Wednesday, November 29, 2006 · Page 12 Who's going to look after the dog and cat? What to look for when choosing a boarding kennel This time of year is one of the busiest in the animal care industry. Families are travelling during the holiday season and need a reliable facility to care for their four-legged family members. Some families even board their pets for short stays while they have family parties and gatherings. A house full of people is very stressful for family pets, and tragedies can happen if a door or gate is left open and a pet leaves the security of their environment. Families who are investigating boarding kennels for the first time can be overwhelmed by the many choices there are to make, and what questions should be asked. Here are a few tips that should help. You can ask family and friends who they have look after their pets and don't be hesitant to ask if they are happy with the services provided by the facility. When the dog comes home what is its behaviour? Is it lethargic? Did it lose a significant amount of weight? Does it have digestive or bowel problems? Was the animal clean when it came home? Check the yellow pages for facilities near you. If the facility is not in your area find out if they provide pick-up and delivery service. Make a list of the boarding kennels you want to consider. If they have a website, take your time looking at what services they provide. When you call, ask if they require you to have an appointment to view their kennel. If they say "yes", they may need to do extra cleaning before you arrive. This may mean their cleaning practices are not adequate on a day-to-day basis. Visiting the kennel for a tour is the best practice for making this important decision. When you visit the kennel, the first thing you should note is the smell when you enter the building. If there is a strong smell of urine and feces, the facility may not be as clean as it should be. Aside from the fact that your pet may come home smelling like the kennel, it may also bring home bacteria that such a poorly maintained environment could generate. When you take your tour, you should be invited to see all areas of the building and outdoor areas that will be used by your pet. Find out if the facility is heated and air-conditioned. When you call or visit a boarding kennel here are some questions to ask: · What time do they wake up the dogs, put them out? · What time do they feed, walk and bed them down? · What do they do when an animal refuses to eat? · Is the cattery separate from, and kept warmer than the dog area? · What food do they use for feeding are you allowed to bring your own? · What are their vaccination requirements? Beware if they don't have any!!! Grade 1 students at Holy Name School participate in a `Community Walk' Nov. 24. Holy Name Hawk Happenings Students in Grades 1L/M, 1K and 1N had the opportunity to participate in a `Community Walk' Nov. 24, as part of their current unit in Social Studies. Students have been learning about communities (e.g. school, home) and examining different aspects of these communities, including various types of buildings, materials that compose such buildings, uses of these buildings, and the many important people who work in these buildings. The weather cooperated nicely as students, teachers, and parent volunteers journeyed along Fairview Avenue up to Talbot Street. Students were well equipped with notepads and pencils on which they illustrated important details they saw along the way. Many students pointed out the Essex Arena, making sure to mention the important people who work inside, including caretakers, zamboni drivers, referees, and hockey players. Another point of interest was our church Holy Name of Jesus Parish which children noticed was a mixture of old and new (with the new addition recently constructed), also mentioning Fr. Larry as priest and the choir as people who can be found working (and praying) in the building. Students had the opportunity to explore various buildings, people at work, ways of traveling, and elements of nature in their town including office buildings (eye doctor, dentist, chiropractor), other churches, stores (convenience, clothing, grocery), gas stations, restaurants, hair salons, banks, and much more. Grade one students and their teachers would like to thank all of the volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to come along and participate in their `Community Walk'. Students will be compiling the information that they gathered on their `walk' and work on composing their own community booklets. The students of 7A have been working diligently on a novel study and social justice unit that focuses on the Holocaust. The students of 7G will begin this unit of study this week. As an extension of the classwork, students will experience two events that will expand their knowledge of this important period in history. The first event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 30 when Mr. Magda Berger, a local Holocaust survivor, visits Holy Name School. Mrs. Berger is a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, considered to be one of the worst of all of the concentration camps. Holy Name is privileged to have such a guest speaker share her personal experiences of the Holocaust. The second event will take place Thursday, Dec. 7 as the students visit the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Mich. Visit the center's website at www.holocaustcenter.org to learn more about the history of the Holocaust. · Do they have professionally trained groomers on staff? · What is the policy for animals that come in with medication? · What is the procedure if the pet has a medical emergency? · What are the business hours when can you drop off and pick up? · Do the business hours change during the holiday season? · What are the prices, and what services are included in the price? · What is their payment policy? Cash, debit, credit, cheques? · Do they have a cancellation policy? The peak busy times in this industry are when the children are out of school. Christmas, March Break and summer months so try to book your reservation as early as possible for these periods. When you arrive to drop your animal off, come with the dog on a leash, the cat in a carrier, any treats and luggage you want the animal to have, documentation which shows the expiry date of vaccinations (usually noted on your most recent vet bill), and the name and phone number of an emergency contact person the kennel can call while you are away. This information has been provided by: Kingsway Boarding Kennels, Joe & Kathleen Diesbourg Innkeepers. SATURDAY Christmas DEC. 2, 2006 BAZAAR ESSEX RETIREES SOCIAL CLUB 32 RUSSELL ST., ESSEX E JOIN US FOR VERYON E! LUNCH E OM ELC homemade soup and W sandwich, piece of pie, tea or coffee. crafts, baked goods, used books and puzzles, white elephant items raffles. 519-776-6689 www.essexretirees.ca Call Abe 919-0157 or 325-0733 FREE ESTIMATES 169 IRWIN AVE. BIG SALE We now accept HEATING & COOLING FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER ORDER EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS WE ARE HAVING A YOUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY STORE! 21% OFF Phone: 776-8699 Ages 3 Months - 12 Years Quality Child Care with a Before/After School Age Program. 12 month no Payment, no Interest Financing. 10 year warranty on parts and labour. *Certain Conditions apply. See store for details. Gift Certificates Available for the person that has everything Hrs. 6:00 am - 6:00 pm 32D Arthur Ave., Essex ON N8M 2M9 Come In & Pick Up a FREE Energy Savings Kit E-mail: sx_craig@yahoo.ca 519-776-4021