There is a really neat site on the Ulster County SPCA website. It's called, "Kind News Online." The pages of information and ideas were created by The Humane Society of the United States. If you are staying home this summer, instead of going to camp or on a family vacation, you could really get into this Kind News and do a lot of good for animals. They tell you ideas for each month and it would also be a good reason to visit the Ulster County SPCA with some treats for the pets there and to learn what else you can do to help.

Speaking of camp, if you are going to one, be sure speak up if you see someone being mean to an animal or a critter who needs help. A child should not touch or pick up a wild animal or approach a strange dog or cat. What you can do is tell a counselor or some other adult and ask for help. The counselors or camp directors should call the police for animal control or a wildlife rehabilitator. They can also use their judgment on what to do depending on the situation.

Although you do not want to pick up a kitten, since you don't know who might suddenly appear, you can put down some food and especially water until the animal control person comes.

I don't see any problem saving a turtle or a baby bird, but it takes real commitment to raise them. A baby bird needs canned dog food (not food with gravy) mixed with water every hour until he has feathers and then every two hours, including at dusk and at 5 am. It is a very hard job, so you want to find someone who is authorized to do it. Do not put water into a baby bird's mouth. The reason you mix the dog food (kennel ration type) with water is so the bird can get water in that manner. It should be a soft paste-like mix, given on the end of a thin piece of wood or end of a plastic spoon handle. Be very gentle if you do this, but it has to go down his throat. Turtles like baked chicken or hamburger, but a turtle should be released in a place close to where you found him.

If you see a baby rabbit the size of an adult fist, leave him alone! They are on their own at that size and do very well, but do not do well at all if people try to raise them. If you need help or want a speaker, try Carolyn Engel of Mid-Hudson Wildlife Rescue (http://www.midhudson-wildlife-rescue.org/). She can be reached at 845-384-6847 and [email protected]. She is licensed and accepts the following animals: Raccoons, skunks, large mammals, small mammals, songbirds, game birds, and waterfowl. She is available for educational talks to community groups and schools.

* * * Next, I thought you would like some updates on animal news around the country from The Humane Society of US legislative newsletter.

Gavin Newsome, the Mayor of San Francisco, took foie gras off the menus of eight restaurants he co-owns, according to The Humane Society Legislative newsletter. Foie gras is goose liver paste made by force feeding geese until their livers are huge. We certainly do not need that disgusting stuff to live.

Mrs. T. Boone Pickens refused to fund any use of animals at Oklahoma State University; her husband's alma mater. She had planned to give $5 million to the vet school, but changed her mind until they use alternatives, the way half of all the other vet schools in America are doing.

More and more doctors are urging people to go vegetarian. Dr. Terry Mason, a radio doctor, urged his listeners to try a vegetarian menu for a month, The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health is promoting a meatless Monday and 7-Elevens in NJ, NY, and PA are offering veggie burritos and a falafel platter. It might be hard, but you will feel better and probably live longer. And if you live longer you will be able to adopt and help more animals. Yeah!