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The puppies and kittens go fast. So do the small, fluffy pets showcased at local pet adoptions. But sometimes, for no good reason, some great pets just get "stuck" in rescue.

"The problem is, there are just so many options for people," said Samantha Shelton of Furkids, a no-kill cat shelter in Gwinnett County. "So many wonderful pets get overlooked because of the sheer number of animals available."

Kyla Jones / Special (ENLARGE)

Sushi, an outgoing cat at Furkids in Gwinnett County, has been waiting four years for a home.

Leigh Myers / Special (ENLARGE)

Daisy has been trying to find a home for six years.

Dana Widmer / Special (ENLARGE)

Cali has been at the Good Mews cat shelter in Marietta for more than two years.

RELATED • Pet Dish blog: Introducing a new pet? • Furkids celebrates sixth anniversary | Photos • More pet stories, blogs and photos

And sometimes it's just bad luck on the animal's part. Big dogs are harder to place than small dogs. Black dogs, cats and even rabbits are harder to place than other colors. Pets over the age of 2, even though they have lots of years of love left to give, are less likely to find a home. And sometimes it's just the reputation of their breed, such as pit bulls and Rottweilers, that can cause a good dog to never find a home.

Yet rescue organizations say adopting an older pet has its advantages: The animals are past the crazy puppy or kitten years, you can see what their personality is, find out if they have health problems, and often they come already trained and housebroken.

So people looking for a new pet might want to check out some of the "long timers" waiting at area rescues. Here are a few that would like their forever home. And soon.

Sushi: Sushi loves people, and he lets them know it. This gregarious guy, with striking tabby markings on a white coat, is the first cat to greet people who walk into his room at Furkids.

"He greets you with a little chirp to say hello, then starts rubbing against you, hoping for some loving. He's very much a people cat," Shelton said.

Yet this friendly guy just celebrated his fourth anniversary at the shelter. Now about 6 years old, the staff worries he'll never have the home he deserves.

"He's healthy, he's friendly, he's a real love bug," Shelton said. "I have no answer as to why he hasn't been adopted."

For more information: www.furkids.org, 770-613-0009.

Daisy: Daisy may have a flowery name, but life hasn't always been happy for this girl. She was found about six years ago, a young, skinny stray trying to survive with her puppy on the streets. Leigh Myers, who has been in rescue about nine years and founded Canine Crusaders of Atlanta about a year ago, took her in. Because she was a pit bull, Myers knew she'd take a little time to find a home, but she never thought it would be this long.

"Every time she got an application [for adoption], the bottom fell out of it. Every time she got a foster home, the person had to move out of state or filed for bankruptcy or some other crazy thing," Myers said. "I've never seen a dog with such bad luck."

So happy Daisy has spent years in and out of homes and boarding, racking up more than $7,000 in costs, and she still doesn't have a home. Part of the problem is Myers would prefer Daisy be an only pet, although she's been doing better with other dogs lately. But she thought that perfect home, looking for a loving, loyal dog, would eventually find her.

"She loves people, car rides, walks and tomatoes," Myers said. "I just can't believe there isn't someone out there who can give Daisy the love and the stable home she deserves."

For more information: www.caninecrusaders.petfinder.com

, 770-374-6194.

Cali: Cali, a striking calico cat in search of a warm lap, has resided at the Good Mews cat shelter in Marietta for more than two years.

"She's super sweet, very affectionate, but no one ever shows any interest in her," said Shannon Crafton, director of the shelter.

Cali was dumped at the shelter by uncaring owners after she'd been banished to the basement for going outside her litter box. Once the shelter treated her urinary infection, the problem disappeared. But that hasn't helped Cali find a new home, and at 5 years old, Crafton worries whether the regal-looking feline ever will.

"Once they're over the age of 2, their chances of adoption go down dramatically," she said.

For more information: www.goodmews.org, 770-499-2287.

Meet rescued horses and dogs at the Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta. Learn about training and care and adoptions. Today, noon-4 p.m. 11915 Wills Road. For more information: www.savethehorses.org or 770-886-5419.

Flea market

Help homeless greyhounds while shopping. Includes a number of new home decor items from a closed store. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday (rain date following weekend.) 335 Hascall Road N.W., Atlanta. www.greyhoundadoption.org, 770-473-9738.