FARMINGTON – Ivan is energetic, playful, great with cats and wonderful to be around, say Franklin County Animal Shelter staff. He is intelligent and a quick learner.

Since he’s been here longer than any other dog (he came on Dec. 23, 2005), staff tries to give Ivan extra time and attention. They have taught him to sit and shake, and he’s working on good leash etiquette.

Ivan loves treats and is crazy for attention, so training him is simpler than most dogs. Ivan’s an average-looking, medium-sized black dog, so he doesn’t stand out much when people come to adopt.

Because he has been here so long, he has come to believe this is his home, so he has a difficult time adjusting to new people. He has already had one Christmas here, and staff hopes that he doesn’t have another one.

The adoption fee for Ivan and all of the dogs is $105. It includes spaying/neutering, testing for heartworm/Lyme/ehrlichia, routine worming, temperament testing and vaccinations. The adoption application takes one to two days to process.

For more information about Ivan or other animals, call 778-2638.

The Flavor of the Month is Gray Grape. All cats with gray on them have a lower adoption fee. The fee for cats under the Flavor of the Month is $35.

New dogs at the shelter include a female Belgium shepherd mix from Farmington, a yellow Lab mix from Jay and a Lhasa apso mix from Chesterville.