Those who have a heart for providing a home for a senior dog or cat are encouraged to consider adopting a pet this month from Humane Pennsylvania. As part of National Adopt a Senior Pet Month, fees for adopting a pet age 10 and over will be waived from now through Thursday, Nov. 30.

Pets are available at Humane Pennsylvania's Freedom Center for Animal Life-Saving, 1801 N. 11th St., Reading. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with adoption hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical will cover the cost of senior pet adoption fees, according to Maggie McDevitt, Humane Pennsylvania media specialist. She encourages prospective pet owners to complete an adoption form at http://www.HumanePA.org before visiting the shelter.

"If people go on the website and see the pet they are interested in, we have adoption interest forms on the Adoption Process tab," she explained. "That specifically asks what pet you are interested in. It is a prescreening, so it speeds up the process and helps expedite you though the adoption."

In other cases, people can visit the shelter to choose a pet and complete the application process on-site. "There is a chance you can take the pet home on the same day depending on the temperament of the (animal) and their circumstances and if they had their vaccines and their (spaying or neutering) surgery," McDevitt noted.

Currently available at Freedom Center is Beatrice, a 10-year-old spayed female domestic shorthair cat. Beatrice was brought to the shelter because she did not get along with the other cat in the home and was overwhelmed by the household's young children. Beatrice would do best in a home with older children and where she is the only pet because she likes to be the center of attention. Her favorite activities include playful batting and sleeping in a sunny spot on a blanket.

Also available at the Berks County shelter is Baby, a 10-year-old neutered male Shih Tzu poodle mix whose previous owner could no longer care for him. Although he is a senior dog, Baby still has puppy energy and is good with children and other dogs. He previously lived with three other small dogs and children ages 1 to 7.

Those who adopt a pet from Humane Pennsylvania will receive a 30-day supply of an Adoption Health Supplement and a free one-pound bag of Science Diet pet food. All pets are spayed or neutered prior to adoption, and they receive their vaccinations, including the rabies vaccine, as well as deworming medication and flea treatment. Adoption also includes microchipping and chip registration, which allows pets to be identified and returned to their owners if they get lost.

For more information and to learn about other adoptable pets, visit the previously mentioned website or contact the Freedom Center at 610-921-2348 or adoptreading@humanepa.org.