Yellowknife (Jan 03/07) - The NWT SPCA's seasonal store at Centre Square Mall sold about $6,000 worth of merchandise in the lead-up to Christmas.

Pet calendars and light blinkers that clip onto dogs' collars proved to be the most popular items, said NWT SPCA president Janet Pacey.

Other merchandise such as hooded sweatshirts and other SPCA gear also sold well.

This is the fourth year the organization has had a the store inside Centre Square Mall. The space was donated by the mall, and the shop was staffed by volunteers working their lunch hours.

Brad Heath, who works for the NWT Literacy Council, helped out at the store for the second year in a row. He said customers tend to be pet-oriented people.

"It's usually a lot of fun, lots of cat and dog people," said Heath.

"They go through the calendar and show you which dog is theirs."

The money raised by the NWT SPCA helps fund radio and newspaper campaigns on proper treatment of animals, said Pacey.

"People are starting to get the idea that it's not cool to leave animals out all day," she said. "I think people are getting the message."

Besides funding their public campaigns, the money also goes to support the shelter at Great Slave Animal Hospital.

Someday the NWT SPCA may begin a fund to build an independent animal shelter, but Pacey said that those plans would be far into the future.

In 2005, the SPCA, with the help of Great Slave Animal Hospital, placed 92 cats and 105 dogs in adoptive homes. Although she doesn't have the number of adoptions yet for 2006, Pacey said she expected the numbers to be similar this year.