Oolong, Matcha, Pekoe, and Chai are four adorable black and caramel colored male Guinea Pigs ready to be adopted. Oolong is the biggest boy, about 1 year old, and he is the leader of the pack. Matcha is the teenage brother, 6-12 months old, who is still trying to figure out if he wants to be a mature adult, or a rowdy youngster. Pekoe and Chai are the babies of the family, 2-6 months old, they are tiny and still learning the ropes on how to be good little piggies.

These poor little guys were surrendered to the ACCT Philly animal shelter and are now hanging out in their big, bright window enclosure at the Baltimore Pet Shoppe, greeting all the passersby with their chorus of squeaks, grunts and chatters. All four piggies are healthy and have silky, soft coats. They are friendly and inquisitive. They are available for adoption individually (adoption fee is $20 each) or in pairs, but with ACCT Philly’s Adopt-A-Buddy program, you pay only one fee, and the second adoptee is free of charge.

Guinea pigs do best when they have another of their kind to talk to and play with, so if you already have one at home, consider adopting a buddy. If you are interested in one of the babies, why not take an older role model to help him grow up?

Stop by Baltimore Pet Shoppe at 4532 Baltimore Ave any day to meet these carefree critters. Business hours are 10 am – 7 p.m. weekdays, 10 – 6 Saturday, and 11 – 6 Sunday. In most cases you can adopt and take home your new pet same day. As an added bonus, Baltimore Pet Shoppe offers a 15% discount off any purchases you make when you adopt a shelter pet.

If you have questions please call the Shoppe at 215-222-PETS (7387) or email Natalie@acctphilly.org

Jayla (ACCT name) is a beautiful 1-2 year-old female pitbull mix that was found earlier this month in Clark Park (it’s possible that she had been abandoned.) She was taken to ACCT Philly and is now officially up for adoption (or foster) at ACCT shelter.

Jayla is already spayed, so she is one-paw-out the door, ready to go home with you. Jayla is a gorgeous dog and you will be the envy of your friends, walking this cutie pie down the street! She is very playful and full of spunk and would love to go for long walks or maybe a jog! Jayla also seems to be interested in meeting other dogs. A doggy friend for Jayla would be great! She is a sweet young girl who would love for you to show her the good life! So come into ACCT and meet her today!

If you or someone you know would be interested in adopting or fostering her please contact ACCT shelter (267-385-3800 or acctpetfinder@gmail.com). Jayla’s ID is 19795850.

Photo courtesy of Partnership for the Delaware Estuary/Flickr

She’s a furry bouncing ball of shih tzu energy that tears up your favorite jacket for fun. He’s a cranky little bulldog sweetheart who plops on the couch while watching TV.

Don’t lie: your pooch is the apple of your eye, warts and all. But does your zany best friend have the chomps to take a bite out of pollution and serve as the Philadelphia Water Department’s 2013 Philly Water’s Best Friend Spokesdog? The Water Department is currently looking for two dogs from University City and Filter Square, respectively, to represent the city as ambassadors for “living the eco-friendly dog life.” West Philly dog owners who think their canine has what it takes have until May 31 to enter their sweet ol’ pup into this year’s competition, which will focus on Schuylkill River cleanup efforts.

The winning dogs will be chosen at a judged pageant-style community competition, and receive a $200 gift to a local business, toy and cookie prize pack, and have their adorable face gracing promotional materials. As a Philly Water’s Best Friend spokesanimal, the winning dogs and their caretakers will be required to attend at least three community affairs in 2013-2014, and distribute information on the importance of picking up pet waste.

The Water Department has crowned four spokesdogs in East Falls, Northern Liberties, Queen Village, Manayunk and Roxborough since 2011. Last year’s competition drew over 7,000 voters for more than 50 doggie candidates.

For rules and registration, visit http://phillywatersheds.org/spokesdog/. Program sponsors include the Friends of Schuylkill River Park, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Philadelphia Water Department, Powelton Village Civic Association, and Schuylkill Banks.

– Annamarya Scaccia

Emily was last seen Wednesday, May 15 near 48th and Cedar. She was wearing a collar. Her right paw is injured and she is limping. Please call 614-499-6506 with information. There is a $100 reward for her return.

Update (5/20): Emily was found with the help of West Philly Local readers. Her owner, Matthew, would like to thank everyone who called.

This dog (a pitbull mix) was found in the Clark Park Dog Bowl (44th and Chester) on Thursday, May 16. If you have any information about the owner please call Sean-Michael at 347-399-4143.

Meet Buddy! This handsome fella is looking for a family of his own, and boy would he be a great addition! He’s about 5 years old, but he still has plenty of love and energy to share. He loves to run and play, and loves fetching sticks.

Buddy is very affectionate and absolutely loves being around people as well as other dogs. He has played with some new doggie friends at the shelter and did great. He is also terrific with people. He loves to goof around and show lots of affection. If you have any children under 10, please bring them along to meet him. If you have any resident dogs, please bring them along as well to make sure they’re a good match. Come meet Buddy today, you’ll be glad you did!

Here’s a video of Buddy learning the hoop trick.

This is just one of the many wonderful dogs in urgent need of adoption, foster care, or rescue at Philadelphia’s animal control shelter, ACCT. You can stop down and meet them, and after filling out an application with shelter staff, interact with them 365 days a year at the shelter located at 111 W. Hunting Park Avenue in Philadelphia. Please check www.acctphilly.org for hours.

To check the status of an animal, call 267-385-3800 or email acctpetfinder@gmail.com.