe Renata (43rd & Locust) donating a portion of all gift card sales to local charities

Katie Steenstra, the co-owner of Cafe Renata, which opened at the beginning of the year at 43rd and Locust Streets, has let us know of her business’s effort this month to give back and “help keep West Philadelphia as vibrant as ever.” Through Christmas, 15 percent of all Cafe Renata gift card sales will be donated to local West Philadelphia charities. The cafe owners also want to hear from you and let them know, on Facebook, Twitter, or right in the shop, where you think the donated funds would be most needed. On Christmas, they will announce where the raised funds will be donated.

December 13 – Support Kingsessing Library with The Gold Standard Cafe (48th & Baltimore)

Friday the 13th has a bad reputation, but Roger, Vince and Joey of The Gold Standard Cafe decided to “buck tradition by putting our bucks where our words are,” and make it a lucky day by donating a full 1/3 of their total proceeds on December 13 to their neighborhood (Kingsessing) library. Your donation will go to serve the reading and educational needs of the library.

Roebuck’s office a ‘Socks for Seniors’ drop-off point

The office of state Rep. James Roebuck, who currently serves as Democratic chairman of the House Education Committee and represents the 188th Legislative District in West and Southwest Philadelphia, is serving as a drop-off point for the “Socks for Seniors” drive. Residents are invited to bring pairs of new adult socks for nursing home residents by Friday, Dec. 13 to Roebuck’s office located at 4712 Baltimore Ave.

This sweet little black cat (possibly female) with a white marking on her neck has been hanging around 47th and Locust for days, according to West Philly Local reader Sarah. Last night the cat was camped out on Sarah’s doormat when she got home.

Sarah was afraid that the cat wouldn’t survive the cold, so she brought her in and she’s now living in her basement. If this is your cat or if you have any information about her, please contact Sarah at: soupsquash@yahoo.com.

Project MEOW trappers like to make certain that their feral cats are well cared for during their spay or neuter surgery. Here’s Merlot, a newcomer to an established colony, being held in a warmed towel while he recovers from anesthesia. While PAWS is often used for local feral cat spay and neuters, The Spayed Club in Sharon Hill will hold feral cats overnight, which helps trappers make certain their cats are mostly recovered before being returned to them.

If you have too many unowned cats on your block, why not consider getting in touch with some of your neighbors and getting involved? Project MEOW can show you how to trap, may be able to provide transportation and recovery, and has traps to loan with a small deposit. It takes a team, and a lot of like-minded neighbors to solve a problem, but if many people volunteer to trap on their own blocks, very soon you will begin to see a lot less stray cats and kittens wandering around.

Project MEOW volunteers have reduced the numbers of kittens born every year on their own streets, often working alone or with one other neighbor. Want to stop the tide of spring kittens? Contact info@projectmeow.org to see how starting now can make a huge difference during the 2014 “kitten season.”

(Project MEOW’s Tracylea Byford contributed to this post. Photo credit: Dr. Sarah Alexander of The Spayed Club in Sharon Hill)

A West Philly Local reader, Katie, spotted a tan & white female Pit Bull around 9:30 this morning trotting east on Spruce street and then turning south and heading down 46th street. “She had big half-perked up ears and had a power cord  knotted around her neck that it looked like she had chewed through to escape,” Katie writes. Another reader, Madeline, reports via our Facebook page that she saw the dog by the Shop N’ Bag at 44th St. at around 8:35 a.m.

If you have any information about this dog or if you see her, please post in the comments below.

Frankie, a cat reported missing on October 25, has been found! We received this message from Project MEOW’s Tracy Byford (Frankie was adopted from Project MEOW when he was a kitten) :

Frankie, missing since October 18, was a smart boy.  He figured how to how get home and yesterday his family found him crying across the street from their house.

Congratulations to the Drake family and to Frankie, for having the good sense to make it home for the holidays!  (No cat wants to miss out on any of that delicious Thanksgiving turkey!)  Project MEOW would like to thank all of those kind folks who called and emailed when they thought they had seen Frankie.  They found many different orange kitties, but Frankie was tired of being lost and took matters into his own paws.

Do you know someone who has lost a cat?  Please ask them to email info@projectmeow.org for tips on how to find their feline friend.