Perfect pets are always our favorite topic, and this week we've been delighted by service dog Sam who loves belting out a tune for his owner, and melted at the news of a young alpaca getting a second chance with a custom prosthetic leg.

We've been through reader submissions of perfect pooches and fantastic felines and picked our top pets for the Newsweek Pet of the Week.

Remember that if you think your pet has what it takes, don't forget to scroll to the end of this story to find out how you can get involved.

Our winner this week is adorable cat Boots who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee with owner Debbie Young. Just six months old, Boots was found in Young's backyard when he was around six weeks old.

"I have COPD [Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] and am in bed most of the time," Young told Newsweek: "My brother was going to get me a cat for companionship, and low and behold, Boots showed up. My brother thinks he was a gift from God."

COPD refers to a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Damage caused by COPD is permanent, but treatment can help slow down the progression of the condition including using inhalers or medication, and in a small number of cases even surgery or lung transplant.

The condition can limit daily activities, and those suffering with COPD may need day-to-day support and care.

But the good news is that research has found that having a pet at home can significantly contribute to positive well-being in humans. Pet owners have claimed to have improved feelings of self-worth and self-esteem and an increase in feelings of emotional support.

"My favorite thing about boots is how he plays and loves on me," said Young: "He brings all his toys to me when he's ready to play."

Boots' favorite thing to do at home is play hide-and-go-seek, jumping underneath blankets and leaping out to surprise his loving owner.

As always, we couldn't feature just one fantastic pet, and our first finalist this week is Ivy the cat from Riverside, California.

And, 78-year-old owner Salley Fuller recently lost her beloved black cat Ivy at the age of 16 but rescued her from a shelter where she knew that black cats are the most overlooked and most likely to be euthanized.

"Ivy was literally on death row at the shelter," Fuller told Newsweek: "I mean an hour or so. I snatched her up. She was so black that she shone blue in the sunlight."

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 920,000 shelter animals are euthanized each year, and statistics indicate that black cats take longer to be adopted than any other.

The so-called "black cat bias" is often linked to the animals being more difficult to photograph—leading to less attractive listings, negative associations of black cats in relation to superstition or connections to witchcraft or evil, and difficulties reading their facial expressions.

But with loving owner Fuller, Ivy had a long and happy life: "My favorite thing about her was how she made me feel when she looked at me ... I felt absolutely adored. The feeling was mutual," she said: "She took a huge part of my heart."

Another rescue, our second finalist this week is 18-month-old Husky Shasta. Living in the Valley of Northern Nevada with owner Patricia Kimbrell, this playful pup is a big part of the household.

Kimbrell told Newsweek: "We adopted her from the Humane Society in Reno. She loves everyone including children and other dogs."

Last, but definitely not, least is Rusty the three-year-old Miniature Australian shepherd. Living in Sebring, Florida with his owner Gene Melcher, he came from a breeder in Indiana.

"Food is his favorite," Melcher told Newsweek: "And he loves to play outside."

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

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