(Welcome to our pet column, courtesy of Pet Connection Programs Inc. of Marilla. We post a new article each week, so be sure to check back on a regular basis!)

Your four-footed friends could benefit from your taking four important steps to keep your pets in peak condition.

1. See the vet for regular checkups. Dogs and cats age faster than humans. They can grow up — and grow old — almost before you know it. Regular wellness exams let your veterinarian diagnose, manage and protect against potential health problems before they become serious.

The EmStar Emergency Department of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital will recognize local Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals at an award’s dinner on Tuesday, May 21 at the Niagara Falls Country Club. The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Mount St. Mary's Hospital and the BEA Group, the group of physicians that staff the hospital’s EmStar Emergency Department, the dinner is being held in conjunction with the hospital’s recognition of national EMS Week.  Dr. Lloyd Brown W. Brown, chief of the Department of Emergency Medicine/EmStar, is the organizer of the event to salute EMS excellence and Diana Volkman, BSN, of the New York State Department of Health’s Western Region Office of Health Emergency Preparedness will be the guest speaker.

Individual golfers, foursomes and sponsors are still being sought for the annual “Come Get Some” golf outing to benefit the Hospice Foundation. The event will take place on Friday, July 12, at Chestnut Hill Country Club, 1330 Broadway, Darien Center.

Registration for the event is just $80 and includes lunch, a steak dinner, beverages and 18 holes of scramble-format golf. Tickets for dinner only are available for just $40. Golfers of all skill levels are welcomed.