I'm a big animal-lover. Always had pets, always poured over nature magazine, always cried during National Geographic specials about endangered speices.

My current pet situation involves Whiney, my 10-year-old cat. She was recently diagnosed with diabetes. I didn't even know cats could be diabetic! Well, they can, and I'm now learning to put aside my horrible fear of needles so I can give her daily insulin shots. And I constantly have to dash away reminders that new kittens are free … But it's worth it. Whiney and I also live with Fitzy, a water frog. We don't see him very often. I always just assume that he's dead, until I see ripples in the aquarium.

Then there's Mindy the Wonderlab. She's my surrogate dog who lives with my parents. I found her on one of the country roads near my parents' house seven years ago. She'd been dumped, and was in sorry condition. Still a puppy, her ribs were sticking out, and she was cold and dirty. I often wonder if the folks who dumped her realize what they threw away.

So, this is something that means a lot to me - rescuing unwanted animals. Whiney and Mindy were both dumped by people who didn't want them. They were left to die, but got lucky. The Humane Society of America is the definitive source on what usually happens to throw-away animals, and a great source of educating the public on ways to prevent this problem. Since I'm partial to rescued Labs, I also like the Labrador Retriever Rescue organization". That's what they do - save Labs who have had a rough time. And speaking of Labs (which I do quite a bit), they can do some truly amazing things. If you don't believe me, check out Canine Companions for Independence. Mindy's better at laying on her bed, chewing on her stuffed Cookie Monster than she is at being helpful.

If you're looking for pet health info, Dr. Goodvet is a good place to start. Since Whiney got sick, I've become quite the fretful mother, and I'm on this site if the cat so much as sneezes. If you're interested in the wilder forms of animal life, Terra is a lot of fun. It's like going to the zoo, without all of the monkey poop.