TAKE ME HOME?

Find A Friend At The Florida Keys Spca

The Keys Weekly family loves animals as much as our friends at the Florida Keys SPCA do, and we’re honored each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for adoption at the organization’s Key West campus.

From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people.

The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs and older animals that require a little extra TLC. Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.

The Ploggers met at Truman Waterfront on May 12 to clean up the area in preparation for the commissioning of the USS Lenah Sutcliffe Higbee the following day. Twenty volunteers collected 30 pounds of trash, 20 pounds of recycling and three gallons of cigarette butts. CONTRIBUTED

One hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.

Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.

A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.

The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.

Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.

It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.

— Contributed

Friday morning cleanups

Friday, May 19: Smathers Beach Bridle Path — meet on the bridle path near the Dumpster across from the last entrance to Smathers Beach.

Friday, May 26: Caroline Street — meet in the city parking lot behind B.O.’s Fish Wagon.

Lele is a 5-year-old female medium mixed breed. She’s been waiting two years for a family, loves walks, people and will be best in a home without other animals.

Gelato is a 2½-year-old male domestic shorthair. He’s very loving, cuddly and loves showing off by playing with all his toys.

Sailboat is a 4½-year-old male domestic shorthair. He’s curious, charismatic and loves his treats.

Poppy screened porches. She would do best in a quiet house where she gets all the attention.