Dear Santa—

It’s been a long time since you’ve heard from me, I know. Sorry about that.

In recent years, I’ve lost my Christmas spirit. I’ll bet you know the feeling. I can’t imagine how you keep going year after year, with the increasing demands and floundering gratitude for what you do.

I’ve been working on the gratitude thing lately. Blame that on Facebook, and all of the reminders on it about how much worse things could be, and how much I have for which to be thankful.

This Christmas, I’m choosing to believe again — believe in the goodness of people, believe in the spirit of the season.

So, here’s my Christmas wish list this year: I want a better life for Warren County’s stray, feral and otherwise unwanted animals. I know that starts with pet owners being responsible for their pets and any litters those pets may have. Santa, I would really appreciate it if you would get all pet owners to spay and neuter their pets — all of them.

I would also like it if you could get residents here to trap the stray and feral cats in their neighborhood, take those pets to be spayed or neutered and get a rabies vaccination, and then return those cats to where they found them.

Santa, that practice is called TNR — trap, neuter and return. Stray and feral cats are good at locating themselves in areas where they know they can find food and security, so it’s important to return them to where they came from. They are part of a colony, typically, and they need each other to survive. If we all would take responsibility for one unfortunate stray or feral cat, we could provide a better, safer life for so many of them.

And, Santa, it would be great if everyone who saw a stray dog, particularly those in danger walking along roads and highways, would rescue that dog and take it to the Vicksburg-Warren County Humane Society. Not every animal who is taken to the Humane Society makes it out. However, dogs have a much better chance of being adopted into a forever home.

Santa, maybe you can get folks to make a donation to the Vicksburg-Warren County Humane Society. I can’t think of a more worthy way to help innocent animals.

And, Santa, for those who have animals they refuse to spay or neuter, and who they allow to have litter after litter of animals they “give away to good homes” or just let run wild to be hit by cars or attacked by other animals, please instill in them compassion and kindness and a bit of intelligence. They obviously lack all of those things. When it comes to cats and dogs, the miracle of birth is no miracle at all. It’s a tragedy.

Santa, I’ve been criticized for my interpretation of verse Matthew 25:40, “…‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ” People have been offended that I believe Jesus includes innocent animals among his brothers and sisters. Please lay the burden on all Vicksburg and Warren County residents to take care of our dogs and cats. You see, Santa, I know Jesus, and he’s into kindness and caring for all God’s creatures.

And, Santa, if you happen to have a spare iPhone 6s — the rose gold one — handy, I’d love to find it under my tree!

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Jan Griffey is editor of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at jan.griffey@vicksburgpost.com.