(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!)

Did you spend the winter dreaming of trips to the cottage or camping with your family, friends and pet? If you've been planning your trek to the cottage, or the dilemma of how you'll get your frisky pup to sleep in a tent, Pets Plus Us, a pet owner community and insurance coverage provider, has a few tips on how to keep everyone happy on vacation.

Pet Connection Programs Inc., a nonprofit special care and maternity shelter for dogs and cats located in Marilla, will hold a supply and donation drive from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 10, at the Petco store located at  4401 Transit Road near Main Street in Williamsville.

(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!)

While the season's warmer weather offers great opportunity for games of fetch with Fido, it also brings increased risk from exposure to pests, particularly ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and stinging insects. Safeguarding dogs and cats begins with discussions with your veterinarian, but in addition to prescribed healthcare repellents and preventatives, there are several things that can be done to make your yard inhospitable to the stinging, biting troublemakers.