Santa is waiting for letters from little girls and boys — families really — who are ready to adopt a pet for Christmas. Time is running out and to find homes for furry friends takes a lot of work. The friends at Angel Paws and the Iberia Parish Animal Shelter care for many potential pets every day from older animals, who may have gotten lost or their owners couldn’t take care of them any longer, to kittens dropped off and yet have lived only in cages with a few times a day when they are fed or bathed, to be loved.

Raising a pet is a full time job, most parents know all about caring for animals. Often children are excited about getting a cute puppy or kitten but are easily distracted when it comes to the maintenance and feeding. Dogs have to be walked and bathed, litter has to be cleaned for felines. There is no better way to teach children responsibility and parenting skills than with a pet in the home.

Advantages of getting a new pet from Angel Paws is that they are available to view online at www.angelpawsiberia.com. Applications can be submitted online application or stop by the shelter to meet the pets in person Monday through Saturday 1 to 3:30 p.m., and submit a paper application. The adoption fee $80 and all available animals are vaccinated, spayed/neutered, dewormed and micro chipped.

The Daily Iberian kittens are almost all adopted. One is happy at home, another goes with Santa Christmas Eve, but Little Sister is still waiting to be claimed. She comes with a spayed certificate but needs her vaccinations soon. They’re growing fast.