The gift that keeps on licking this Valentine’s Day

If flowers and chocolates aren’t your thing, a Delaware animal shelter says it has the perfect gift idea for your sweetheart.

Faithful Friends Animal Shelter in Wilmington is offering what it’s calling a “Sweetheart of a Deal” on its dogs and cats ahead of Valentine’s Day.

The adoption special runs from Friday, February 11th through Sunday, February 13th.

During that time, cats are on sale for $14 down from $60, kittens, which typically sell for $90, are $41. Dogs cost $100 and puppies $140.

Adoption fees for dogs usually range from $250 to $300.

“By adopting a rescue animal, we’ll be able to make room for another animal that’s either on the street or at a shelter where they may be euthanized if we can’t make room to bring them in,” said the shelter’s Executive Director Jane Pierantozzi.

Faithful Friends is a no kill animal shelter, which means they only euthanize animals if they’re suffering from untreatable medical conditions or if the animal is dangerous and can not be rehabilitated.

But if you were planning on surprising your honey with a four-legged Valentine’s Day gift, the shelter suggests you reconsider, whether you’re buying from them or anyone else.

“Surprises for something so important as a 10 to 15 year commitment for an animal isn’t really a good idea, unless it’s parents picking a pet for their family,” said Pierantozzi.

Instead, Pierantozzi suggest bringing your main squeeze in to the shelter to pick out the animal themselves.

“It’s a personal choice, people like to connect to the animal and to make sure it’s a right match for their lifestyle,” said Pierantozzi.

If you can’t adopt, Pierantozzi says you can also make a $5 donation to help pay for care.

“What we’ll do is put a heart up at the shelter and put your family’s name and the name of the animal.”

Faithful Friends says it has 35 dogs and close to 350 cats waiting for forever homes at the Wilmington shelter off Germay Drive, and at the shelter’s offsite adoption centers at Petco Christiana, Petco Kirkwood Highway, and Concord Pet locations in Smyrna and West Chester, Pa.