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This 2-year-old pup is available for adoption at the city of Vicksburg Animal Shelter.

This puppy is available for adoption at the city of Vicksburg Animal Shelter.

These puppies are available for adoption at the city of Vicksburg Animal Shelter.

This female cat, Jacy, is available for adoption at the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society.

This female cat, Reese, is available for adoption at the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society.

This puppy, now four months old, is available for adoption at the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society alongside its mother, Sable, and four siblings. They're known as "Sable and the Butterball 5."

The city of Vicksburg Animal Shelter and Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society are home to dozens of cats, dogs and even a couple of rabbits.

However, there’s a handful of furry friends who have been in the shelter longer than others. City of Vicksburg Animal Shelter Director Kacie Lindsey said there are five special animals in the group who are “all great dogs, or they wouldn’t still be in there for that long.”

One is a playful 2-year-old mixed breed male, who spends his days in kennel C-5. This light brown, short-haired boy is described as one that loves to run in the grass and feel the wind in his pointy ears. He also has a penchant for snuggling a stuffed animal or two.

The other, a yellow 2-year-old female mixed breed, loves chewing on a bone and is “extremely friendly.” She spends her days in kennel C-2 and has been in the custody of the shelter for more than 3 months.

Some of the longest wards of the shelter, Lindsey said, also happen to be the youngest.

Three puppies, now estimated at 3 or 4 months old, have lived at the shelter since they were newborns. The noisy, crowded shelter environment is all they’ve ever known, but Lindsey said they’re some of the sweetest — and cutest — pups around. Plus, they’re the last from a litter of 11.

“If you’ve been thinking about getting a dog or a cat, please start at the shelter — no matter which shelter,” Lindsey said. “You may find the perfect match for you and your family.

“Even if you’re looking for a specific breed, you’d be surprised how many end up in shelters,” she added.

The Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society is also home to more than a few long-term charges.

Among them is Reese, a long-haired, orange-and-white cat who’s as fluffy as she is friendly — with humans, that is. She’s recommended to be the only pet in her home. Jacy, a mostly black tortoiseshell kitten, has also been at the shelter for more than two months.

A special group at the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society is also ready to depart from the shelter life and enter into a loving home, said Humane Society Manager Bridgette Cortezie.

“Sable and the Butterball Five are ready to go,” Cortezie said. “The puppies were born here.”

Sable, the mother dog, is 1-and-a-half years old and is a border collie mix. The “Butterball Five,” as the puppies are called, are black and white and, as their name implies, have plenty of baby fat and are ready for cuddles.

Other long-term pups Cortezie said she encourages hopeful adopters to visit are Goop and Layla, black lab mixes that love spending time outdoors. There’s also a full-blooded female bloodhound at the Humane Society whose 11 puppies were all rehomed last week.

“It’s a lifelong commitment, just like with any animal,” Cortezie said of adopting a shelter pet. “But shelters help with the associated costs of things like treatments for parasites and spay and neuter operations.”

To adopt an animal from the City of Vicksburg Animal Shelter or to view animals available for adoption, visit https://www.facebook.com/cityofvicksburganimalshelter.

To adopt from the Vicksburg-Warren Humane Society, visit https://www.petfinder.com/member/us/ms/vicksburg/vicksburg-warren-humane-society-ms12.

Adoption fees and requirements may vary.

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