Greetings, everyone!

We'd like to welcome our new subscribers and offer a warm welcome back to our current readers. We appreciate all of you very much!

This holiday season, the average pet guardian will spend about $25 per animal on gifts, according to a fall survey of pet people by Pet Supplies Plus. Check out our sponsors at the end of this eZine for some great ideas and shop Florida!

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A special thanks to Eddie, FD, FDX. (Those initials stand for "Flyball Dog" eXtraordinaire.) A team member in the Greater Jacksonville Disc Dog Club, Eddie is leading things off for our Christmas issue with the above photo of him and his "non-melting" snowman. Eddie is companion to Norma Brizzi of Atlantic Beach, Florida. Learn more here about the exploits of Eddie.

Also in this month's issue, we feature a photogenic way to help animals, a vacation spot recommended by in-the-know canines, a dog with a big heart and lots of Christmas spirit, some travel tips & stats and of course, FloridaPets.net's contest! This month we have a very practical prize - a pet first aid kit with all the items you'd need for minor pet emergencies. Instructions on how to enter were included in our subscribers' emailed copies of the NewsPetter, so if you'd like to enter our future contests, you will need to subscribe to the NewsPetter. We make it easy -- there's a sign up box on each and every page on FloridaPets.net!

Speaking of contests, we'd like to congratulate Maida Genser of Tamarac, the winner of the November NewsPetter contest. Maida won an autographed copy of Florida author Vic Diginti's Windrusher, a mystical tale about an adventurous cat.

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We hope everyone will enjoy this issue of the NewsPetter. Please pass the word about FloridaPets.net and write us with any suggestions or requests. Until next month, thanks for "tailing" along with us and remember our motto:

"They're part of the family, so take them along!"

Patricia Collier
Editor

Special Note: If you cannot see the photographs in this NewsPetter, you are missing a lot of neat stuff! Some of our readers just can't get email in the HTML format that allows them to view pictures and other artwork, so we've come up with this solution:

Say "Cheese Biscuits!"
By Patricia Collier

One of the best things about the holidays is that Santa Paws, er, Claus, drops in on Florida to help animals. Photo sessions with jolly old Nick are the perfect fund and fun raisers for local humane societies and other animal-related groups and are a win-win deal. Pet guardians get a nice keepsake of their animal, the sponsoring group gets a few bucks and Santa gets maximum exposure for future gigs.

There are literally dozens of chances for you and/or you and your pet to pose with Santa this month. By doing so, you'll possibly be helping a shelter replace the roof on its building, damaged during one of this past summer's hurricanes. Or you could be assisting efforts to provide food and necessary medication for a recently-injured animal. As a famous television commercial declares, "It's all good!"

For those of you with pets who love to mug for the camera, we've compiled a short list of some "Photos with Santa" events. There's probably one on the list near you but if not, check with the animal groups in your area.

Saturday, December 11 - The Central Brevard Humane Society is sponsoring a Holiday Pet Photo shoot with Santa and a Snowman at Pet Supermarket on SR520 on Merritt Island, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. No appointment is needed. For more information, call 321-636-3343, ext. 204. Central Brevard County Humane Society.

Sunday, December 12 - The Humane Society of Tampa Bay will host photos with Santa at the International Mall in Tampa from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Saturday, December 18 - The Humane Society of Greater Miami will host photos with Santa at Petsmart at 8241 West Flagler Street in South Miami from 1:00 p.m. until 4 p.m. For more information, please call Carrie at 305-696-0800, ext. 132. The Humane Society of Greater Miami.

Saturday, December 18 - The Humane Society of Sarasota County will host Santa for photos at their weekly off-site adoption event at Petsmart at The Landings, 4942 Tamiami Trail in Sarasota from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Humane Society of Sarasota County.

Saturday December 18 and Sunday, December 19 - The SPCA Lakeland is offering photos with Santa at Petsmart 1051 W. Brandon Boulevard in Brandon from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. No appointment is needed. For more information, please call 863-6467722, ext. 105. SPCA Lakeland.

A great place for dogs and their people
By Patricia Collier

Ocean Blue Motel in lovely Vilano Beach offers the perfect break from holiday craziness, before, during or after!

But let's cut to the chase. Not only is the facility pet-friendly, but the beaches at Vilano also permit animals and there are even a couple of restaurants within walking distance that allow pets on their outdoor patios - how much better can it get?

Ocean Blue Motel is attractive on the outside and has 16 oceanfront, nicely-decorated rooms, most with with kitchenettes, all with private balconies overlooking the ever-changing Atlantic Ocean. Depending on your pet's size, there is a $10 to $25 per night fee, but they do not require a deposit.

Vilano Beach is on Florida's First Coast, about 10 minutes north of historic St. Augustine. After a morning of beach play, you can enjoy the historical charms of the oldest city in the country, lots of unique shoppes and excellent restaurants. You can cruise the cobblestone streets on a trolley or visit well-known attractions such as Fountain of Youth or San Sebastian Winery.

After a nice dinner, as the salt air dusts your hair, you can just relax on your private balcony on the beach and soak up a sunset that will put a big smile on your face...what a way to wrap up a year, or start a new one!

A Dog's First Christmas
By Patricia Collier

On Mother's Day this past spring, Connie and Jack McCollum of New Port Richey took a ride to the Pasco County SPCA. They looked in all the cages and lots of eyes looked back at them.

But two eyes in particular caught theirs, big brown eyes, a bit fearful, a little confused, tinged with desire for a good home, filled with love. Dare the homeless dog hope for such a thing?

The McCollums took the lab mix home that very day, named him "Boscoe" and proceeded to make all his dreams come true. Their love gave Boscoe confidence. Their consistency gave him security. Their kindness brushed away the fear. Dog obedience classes gave Boscoe the kind of strut envied by the neighborhood canines. Would that all animals, indeed, all children, have the kind of life Boscoe now enjoys.

Boscoe's human mom has kept me updated on his progress, ever since he was selected as FloridaPets.net's Pet of the Week in late August. Each note has warmed my heart and made my day! It is with great pride that Boscoe shows himself off a bit more, pictured here, during a recent visit to see Santa Paws, an extra little present for the first Christmas this pup has ever known.

You can learn more here about Boscoe.

Check out the Petition to Allow Pets in Condos. Thousands of senior citizens in Florida have been denied the opportunity to improve their health and well-being with pet companionship in dwellings they own. Private home ownership should allow responsible persons to keep pets. For more information, go to Citizens for Pets in Condos. The petition is on that page, under "Sign Petition."

Attention vacation property owners: According to most travel agencies, locations that accept pets increase their occupancy by 10 to 50 percent. That's a serious effect on your bottom line and a huge reason to go "pet-friendly!"

Did you know? 62% of all U.S. households include at least one pet. So says the American Automobile Association (AAA) who also reports that of all Americans who travel with pets, 14% do so with felines and 78% take their canines along. Guests traveling with pets is a trend that a smart hotel or motel operator certainly cannot ignore!

Do you have a handy tip or tale about traveling with pets? Send it to WebMistress and we'll share it here with other readers of the NewsPetter.

Here at FloridaPets.net, we want everyone to be able to show off their beloved companion animals. We offer two avenues for that, either as a Pet of the Week or as the topic of a special feature in our monthly NewsPetter.

All animals selected as a Pet of the Week also receive a free Web page - designed by yours truly. If you have two or three photos, that would be terrific. Also, please send your pet's breed, age, sex, personality traits, likes and dislikes, how you found each other and anything else you would like to share about your companion.

So, if you haven't already done so, please share your pet with us by emailing WebMistress. Please type "Submission" in the subject line of your note and send your photos, in JPG or GIF format only. Thank you for sharing!

Gift Baskets for Pets and People

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The FloridaPets.net Paw Patch Shoppe
We carry the wonderful Syn-flex Liquid

Syn-flex is an awesome alternative to harmful arthritis drugs for both pets and people! We have quite possibly the best prices around on Syn-flex. And for each bottle for which shipping is paid, the 2nd or 3rd bottles ordered SHIP FOR FREE! You'll find Syn-flex under "December Specials" in the FloridaPets.net Paw Patch Shoppe. While you're there, check out our great prices on pet toys, pet care items & more!

Email: webmistress@floridapets.net

Phone: 904-879-9352

Web: http://www.floridapets.net