animal health week (has come and gone for another year. consider this all year round) During the week of May 7-13, 2000, animal agencies throughout this country will continue to honour "Be Kind To Animals Week's" 85-year-old message of being kind to animals, by hosting special events, talking to the media, and educating people on the humane treatment of animals. Animal Health Week is co-ordinated by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Thinking of a few things you can do to show kindness to your furry, finned, or feathered friends? Here are several possibilities for all creatures, wild and domestic, large and small. Consider being kind to animals all year-long. Start an animal club at your school. Find out what needs to be done to help animals in your community. Volunteer to help. Don't pick flowers or collect wild creatures for pets. Leave animals and plants where you found them -- in their homes. Volunteer to bathe dogs at local animal shelter one day a month. Help out your neighbours who are busy or elderly. Ask them if they would like you to walk their dog or play with their cat. Walk the dog of an elderly neighbor twice a week, especially at night or during inclement weather. Take your pet to visit people at a nursing home. Help a friend find a lost pet by posting flyers with the animal's picture at supermarkets and shops. Donate old towels, blankets, and pet toys to your local animal shelter. Or make a trip to the pet supply store and buy bags of food, collars, leashes, and toys to drop off at the shelter. Ensure your pet's safe return if it scoots out of the house by putting an identification "ID" collar, license tag, microchip, or tattoo on it. Offer ID tags as gifts for your pet-owning friends. Patronize pet-friendly hotels when you travel with your dog or cat. Don't try to sneak them in. Let them feel at home in a hotel that caters to their needs. Show true love for your older dog or cat by requesting your veterinarian do blood and urine tests on it by age 7. These tests can identify the early stages of diseases that can be treated more effectively than in later stages. Animal-proof your trash cans. Fasten lids with rope, chains, or bungee cords or tie the handle to a stake driven into the ground to stop scavenger snacking by neighborhood dogs, raccoons, and other critters. Practice good dental hygiene on your dog and cat. If you can't maneuver a toothbrush inside their mouths, try rubbing specially designed pet toothpaste gels onto their gums with your finger at least three times a week. Have your veterinarian professionally scale their teeth to remove stubborn tarter. Delay adopting a dog or cat until a couple weeks after Christmas. Just like other gift returns, far too many dogs and cats offered as Christmas presents find their way back to the local animal shelters. And with the holiday stress and hectic pace behind you, you'll be able to devote more quality time to bonding with your new pal. Select a dog breed that matches your personality and lifestyle. Size doesn't matter as much. If you're a major TV watcher, a Bull Mastiff is more appropriate than an energized Jack Russell terrier. Enroll your puppy in a local socialization school starting at 8 weeks of age. The sooner you can expose it to strangers, friends, costumes, vacuum cleaners, cars, and cats, the better chance it will grow up to be a well-adjusted dog able to adapt to change. Weigh your dog and cat each week to check against obesity as well as rapid weight loss that may be due to a medical condition. A couple of pounds weight loss in a dog or cat is comparable to 10 to 20 pounds in a human. Give your pet weekly mini-medical exams at home. Open its mouth and check for bleeding gums, chipped teeth, or (yuck) doggie breath. Take a close peek at its eyes and ears for signs of discharge or infection. Finger its paws and massage its torso to detect any cuts or lumps. Conditions caught early have a better rate of recovery. And there's a hidden bonus: Your pet will become used to being handled, making for more harmonious vet visits. Purchase calendars, stationary, and address labels from nonprofit organizations that contribute a portion of the proceeds to help endangered animals. Use glow-in-the-dark (or reflective) collars and leashes when walking your dog at night to heighten your visibility, especially with motorists. Hire a professional licensed pet sitter to take care of your pets (and your mail and plants) while on vacation or business trips instead of boarding the animals at kennels. Nothing beats home, sweet home to a dog or cat. Seek a veterinarian who makes house calls to care for dogs stressed by car rides and visits to veterinary clinics. These vets also handle households with many animals. Wash your pet's bedding in warm to hot water once a week. And clean the slime off rubber and plastic toys with disinfectant; rinse thoroughly in hot water. Join a local dog agility, flyball club, or even dance lessons. Both of you will work out together and come away wearing enormous smiles. Invest in indoor potties and litter boxes for dogs if you work long hours to prevent them from developing urinary infections. Wash your dog's paws with a dampened towel after walks during the winter. Chemical salts used to melt ice on sidewalks cam be harmful to your dog's footpads. Apply a layer of petroleum jelly to paw pads before taking your dog out on walks during the cold weather to protect them from ice and salt. Sidestep sizzling hot pavements during the dog days of summer. The heat can damage your dog's sensitive footpads. Aim for early-morning or evening walks. Stick to grassy areas for afternoon walks. Stroke your dog instead of patting them. Stroking is soothing. The jarring patting motions can cause nervousness among some pets. You'll be amazed at the calming feeling you'll receive from doing this. Leave your voice on a tape recorder with phrases such as "How's my favorite dog?" or "Hi [pet's name], it's me. I'll be home soon." This is great for dogs with separation anxiety. Rely on once-a-month flea and tick products instead of the unreliable, unsafe, and messy flea baths and flea bombs. Consult with your veterinarian for the right product to meet your pet's needs. Don't physically punish your dog for housebreaking problems. Some indoor soiling is attributed to the wrong diet. Have your dog get a thorough exam by your veterinarian to determine the underlying cause. Spay or neuter your dog or cat -- and the sooner, the better for your pet's health. They can be safely altered as early as 12 weeks of age now. You don't have to wait until 6 months anymore to do your small part to address pet overpopulation. Stop feeding fast foods to your dog. Tempation of feeding your dog table scraps is very unhealthy to your dog. Obesity is the Number 1 health problem among canines and can lead to heart disease, pancreatitis, cancer, and a host of other problems for too-plump pets. Keep a small bag of healthy pet treats in your vehicle to distribute when you get that urge for a burger with everything. Devote at least 15 minutes twice a day giving undivided attention to your pet. Make sure they always have fresh water. Clean up their waste products. Limit your pet food supply to one month. Even when stored in airtight containers, the food can become stale or rancid. Keep holiday plants such as poinsettias and mistletoe out of your dog or cat's reach. They are poisonous to them. Consider replacing them with artificial replicas. Make a donation to a local shelter in the name of a friend who "has everything" for a birthday or Christmas present. Give a "NK Concepts Gift Certificate" this year. They make wonderful presents. If you don't know what to give your dog lover in your family (or friends), a gift certificate will allow them to pick out exactly what they want. Breeders, give one to your puppy buyer to get them started. Your friends overseas or in the US will be thrilled to receive a "NK Concepts Gift Certificate". Organizing a seminar, event, or something special at your club and don't know what to get in the way of prizes or a "thank you" note for the judge or speaker - look no further! Why not keep one on hand for that last minute gift... "NK Concepts Gift Certificates" are available in: $25.00, $50.00, $75.00, $100.00. Please remember that these articles are all in Canadian Funds. After purchasing Competition Utility Scent Articles for their Doberman in Smithers, BC., this customer said, "I like this service it feels very personal and friendly."  It is gratifying to hear from a satisfied customer who said, "Thanks for such prompt service."

If you "Give a Gift" all year round to an animal in a Rescue or Shelter of your choice in Canada, we will pay for the shipping charges. (Addresses other than Rescue groups and Animal Shelters do not qualify for free shipping.)

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