October 2013
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It’s Farm Animals Month at the BC SPCA! Think you know the answers to our farm animal trivia questions? Take the quiz and then scroll down to find the answers!

	1. What happens if you feed an egg-laying hen cottonseed meal?      a)      It will make the hen sick.      b)      It will turn the egg yolks green.      c)      It will make the hen’s feathers softer.
	2. True or False? Pigs roll in mud to cool themselves off.
	3. What was the first domesticated farm animal?      a)      Cow      b)      Pig      c)      Sheep
	4. True or False? Chickens clean themselves by bathing in dust.
	5. How is the height of a horse measured?      a)      In metres.      b)      In feet.      c)      In hands.

Want to learn even more about farm animals? The fall issue of Bark! magazine features a special story about pigs along with a brand new SPCA Certified pull-out poster! Bark! will be delivered to all BC SPCA Kids Club members later this month. Not a member yet? Sign up today to start receiving Bark! and other Kids Club perks.

In honour of Farm Animals Month, we have a challenge for you!

Each of these footprints belongs to a pig, cow, sheep or chicken. Can you match them up?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Take your best guess, then scroll down to see if you're right!

October’s Furry Friend of the Month is actually two furry friends – sisters Beans and Buttons!

Beans is “a young cat who has lots of energy and loves to play” and Buttons is “a very sweet girl who is affectionate and calm.”

These girls are not only sisters but the best of friends, so they hope to find a forever home together. They’re waiting at the Parksville SPCA for that special family to adopt them!

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

Pro-D Day youth workshops are back this month at the BC SPCA! The theme of October’s workshops? Fabulous Farm Animals, of course! Here’s a sampling of the types of activities you can expect:

• Play Farm Animal Jeopardy! and help your team win a prize.
• Join the CIA (Chicken Intelligence Agency) and become an egg carton code breaker!
• Create a fabulous farm animal pumpkin for Halloween.
• Tour the shelter and meet the animals!

Activities vary by location, so please visit our website for all individual workshop details and to register.

Remember, BC SPCA Kids Club members receive a special discount for all our workshops. Not a member? Sign up today!

	1. Answer: b. If you feed cottonseed meal to an egg-laying hen, the yolks of eggs she lays will be green! Green eggs and ham, anyone?
	2. Answer: True. Pigs can’t sweat to cool themselves down, so they roll in water or mud instead. Of the two, they prefer to coat their skin in mud because it also helps protect from sunburn and bug bites.
	3. Answer: c. It is believed that sheep were first domesticated by humans between 9,000 and 11,000 years ago!
	4. Answer: True. Just as we bathe in water to clean our skin, chickens bathe in dust to clean their feathers!
	5. Answer: c. The standard measurement used for horses is called a hand, which originated in ancient Egypt and is equal to four inches, or 10.16 centimetres.