July 2013
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School’s out! Here are a few ideas to help you combine summer fun with making a difference for animals:

	Start a campaign. Register for the 2013 Scotiabank & BC SPCA Paws for a Cause with your parents’ permission (it’s FREE!) and you can get started on your own summer fundraising campaign for the animals. Create a personal fundraising page to tell everyone why you love animals and keep track of your campaign achievements. Get creative with summer fundraising projects like lemonade stands and car washes! You’ll be entered into a prize draw for a Nintendo® 3DS™ just for signing up, and when you raise at least $15 you’ll get a free year of BC SPCA Kids Club membership. Want to go really big? Set a goal to be the top youth fundraiser of 2013 and you could win a Nintendo® Wii U™ Console – Deluxe Set!
	Build a bee bath. Collecting pollen makes bees thirsty! They need fresh water to drink, but have trouble landing without crashing. Get instructions on how to build a specialized bee bath to help keep our bee friends happily buzzing. Learn even more about how to create great outdoor environments for bees and other local wildlife.
	Become your family’s animal expert. Spend a week at BC SPCA summer camp and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn about animals. Every camp includes animal-themed indoor and outdoor games, crafts, skits, guest speakers and – everyone’s favourite part – daily time with the animals!
	Keep your pets cool. Warm weather isn’t always fun for pets. This summer, make it your mission to keep your dogs, cats and small animals comfortable, even when it’s hot out. You can get tips on keeping pets cool from Bark! magazine’s Kat and Fin!
	Visit a farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets are taking place right now all throughout B.C., and many sell SPCA Certified foods. If you’ve never been before, find a market near you and check it out with your family this summer. Many markets take place in or around parks, so you can enjoy a day of playing outside and maybe a farm-fresh picnic, too!
	Watch out for baby wildlife. Summer is a busy time for wildlife rehabilitators, but did you know that not all animals brought to wildlife centres actually need help? You can help watch out for wildlife – especially babies – by knowing when to call for help and when it’s better to leave the animal alone. Know what to do if you find a baby bird, fawn or seal. If you still aren’t sure, ask your parents to call the BC SPCA Wildlife Hotline at 1-855-622-7722.

The summer issue of Bark! magazine is here and it’s landing in BC SPCA Kids Club members’ mailboxes over the next few days! Discover the winner of our Comfy Critters Contest – and find out why cats are now comfier at BC SPCA shelters. Read the story of one lost cat, Neko, whose identification helped her get back home. Plus, get your very own pull-out “I’m Lost Without You” pet ID poster!

Not a Kids Club member yet? With your parents’ permission, you can sign up online and get the next issue of Bark! straight to your door.

Congratulations to Katherine Prevot, the winner of our cat-themed Kids Club prize giveaway! Katherine sent in a photo of her cat, Carmela, along with this story of Carmela’s adoption:

"We adopted her from the SPCA when she was four, and she is now the same age as me. We were both born in 2001, and she is like a sister to me and she always wakes me up bright and early to feed her! She purred for 24 hours when we got her, and she walked into the carrying case all by herself when we asked her if she wanted to come home with us. She is the best cat ever!"

Katherine also sent us some hilarious cat jokes. Here’s our favourite, featuring Carmela herself:

Q: I heard my two cats talking to each other; do you want to know what it sounded like?
A: Carmela: Meow’s it going?
    Max: Purrrrrrrrrfect!

Thank you so much for sharing, Katherine. You have won a cat guardian prize pack!

This month’s featured Happy Ending animal is actually two animals – cats Astro and Apollo.

Astro and Apollo were adopted from the Vancouver SPCA by the same guardian. Astro found his forever home first, and Apollo joined him eight months later. While it took some time for these two handsome guys to get used to each other, they are now best buddies!

Do you have a Happy Ending story of your own to tell? We want to hear it! Email us at kids@spca.bc.ca to let us know how your pet is doing in his new home. Include a photo or drawing of you and your companion, too!

July’s Furry Friend of the Month is Chance. Chance is a big boy; he’s a Bernese mountain dog/German shepherd mixed breed dog!

Chance is nine years old and loves going for walks and spending time with both grown-ups and kids. He knows how to sit, lie down and shake a paw! What Chance really needs is a second chance with a new family! He’s waiting at the Shuswap SPCA for his forever family to take him home.

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