(NAPSI)—To help raise children's awareness about the best ways to keep pets safe, healthy and happy, TV's No. 1 show for preschoolers is airing a special shelter animal episode throughout February.

This "Where's the Firedog?" episode of the PBS KIDS show "Curious George" has George's canine friend, Blaze, running away from the firehouse. When Blaze winds up in the animal shelter, George and his firefighter friend Sam learn how to keep her safe by putting a tag on her collar, walking her on a leash, and making sure she's never lonely.

Parents will find this a great teaching tool, as are all the rich accompanying resources, activities and games on pbskids.org/curiousgeorge.

Another good idea is to heed these hints from The Humane Society of the United States:

Important Pet Care Ideas

1. ID your pet with a microchip and collar with tags.

2. Keep dogs on a leash and cats inside.

3. Feed them quality food twice a day.

4. Visit the vet at least once a year for vaccinations.

5. Show them lots of love.

"Children love having pets, but some kids need help learning the best pet care practices," says Executive Producer Dorothea Gillim. "Who better than Curious George to help kids learn this?"

"Curious George" is based on the best-selling books by Margret and H.A. Rey and is a production of WGBH Boston, the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, among others. It's designed to inspire kids to explore science, math and engineering in the world around them in a fun and entertaining way. It airs weekdays on PBS Kids. For more information, go to www.wgbh.org.

Learn More

For further facts on shelter animals, visit The Humane Society of the United States at www.hsus.org.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)