It's the third Saturday of the month and that means Seattle Animal Shelter's "Cool City Pets Day." Volunteer Critter Team members woo moms and dads of wide-eyed children to take home an equally wide-eyed rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or rat, if it is a well-suited family, of course.

The shelter, housed in that nifty well-organized facility resembling a modern preschool with green awnings on 15th Avenue West, defines a "critter" as any adoptable animal other than a dog or cat. That includes gecko lizards, love birds, roosters, and rabbits, lots of rabbits.

"Small mammals are often purchased on impulse at pet stores," said seasoned Critter Volunteer, Suzanne Rubins of Fremont. "We try to manage expectations. Kids want pets they can interact with, hold, and carry around. But hamsters can bite, and rabbits can kick and scratch. They don't always want to be cuddled. Our job is to set the adoptions up for success. Otherwise it is disappointing for the kid, and the animal bounces back here to the shelter."

"I come once a week to do rabbit socialization after hours," said volunteer Erika Snyder. "I take them out for exercise, learn their personalities, and figure out which ones are shy. Another volunteer socializes rats. Then there are the 'lizard people.' We all sort of have our specialties," she said while taking a breather from the rabbits and instead handling a sleepy "fuzzy rex rat" in her palm. "I just woke him up."

"A lot of people assume rabbits don't deserve to be pets like dogs and cats, and get abandoned," said Grace Portelance, who just adopted a pair she will probably name "Twiggie" and "Turbo." As she was cuddling Turbo, her mother was on the cell phone asking Dad permission to add the two bunnies to their existing menagerie of a dog, cat, and fish. Her mother, still on the phone, put her thumb up to indicate the adoption was OK'ed by Dad, to the young teen's delight. Her mother, Merily McGrath, pointed out that when her daughter ships off to college she will then adopt the rabbits from her daughter as they can live over 10 years.

"Grace clearly has done her homework. I love that," said Snyder, impressed.

To adopt a "critter" visit: www.seattleanimalshelter.org or phone (206) 386-4260.

Adoption fees vary by animal. The rabbit fee is $25 which includes spaying or neutering and microchip.