1. Summer is the perfect time to capture animals on camera. Take photos of your cat lazing in a sun beam. Record a video of your dog frolicking at the park. Wait quietly in the garden for squirrels, birds and butterflies to strike a pose – then act quickly to get the perfect shot! And be sure to bring your camera on family vacations this summer. You never know the amazing animals you could spot while camping, stopping at a farm stand or visiting someplace exotic!

We’d love to see your summer animal photos! Send your favourite shots to kids@spca.bc.ca and they could be featured in a future issue of e-Kids.

2. Are you signed up for the Scotiabank & BC SPCA Paws for a Cause this September? If you’re looking for fun ways to reach your goal, make the most of the sunshine with an outdoor fundraiser! Hold a car wash, set up a lemonade stand or offer to work in the yard in exchange for a donation to your Paws campaign. Turn it into a party by asking friends or siblings to join you!

Remember, it’s free for kids to register for Paws for a Cause – and every participant who raises $15 or more will receive one year of BC SPCA Kids Club membership as our thanks.

3. Finally, BC SPCA summer camp is the ultimate combination of summertime fun and celebrating animals. All of our camps include outdoor games and time with animals. What could be better than that?

This year we’re hosting summer camps in 19 communities around B.C. The camps have started, but there is still space for select weeks at most locations.

Congratulations to Jordyn Lynn Czepil, 10, from Enderby! Jordyn's verse about bringing home a cat from the SPCA, with a humourous ending, has been selected as the winning poem in the e-Kids Purr-etry Contest.

I brought a kitten from the SPCA
As you can believe it was an exciting day
I wanted to play with her but all she did was purr
Her eyes got heavy and she started to yawn
So she ran to my room and POOF she was gone
She fell asleep right on my face
Like she was a piece of paste on my face!!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. We were so impressed by the quality and creativity of the poems we received. You are all talented writers!

That’s right! The summer issue of Bark! magazine is all about dogs! It’s the Official BC SPCA Dog Care Guide, landing in Kids Club members’ mailboxes this month.

In this issue of Bark!, learn all about taking care of dogs, from puppies to seniors. Discover the best ways to train your dog, how to tell if your pup is sick, and even what his body language can tell you about how he feels. Don’t have a dog? That’s okay! This is must-have information for any animal lover!

Remember, Bark! magazine is produced especially for BC SPCA Kids Club members. If you aren’t already a member, sign up online (with your parent or guardian) to start receiving Bark! four times a year, plus other membership perks.

July's Furry Friend of the Month is Princess, a young Calico cat staying at the Penticton SPCA until she finds her fur-ever family.

Before arriving at the SPCA, Princess was a stray cat with nowhere to go. Neighbours saw her around for three weeks before picking her up and bringing her to the shelter so she could receive proper care and find a family. Princess is a friendly girl who likes to play. She has also been known to "mother" some of the kittens in the shelter, bathing them even though they are not her own. What a sweetie!

Please note: Princess was available for adoption at the time this article was written, and may have found her forever home since then. Visit the BC SPCA website to discover more furry friends currently looking for homes.