Thorrun Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 18/01) - It's raining cats and dogs on the SPCA.

Last year, 263 photos were featured on the annual pet calendar put out by the Northwest Territories Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The publication features photos sent in by proud pet owners.

Yellowknife SPCA's Janet Pacey and her dog, Winnie, are looking for pet photos for the society's annual fund-raising calendar. - Thorunn Howatt/NNSL photo

But with the July 31 deadline looming near, only 25 pet owners have sent in their in their darlings' mugs.

"Most of the pictures are sent in just before the deadline," said Janet Pacey, vice-president of the organization. She added that this year's pictures were trickling in at an alarmingly slow rate.

"We have tried to advertise but we don't really have the budget."

This is the calendar's third year of printing.

Two years ago, when it was first published, 135 pets had their pictures in print. Last year, the number nearly doubled to 263.

All but 20 calendars were sold at a price of $20.

The society accepts pet photos and puts them on the calendar at no charge.

The printing and publication costs of the project are paid for by donations from

businesses. Calendar sales are the society's biggest money-maker throughout the year.

Pet pictures can be sent in digitally, by mail or by dropping them off.

To send photos in digitally, e-mail nwtspca@theedge.ca for an online form.

Photos can be dropped off at Yellowknife Foto source, or sent by regular mail to The NWT SPCA, Janet Pacey, Calendar coordinator, 22 Franklin Drive Trailer Park, Yellowknife, X1A 2B4.