Penny, a Pit Bull mix,  has been at the ACCT shelter for a while and the stress starts getting to her. She was brought to the shelter because her owner was moving and now she’s ready to find her forever home! Penny is a 48 pound adult, but she still has plenty of puppy energy. She’s a bit shy in her kennel, but when she’s outside, her tail never stops wagging. Penny’s favorite thing to do is lean against her friends at the shelter and snuggle. In fact, if you stop petting her, she will nudge you with her nose to get you going again. This is a girl who knows what she wants, and what she wants is to go home with her new family! Penny has lived with kids, other dogs, and cats. She already knows how to sit, and she’s working on more commands like “touch” and “leave it.” Best of all, she’s even housetrained!

Penny has been at the shelter way too long. If you think you can give this sweet girl a home, bring your whole family and any resident dogs down to the shelter to meet her today! Please make sure you have your landlord’s permission to own a dog such as Penny.

Email her pen pal at kcain84@gmail.com with any questions. To check the status of an animal, call 267-385-3800, email acctpetfinder@gmail.com, or go to acctphilly.com for more information.

Penny is up to date on her shots, microchipped and will be spayed before coming home with you. If you cannot adopt Penny permanently but would like to help anyways, fostering her and helping her find her forever home would not only help Penny but also another dog that could move into her kennel.

Check out this video about Penny:

Evan Sweitzer (photo from Citykitties.org).

Evan Sweitzer, a 10-year-old boy who’s been helping a local cat rescue, is a celebrity after Reddit shared a story about him and The Huffington Post picked it up a couple of weeks ago. Now Evan will appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that will air today at 3 p.m. on NBC (you can watch the segment here).

Since 2009 Evan has been sending letters and his allowance money to City Kitties, a West Philly-based cat rescue organization. His family adopted a cat, Macha, from City Kitties and Evan wanted to help other cats. For 2012, Evan donated $110, which his parents matched for a total of $220.

Here’s Evan’s letter that City Kitties received along with his latest donation.

To read more about Evan and how he’s been helping West Philly’s stray cats and kittens, visit Citykitties.org.

These handsome, affectionate, fun, and sweet foster kittens are looking for a home together. They are all up to date on shots for the next year and have been neutered, and microchipped so they can go home with you ASAP! Check out this message from a neighbor, Sarah, who’s fostering them for ACCT Philly:

“Rick (tabby, boy) is what we refer to as rick-tastic! He’s a ridiculously sweet little goofball! You will know the second he is happy as can be because he looooves to purr. With big brown eyes that will melt your heart, this guy could get away with murder. But he doesn’t take advantage of his cuteness! He’s well-behaved, stays off counters, and uses the scratching post and litterbox. He’s not crazy all-over-the-place wild like many kittens, but he IS adventurous and makes his own fun! I’ve found him climbing up a screen-like radiator cover and balancing on a bag full of other plastic bags. We like to describe him in this house as “squishy,” and he’s definitely the squishiest little kitten I’ve ever met. I could hold him tight to my chest and “squish” cuddle him all day. Rick was brought to ACCT as a stray with his brother and sister. They were too small to be adopted, so I picked them up to foster.

Biscuit (tuxedo, boy) is Rick’s best friend. These two LOVE each other so much! They follow each other around the house to play, rough-house, cuddle, snuggle, and groom each other. They make each other purr all day long. Biscuit is super friendly, lovey, and affectionate. He is quite adamant about playing. It can be too much for some cats. He’s pretty good about adjusting based on feedback, but he may be too much for kitties who are more docile. Biscuit is a charmer. Everyone who meets him falls in love. He loves to be in your lap and makes those awesome chirps that cats make when he runs up to you. He always greets me at the door when I get home from work with snuggles. Biscuit was found by a friend of a friend as a stray on Hazel St. in West Philadelphia. I took him to ACCT to be scanned for a chip and looked for possible owners to no avail, so he became my foster.”

Sarah said that January adoption price is $75 for both of them with the “adopt a buddy” program. She will definitely consider separating them, but Rick and Biscuit are the cutest pair and Sarah would love for them to find a home together. Please contact her at: rstlne36912@gmail.com with any questions.

This sweet, 8-9-month-old Cairn Terrier Mix followed a neighbor, Lena, home from Malcolm X Park about a month ago and since then has been living with her. Lena hopes to find a good home for him. He weighs about 30 pounds. He loves people and has lots of energy, so will do best in a home where someone is home most of the day to keep him company.

He is good with kids and other dogs and okay with cats but needs close watching as he likes to chase them. He has all shots and was scheduled for neutering Jan. 9. He has lots of puppy energy and loves to play and cuddle.

If interested please call Lena at 215-704-­9913.

UPDATE (Friday, Jan. 11): Mars has been found and returned to his owner.

Mars, a 2-year-old Beagle/Terrier Mix, escaped from his home near Clark Park this afternoon. He was last seen in the area of 49th and Woodland. He is about 25 pounds. He is microchipped and wearing a collar with tags. He’s a very friendly dog but shy around new people.

If you have any information regarding Mars, please contact Stacy at 267-902-2020.

Kara, a black Lab mix with white nose and white chest, has been missing since Dec. 3, 2012, from 36th and Lancaster Ave. He was last seen running down Spring Garden St. He weighs about 50 lbs., not neutered, and has all his shots. He is shy around strangers, barks, but does not bite.

Kara had a red collar, red leash, and a tag with his name when he went missing. By now he may have lost them.

If you see him or know where he is, please call his heartbroken owners immediately, any time. Phone: 215 510 1704. A reward is offered to anyone finding him.