Puppy Love: Is Your Family Ready? (NAPSA)—When kids want a puppy, parents need to determine if the family is prepared for the responsibility. Now some special help has arrived to assist families with this puppy predicament. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the Cottonelle brand—knownasthe Looking out for the Family” folks—have teamed upto offer a unique puppy care kit that helps teach children how to care for a dog. It also provides parents with pointers on how to determine whether their family is preparedfor a pet. In the kit, kids get a soft, stuffed Cottonelle Puppy, adoption papers, a bowl, a bone and an informative booklet about responsible pet care that parents can read with their kids. Along with helping to educate families about pet ownership, the kit initiative supports the ASPCA, the first humane organization established in the Western Hemisphere. The society is dedicated to promoting humaneprinciples, preventing cruelty and alleviating pain, fear and suffering in animals. “With fun tools like the Cottonelle Puppy Care Kit, parents and children can become better informed pet owners, and avoid the unfortunate circumstance of relinquishing a pet,” says Gail Buchwald, Vice President of ASPCACares. Families can order a kit online for $4.99 at www.cottonelle puppy.com by entering the Universal Product Code (UPC) from spe- cially marked Cottonelle products. The kit is available through May1, 2004. For more information about programs that help improve the well-being of animals, log onto the ASPCA Website (www.aspca.org), which also includes a special Animaland section, designed especially for children. A unique kit can educate kids and their parents on proper puppy care. Is Your Family Ready For A Puppy? Consider the following: What's in your future? Remember dogslive eight to 15 years. Do you havetime? Puppies need lots of attention, especially thefirst month. |s anyoneallergic? If unsure, consult a pediatrician or allergist. Are there other animals? Introducing puppy to kitty cat requires someguidelines. Dothe kidsreally want one? Talk with them about any concerns. (an the family afford if? First-year puppy costs can easily approach $1,000. Are you experienced? New pet owner education is a serious time commitment. |s there enough room? A high-energy dog needslots of space. Are you a “neat freak”? A puppycan be, well, messy. They shed, drool, chew, and have accidents, Still not sure? Visit www.cottonellepuppy.com for PuppyCare Kit. Wrongreasonsforgetting a puppy: You wantto teach a child responsibility Youfeel sorry for that “doggie in the window” You think you need a guard dog It's asurprise gift @Q
