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Oh, how I cherish my health,
to live and work, and build my good name.
My taxes I cut with charitable donations of my wealth,
to live and work, and build my good name.
Through my health care system I expect cures to maintain my health,
to live and work, and build my good name.

Health care reform seeks to improve everyone’shealth,
so others can live and work, and build their good name.
Not with my dollar, I proclaim, for you steal my wealth,
so allcan live and work, and build their good name.
The children, infirmed, injured and pregnant of status untold… their health,
is of no concern for they have no right to live and work, and build a good name.

It is our faith, our politics and degree of kindness that decide other people’s access to health,
for them to live and work, and build a good name.
I believe that others plight and health does not contribute to my wealth,
so that I may live and work, and leave a good name.
At birthday parties we toast to my good health,
so I may live many comfortable years and leave a good name.

I know that viruses, broken bones and advancing age all affect my health,
interfering with my ability to live, work and leave a good name.
All along though, I buy goods, dinners, cars and homes to display my wealth
so others may know how I lived and worked, and tried to leave a good name.
Yet hypocrisy reigns when it comes to my health,
I cared for me only and in the process…

I tarnished my good name.

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Where should you go?  What can you afford? Whom can you trust with your child?  Unfortunately, most parents just are not sure what they should be looking for or even where to start when it comes to finding the right day care.  We have put together some questions and answers to help parents weed out the good from the bad and help them on the road to finding that right day care for their child.

1.  Choosing Home Care or Preschool for Day Care

Deciding on either home care or preschool for your child will depend on the experience you want your child to have at day care.  Home care will provide your child with a more nurturing environment.  There will be a smaller number of children and less structure for your child.  A preschool will be often divided into smaller classes and offer your child more field trips and other educational opportunities.  You will have to decide on what type of experience you want your child to have.

2.  Trust Your First Impression on the Day Care

Use a word association on what you felt as you walked into the day care facility or home.  First impressions on a facility will tell you a lot about how well it is run.  If you got a happy or secure feeling, write it down and note it for later.  Chances are you will be visiting many day care homes and facilities and it is important to remember your first impressions.

3.  Your Child’s Daily Structure at Day Care

While visiting the day care, look to see what type of activities they have the children doing.  Are they allowed free, unrestricted play or is it a total structured day for the children?  Experts agree that the best day care situations are ones that incorporate both.

4.  Learn About the Meals at Day Care

Ask if meals are provided or do you need to provide a lunch and snack for your child.  If food is provided, ask to see the weekly menu and verify that it is balanced and nutritious.  Make sure there are plenty of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat in the menu.  See where the meals are prepared and verify if they are pre-packaged or home cooked. 

5.  Nap Time at Day Care

You will find in most day care facilities that naptime is a policy.  This is a time where children will lie down and sleep during the day, usually sometime after lunch.  Will this disrupt your child’s nighttime routine or are you okay that they nap in the afternoon?

6.  Child to Teacher Ratio at Day Care

Many states have certain regulations concerning the ratio of day care teachers and children.  However, a good rule of thumb is at least one provider per six children.  If it is a home care facility then there should be at least two adults per child due to the limited space and facilities in a home.

7.  Other Children’s Attitudes at Day Care

A great way to judge a good day care facility is by watching the children interact with the teachers.  If the children are affectionate and comfortable approaching the teachers, then there is a positive learning environment at that day care.

8.  The Location of the Day Care

It is important to understand that the location of the day care can affect your child.  Is the location safe and can your child play outside?  Are there parks or other places to visit nearby? 

9.  The Cost of Day Care

Find out what the schedule is with the day care.  What time can you drop off and what time can you pick your child up at?  Make sure your work schedule will fit the day care schedule.  Ask what the fines are if you pick up your child after the scheduled time.  Ask about any holidays and days that they day care facility might be closed.

10.  Find Out What Your Child Thinks of Day Care

This might be the last tip on the list, but it is probably the most important.  Your child can help this big decision along.  Bring them along to the day care open house or interviews.  Look to see how they interact with the providers and other children.  Ask your child if they had fun and would they like to go back and play there again.  Those answers might be the confirmation you need to make a great decision on a great day care.

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I have a double-dose of fed up. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), as well as other animal rights groups, continue to mislead the public on animal abuse and food safety with today’s release of an undercover video of an egg production facility in Texas.

On one hand I’m sick of those bad players in the livestock industry who mistreat their animals.  On the other, I’m sick of the animal rights activist groups who promote these isolated incidents as an indictment of the entire meat and egg industry.

Texas Farm Bureau Yes, HSUS is an animal rights group. And just to clear the air, there’s a distinct difference between animal rights and animal welfare.

Livestock producers are believers in animal welfare. They believe in the proper and humane use of animals. They believe they have a duty to treat animals properly. They make a moral distinction between animals and human beings. They ensure the health, well-being and safety of their animals through proper food, management and shelter.

Animal rightists believe—with almost religious fervor—that livestock such as chickens, pigs and cows are equal to humans. The ultimate goal of the animal rights movement is the complete elimination of the livestock production. They’ll stop at nothing to achieve that objective.

I’ll repeat what I’ve said in the past. The small number of producers who abuse the privilege of raising and caring for food animals give a black eye to those who do it right. There is no excuse for animal cruelty. Individual producers should adopt a zero tolerance policy and work to get those who abuse animals out of business.

In the eyes of many animal rights groups, livestock producers are on the same level as dog beaters. That’s not news to me. Painting all livestock producers as sadistic fiends by associating them with bad apples is a proven winner in the animal rights activist playbook.

Animal rights groups use “animal abuse” and “food safety” issues to mask their real intentions. They care a lot more about getting consumers to quit eating meat than harboring a real concern for animals. Take a look at the Mercy For Animals, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or Humane Society of the United States websites and it’s pretty self-explanatory.

I’m not making excuses for the livestock industry. Those who inhumanely treat animals should be punished. Seems to me though, that the compassion, honesty and integrity of dealing with humans has been lost by animal rights groups who claim to hold the moral high ground when it comes to the proper care and treatment of livestock.. They are trying to force their views on animal rights on everyone. They overstep the bounds of decency when they smear an entire industry as evil because of the actions of a few.

Mike Barnett is Publications Director for the Texas Farm Bureau and a regular contributor for the Texas Ag Talks blog. He writes on a variety of topics including Texas animal welfare, water rights and agriculture trade.

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The Humane Society is a group of volunteers and professionals that work together to stop and prevent animal cruelty.  The humane society also works with an organization known as the ASPA to help provide shelter and food to stray and abused animals.  The Humane Society also helps give homeless animals a chance to be adopted.

The humane society believes that people are the most important resource.  They also feel that by working with people in the community they help animals and humans.  They also feel that teamwork is very important.  The humane society says that humans have to be responsible for the animals that man kind has chose to domesticate.

The humane society offers a variety of programs that help animals and humans.  One of the programs is a group of educational classes that teaches people how to care for and treat a pet.  The humane society helps several rescue groups spay and neuter their animals.  One of the most important programs that the humane society participates in is taking animals they have rescued to nursing homes, community centers, libraries and hospitals.  This gives people a chance to appreciate animals.  This program can also help animals regain trust in humans.

The humane society has programs that help wildlife as well.  They offer assistance to injured animals as well as orphaned animals in all 50 states.  They have been known to help rabbits, deer, birds, fox, squirrels, raccoons, reptiles and many other wild animals.  If someone were to find an injured or abandoned wild animal the humane society would most likely be the ones to be called.

Animals Need Your Help: secure.humanesociety.org Animals don’t have the voice or power to stand up for themselves against cruelty. Wendie Malick is here to explain why they need you. Please support the HSUS in our fight to rescue these defenseless animals. Right now, you can help stop their suffering.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

When considering a new cat, many people naturally look at acquiring a kitten. Most kittens are born in the spring and summer. If you are looking for a young kitten summer is a good time to look. Of course there are older kittens 6-12 months available throughout the year. Many families adopt kittens because they are so cute, but kittens are just like babies, except that they have sharp claws. Kittens are fun to have but can also cause lots of mischief in the house. They need to be house trained. They need to be trained to not scratch the furniture. Expect kittens to get into everything and may destroy something you might cherish. They must learn the “do’s and don’ts” of the house. Sometimes you will wonder why you ever adopted a kitten in the first place. This can take time, but with a dedicated caretaker, all these issues should resolve just fine. You’ll need lots of patience, love, understanding and tolerance to survive until the kitten grows up to be a teenager at about 6 months old. Many factors will influence how you and a kitten will get along, including the kitten’s age; the type of rearing the kitten has had so far, the breed and health. All things being equal a younger kitten will form closer a bond. However, the quality of rearing has a big impact as well. A cat that has been raised and cared for by people and/or has lived with its mother for 6-8 weeks will be better adjusted and may be more friendly than one that has lived outside all of its short life. People who live busy lives and are not home a great deal might consider an adult cat. The same is true for households with small children. Children don’t understand how delicate a kitten is and can, unintentionally, make a kitten shy or leery of people.

Adult cats are actually a great idea for many people. They will bond just as easily as a kitten with their new caretakers. They are usually house trained, healthy and well behaved. They often adapt to a new home far better than a kitten.

Breeds are known for their personalities. If you are looking for an affectionate cat, a Persian or an Abyssinian may do it. These breeds are very affectionate. You can expect the cat to follow you from room to room and purr when with you. Note that cats of these breeds do require a lot of attention and can become depressed if you do not pay attention to them, so you might want to consider getting two of them so they can keep each other company during the day. Of course health is very important. Be sure you choose a kitten that is energetic and playful, since these are more sociable.

Do you already own a cat? Or, will this be the first cat in your household? If you already have a cat, and are looking at acquiring a second cat, you must make sure the two cats will get along well together. Among other issues is the use of litter boxes among multiple-cat households. When bringing a new cat into a house with other cats, the Flagler Humane Society is a great place to acquire the new cat. They understand that the cats must get along and are usually willing to let you see how they do together before you are committed to keeping the new cat.

The Local Humane Society shelter is the best source when looking for a pet. Not only do they have a great selection of adult animals for adoption, but they have a large variety of kittens. Many times you can even find purebred animals if you are looking for a specific breed. Animal shelters have trained staff that can determine the behavior of the cat (especially if it is an adult cat, kittens are far less predictable about what personality they will develop). You will have the added satisfaction of knowing you have given a loving home to a cat or kitten that needs you very much.

The Humane Society is a responsible shelter, which screens the animals for sound health as well as temperament. When owners relinquish animals, the shelter staff makes every attempt to collect a thorough history of that pet. Then, while caring for the animals, staff and volunteers try to learn as much as they can about them as well as those who come to the shelter as strays.

Ok, you have made your decision and you are bringing a new kitten or cat home for the first time. Try to get everything ready in advance of collecting your new kitten. Your new pet will find everything very strange from the minute he leaves the shelter and he will be lonely. If you take a little time to prepare for his arrival, you will make it easier for him to settle in.

Here is your shopping list:

Bed: Your kitten’s bed can either be a box or basket with a blanket for him to snuggle into. Keep his bed away from drafts and in a warm area, preferably in a quiet place in the house, for example, a quiet corner in the kitchen. Do not be surprised, however, if he does not like your chosen area and picks one for himself!

Litter Tray: The litter tray is made of plastic with a raised rim and should be placed where the kitten will have access to it at all times.

Cat Litter: The cat litter will reduce the smell and clumps together with the waste products which makes it easier to clean out.

Food and water dishes: The dishes for food and water should be fairly heavy to keep them from tipping over. Remember to change the water daily. Kittens do not need milk and, in fact, some kittens can be very ill if given any. This is because milk from a cow is made up differently to that of his mother’s milk. 

Cat food: Discussed your kitten’s food requirements here you obtained the cat. This should help with the details of types of foods and times of feeding that your kitten is accustomed to. Like human babies, kittens have small tummies and need fed little and often – 3 or 4 meals per day up to six months old then 2 meals a day should be sufficient.

Do not change your kitten’s diet too soon as changing homes is stressful for the kitten and continuity of feeding is very important at this time. If you do want to change it, wait until the kitten has settled in and is eating well, and then introduce the new food gradually over 6 or 7 days.

Scratching post: Introduce the scratching post in the early days so that your kitten gets used to it and hopefully it will stop him from attacking the furniture and carpets. Make sure it is at the right height: he should be able to use it standing on his hind legs, at full stretch.

Grooming tools: For shorthaired kittens, a slicker brush will do, but be gentle with your strokes. Very young cats or fragile-haired cats can be gently groomed with a glove made for that purpose, which usually consists of short rubber nubs. A pin brush or fine-toothed comb is more appropriate for longhaired cats, and very fine-toothed combs are useful for checking for fleas in cats of any coat length. You may need to use a bit of trial and error to find the most appropriate grooming tool for your kitten.

Toys: Kittens love to play so it is important that you get him some toys.

Lastly, give your kitten a name! He will soon relate to it and come when you call him.

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Why do you own a pet?

1.  Because I want something to love.  A noble reason, but love is not all a pet needs.  It needs a financial lifetime commitment.  Make sure you are not just owning a pet out of despiration for something to love, but because you also want to “care”.  Sometimes these people turn into animal “collectors”, people whose homes are filled with more pets than they can care for. 

2.  Because I want something to love me.  A selfish reason, but one often given by children.  Pets love us because we feed them and care for them.  We have to give them that love back and if we are only taking it, we are not owning pets for the right reason.

3.  Because it looked so sad in the pet store.  A terrible reason, although good hearted.  If one pet looks sad in the store, and you buy it, don’t you think the store will just replace it, thus continuing the cycle of sadness?  The only way to stop stores from exploiting animals, is to stop buying from them.  Additionally this shows little thought went into the decision for getting a pet.

4.  Because it is cool.  People who want “wolves” often fall into this category.  Teens who have self esteme issues often find themselves wanting an extreme exotic pet because it will make them “cool”.   Pets are living things, they are not fashion accessories.

5.  Because I want to breed them and get rich.  Breeding pets will not make you rich unless you take a lot of short cuts with their care, and breed a lot of animals.  If profit is your main reason for owning a pet, it is a poor one.

6.  I need the pet to get me motivated.  Many people suffer from depression or loneliness.  A pet in their lives is motivation to get up, or to go for a walk.  While this seems like a selfish reason to own a pet, the owner in turn understands the true value of their companion, and will care for it deeply as a result of this bond. 

7.  I don’t know why I own a pet, I just always have and never thought about it.  For some people pets are as much a part of life as breathing.  They are members of our family and share our lives.  It is so natural we do not give it any thought.  These people are generally good pet owners because they treat the pet with the same respect they would a family member.  

8.  My pet is a service animal, I love it, but it has a job to do also.  Like the owner in #6, this person will care for the pet out of respect for it helping them.  There are many kinds of service animals, from hearing-ear-dogs, to seeing-eye-ponies. 

9.  I own the pet because another family member dumped it on me.  A noble reason, and hopefully you will love it more than its previous owner did.  Most older pets cannot be rehomed so would be euthanized if a family member did not take it in.  Our parents may die leaving a pet behind, or our children may move out and not be able to take the pet with them, in these situations it is best for us to step up and care for that animal who was left behind for no reason of its own.

10.  I adopted my pet from an animal shelter to save its life.  The most compassionate reason of all.  The majority of pets in animal shelters do not get homes, particularly larger dogs and older cats.  If you can save one life won’t make a big difference in the grand scheme of things, but it will make a HUGE difference to that pet, and will allow the shelter to try to save another in its place. 

 Photo from Wikimedia

Get ready for fuzzy cuteness and exotic creatures …. Me Sam and MisterNES swing by a pet shop in Japan and its almost as good as going to the zoo. Some good info on pet stores and pets in Japan here aside from the You Tuber antics at first. I wonder… were some of the animals for pets or for food???? Hmmmmmm. If you want a serious pet here get ready for some creative financing. All the pets range from the basic rodents to very exotic and rare reptiles and mammals. The range of services catering to pets has grown dramatically in recent years. Clothes for animals have been around for quite some time, but did you know that dogs can now relieve their stress with pet aromatherapy or a session in an oxygen capsule? Nowadays if you cannot bear the thought of leaving your pets at home when you are away, you can check them into a pet hotel; you can also take out a pet insurance policy in the unfortunate event that he/she falls ill. No doubt this trend is due to the increase in pet owners who consider their furry loved ones members of the family. The Pet Food Manufacturers Association of Japan reports that as of 2006 there were 12.09 million dogs and 12.46 million cats kept as pets in Japan, amounting to a total of 24.55 million critters. Seeing as how 10 years ago there were only 10.02 million dogs and 7.85 million cats, this represents a considerable rise. The reasons for this jump include increases in the numbers of married couples whose children have flown the nest …
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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If you go Christmas shopping for your dog to find the perfect gifts, clothing or treat filled Christmas stocking, you are definitely not alone. For many Christmas shoppers on a limited budget, if it comes down to making a choice between buying a gift for a person or buying a gift for their dog, the dog will win every time.

That’s why pet stores and pet boutiques don’t have sales, they don’t have too. We will buy that cute new squeak toy or leather outfit for our dogs, regardless of the price. We will cut corners somewhere else so Fido and Fifi can have matching Christmas stockings with their names embellished on them in glitter.

Yes, American’s love their dogs and we search for the prefect Christmas gift for them. We wrap our dog’s Christmas presents up and keep them hid until Christmas morning so our dog’s can open the gifts right along with the rest of the family.

To those who not dog lovers, it may appear ludicrous to spend time and money for a Christmas gift for a dog. But dog lovers understand that for a minimal investment in a Christmas gift, our dog will show us much more appreciation than all the people we have bought presents for combined.

So when you go Christmas shopping for your dog this year, know you are welcomed with opened arms at pet stores and boutiques and your dog will show his appreciation for the gift with a lot of tail-wagging enthusiasm. Not bad for 20 bucks and a little gift wrap.

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pet a small parrot Jack, alone recalcitrant thief . One Has to buy Pet Supplies Pet store last week, middle of the night being burglary , fortunate owner of keeping a small parrot Jack alone recalcitrant . Pet store owner said the start found store a messy , Montreal, blood, rags , and Jack feathers, , a small parrot Jack was standing in cage verbally, all the evidence that Jack did not succeed to thieves fight off . Because the head count , the pet owner found shop a small amount of pet supplies and some pet stolen. So I think that pet should dogs be better .

are sold pet supplies Pets beauticians say a lot of people have to do a child, watching fairy tales , often describe the cat will blues the plot of , but in fact in real life, the cat is unfit to drink to drink milk, because the cat’s stomach native can not digest Lactose in milk , if the cat drinking to drink milk , only severe diarrhea , and many pet shops pet beautician also provide expertise to the cat drinking the “cat milk ” , which may allow the owner to the cat had fun now! In addition, Pet Shop Pet beautician also pointed out that have eat chocolate, the owner will to cats eat chocolate, , in fact cats and dogs dogs , like , must not taste the chocolate , because the chocolate contains theobromine , a cat eating , after , is likely to die !

Asked why the mama will take Pet Grooming program The original mama dog called bobo, is a 3 year old lady dog , mama , said change the name is to it like baby , bobo good clever , original Mummy, Daddy Die are afraid of bobo, but according to family see To bobo to fight to live hold , but I like do bobo Mummy Link , tin to bobo fly ! Over time , bobo has been mama spoiled , before mama every morning eating breakfast , will give her GOD bread, bobo fresh , not know system microphone bobo food used to Zo , depending on home toward the back if mama is not stood up , bobo will Department Link bark , to mama rose Fed bread bobo fresh , really give her bobo excited dead ! Asked mama on weekdays will with bobo go out , it will pull up a bucket of non- , mama means bobo good ghost fine looking, but good crazy body, absolutely no will be trouble .

mama each time with bobo out a shower , shearing, to eight hundred dollars , ten in the very expensive, so mama will be taking pet grooming courses.

“Shelter Pets are Mean or Have Problems”. Shelters do not want to adopt out a mean or dangerous pet, especially when there are so many nice ones in the shelter for no fault of their own. Shelters will euthanize any pet they feel is unsafe for adoption. Some pets are in the shelter simply because the owner was forced to move and could not take the pet with them, the owner died, or some other situation, it is not always the pets fault. One thing people need to know when they get a dog from any situation, it should attend Obedience lessons, shelters sometimes offer discounts for these lessons.

“If Shelters Really Cared, the Pets would be Free!”. Animal shelters are non-profit. This does not mean they can afford to give animals away for free. Shelters have to pay bills too, this not only includes the veterinary bills on the animals, but also the power bills, building rent, and so on. Some will say people are more committed to pets they paid for, and while this is is not the only reason why shelters charge what they do. Every shelter has different “adoption fees” according to their expenses. Some shelters are able to give away pets in some situations, as with senior animals who would normally be euthanized. Some shelters have “barn cat” programs where they adopt out, for free, feral cats who are fixed and suited for barn cats. If shelters started giving away all their pets, for free, they would soon have to shut their doors and close down.

“If the Pet came in as a Stray you should not Adopt it because it will Just Run Away Again”. Many shelters ask for people to pay to relinquish, or surrender, their pets, so people wishing to avoid paying often say they found the pet, and it was a stray. This is actually harmful to the pet. Shelters treat strays differently than owner relinquished pets. A healthy pet surrendered by its owner, can often go into the adoption program fairly quickly. A stray pet must remain in a cage to see if an owner is going to claim it, this stresses the animal out more. Ultimately when people come to adopt pets, they are more likely to adopt one that has a known history, rather than a stray. Some shelters get so many owner surrendered pets, they do not even put the unclaimed strays up for adoption. When you surrender your own pet, you can tell the shelter its name, its likes and dislikes and if it has had any medical history. All these things make your pet more likely to get a new home. A stray should be admitted as a stray, in hopes its owner will find it, but your own pet, should be admitted as your own pet.  Even pets that did come in as strays are not always pets that run away, sometimes a stray is a pet that was abandoned by its owner.

“No Kill Shelters are Better”. No-kill animal shelters profess that they do not euthanize any animal, but if you think about this, it is not realistic. It means they are keeping animals alive in a shelter situation which they may not enjoy, and it means they are turning away a lot of animals because, as we all know, more animals are born than there are homes for. If they are not euthanizing the animals, it only means, somebody else is. I would certainly not discourage anyone from adopting from a no-kill shelter, but a person who is looking for a pet should look at other shelters too, rather than frowning on them because they are forced to do the dirty work as a result of people who have not spayed or neutered, their pet.

“Cats and Dogs Only”. Shelters often also get other animals, hamsters, rabbits, and birds. I have even seen pot belly pigs, and pheasants in animal shelters. They are the best place to look when you want a pet. Often the smaller animals come with their cages or they may be available at a lower cost.

 ”Shelters Kill Pets”. Some times people are scared to turn a stray pet into the shelter for fear that they will kill it. In truth, by law, shelters have to wait a required number of days in hopes that the rightful owner will claim the pet. The law does allow a shelter to euthanize a sick, injured or mean pet after a specified amount of time, usually 72 hours. This does not mean all pets are euthanized this quick. If a pet is considered adoptable, the shelter will have it checked by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and dewormed before putting it up for adoption. Once this investment in the pet is made they are not in a hurry to “kill” any pet. However after a while pets get stressed and shelters get crowded, so in many cases when there are more animals coming in, those who have been there for a long time will get euthanized to give the others a chance. It is a myth that they euthanize all pets after 3 days (which is what I often hear people saying). Even with the 72 hour rule, most shelters only have the vet come once a week (not daily). Shelter staff do not enjoy euthanizing animals, it is only done if they have to.

Shelters exist because we have a need for them, they exist to try to reunite lost pets with their owners, and to find new homes for those who were surrendered.  Without animal shelters we would have thousands of homeless pets wandering the streets in seach of food, packs of dogs would prey on livestock and threaten children.  The goal of animal shelters is to reduce the number of unwanted pets coming through their doors every year, as such they encourage owners to spay and neuter their pets, and not to rush into getting a pet on a whim.  This is  Boddhi, his photo is from Wikimedia,by Clive Rosso. 

Remember, if everyone took better care of their pets, we would not need animal shetlers.

Related Reading

How to Adopt a Pet

Five Biggest Scams in the Pet Industry

More about No-Kill Shelters

forums.on-sugar.com As a nation, we claim to love cats and dogs. Millions of households have pets, and billions of dollars are spent yearly on pet supplies and food. But as a nation, we should take a hard, sobering look at a different annual statistic: the millions of dogs and cats given up to shelters or left to die on the streets. And the numbers tell only half the story. Every cat or dog who dies as a result of pet overpopulation — whether humanely in a shelter or by injury, disease, or neglect — is an animal who, more often than not, would have made a wonderful companion, if given the chance. Tremendous as the problem of pet overpopulation is, it can be solved if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our animals to breed. Here’s information about this crisis and why spaying and neutering is the first step to a solution. Thinking of having a pet? Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Are you ready to make a commitment to a pet for its entire life? Adding a companion animal to the family is a big responsibility. Adopting an animal is not unlike adopting a child, in that it means making a permanent commitment to care for and spend time with the animal. Before adopting, consider the time and money involved. Will someone have the time and patience to exercise and housebreak your new pet? Are you prepared to pay for a balanced diet, accessories (such as toys and a brush), vaccinations, veterinary treatment or emergency care? 2. Will other pets …