&PETS Fostering A Child’s Love Of Animals (NAPSA)—If you have (or know) a child who loves animals, there are a numberof waysto help foster that passion for furry creatures—and possibly help it grow from a passion to a career path. If you have a family pet (or pets), allow the child to take part in its care and feeding. Evenlittle ones can scoop out dry foodorfill a water dish. Makingthis kind of “chore” part of the child’s everyday duties can help encourage a sense of responsibility—and allow for an added bond betweenthe pet and the child. If you don’t have a pet, bring your child to where he or she can spend time with animals, be it an animal shelter, petting zoo or a friend’s house. Allow the youngster to ask questions and learn about what it takes to keep animals happy andhealthy. e If your child reads a book about a certain kind of animal, go on the Internet with him or her and do some research about that animal’s behavior, habitat, eating habits, ete. If your pet needs to go to the veterinarian, let your child come along and ask questions. Explain that animals sometimes get sick and need to go to the doctor—just like children do. If your child is fascinated by animals and you have a Wii or Nintendo DS gaming system, a new video gamelets children play as a young veterinarian who has just opened his or her first animal ae SES te A new video game lets children take care of both domestic pets and exotic baby animals. clinic. Players then take care of their neighbors’ domesticated pets, as well as the local exotic baby animals. In Ubisoft’s “Petz Rescue: Wildlife Vet,” players get to diag- nose, cure, observe and heal ani- mals to gain their clients’ confidence and respect. They uncover the mystery behind the animals’ illnesses and face real challenges on the journey to becoming a great veterinarian. Players get to treat more than 12 animals, both adult and baby, as well as domestic and wild. Throughout, they can learn about the veterinary process—diagnosing and curing—while maintaining careful observation of sick animals and giving advice to their clients. They also get to manage their own clinic and interact with clients to increase their reputations. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.petz.com.
