THWARTING COUGARS - Reports of mountain lions, or cougars, in the mid-valley aren't new. But fresh sightings of the big cats in populated areas serve as a reminder that our pets may look like dinner to hungry wildlife.

If you live in an area where cougars have been seen, remove all pet food from outdoor areas. Rover and Fluffy should eat in the garage, or better yet, be kept primarily indoors to protect them from being a meal for a cougar. If your pets roam, they may attract the cougars' attentions.

Sadly, experts advise that if a cougar is running off with one of your pets, that you not pursue it. Alert animal control officials but don't risk your own safety.

Wild animals besides cougars can pose a threat to cats and small dogs as well. Raccoons can be notoriously aggressive when cornered, and even possums can do damage in a fight. In some areas coyotes pose a big threat. Do your best to keep these creatures out of your yard by covering garbage cans tightly and removing or covering sources of water such as ponds, fountains and pools.

TEACHING LOVE - Police brought an abused kitten into Heartland Humane Society this week. Children were tormenting the small cat, but other children flagged down the officers and reported the abuse. How do you make sure your kids are in the latter group?

Most children learn from parents or in social situations that being mean to an animal is wrong. For many kids, supervised time spent with animals is a great lesson in how to be compassionate and understand that animals have feelings.

Children should play a role in caring for family pets, even if that job is as small as double-checking that food and water dishes are properly filled. Humane education is required in Oregon schools, but humane society programs like Heartland's do not reach all the children in every school in Linn and Benton counties.

It's still important for parents to work with their children to teach healthy respect toward animals. Some good online sources to explore together:

€ ASPCA's Animaland (www.animaland.org) - This site provides activities to help kids learn about animals.

€ Dumb Friends League (ddfl.org/kidstuff.htm) - A top Colorado humane institution devotes a section of its Web site to teaching kids through the words of other children.

€ Fund for Animals (fund.org/learning) - Children, teens and teachers can find coloring materials and comics that teach about caring for animals.

Parents should also make sure that kids know to speak up if they see any signs of abuse or wrong behavior - whether it is directed towards animals, other kids or even adults. Make sure they know that even if an adult is behind the abuse, that they should let a trusted adult know about the problem.

Being a good role model should never be underestimated. Do you yell at the cat? Do you kick the dog? Thinking about your own behavior through the eyes of a child may help you be more gentle to the animals and the kids in the household.

DOG DAY TRAVEL - This week Starwood Hotels and Resorts has invited dogs to come stay at their facilities.

Travel analysts believe the change has come in the wake of a slumping tourism industry, but it's still great news for dog owners. Starwood is one of the biggest chains in the country, and includes well-known names like Westin and Sheraton that are located in the Portland area. The company's W chain of hotels charge an extra $25 per dog, but all other Starwood hotels host dogs for free.

Some of the upscale hotels will offer extras like pet pillows and beds and in-room dog massage. Talk about going to the dogs.

RABBIT-OID? - This is going a little too far. Scientists in China have created embryos that combine human skin cells with rabbit eggs in an attempt to create stem cells, which are used in a variety of medical research.

The embryos developed for several days before the scientists destroyed them to harvest the stem cells. Previous, similar experiments involved human cells and cow eggs, but those experiments were not successful.

Most of the rabbit DNA is removed from the eggs, so we're not talking about creating a furry human with big ears. And many scientists around the world doubt the Chinese claims to have made such an experiment work. But still, this sounds a little creepy.

Jennifer Gardner is a freelance writer and editor and a board member at Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis. She enjoys writing about all animals but specializes in rabbits and other small pets. If you have questions or comments about this column or other pet issues, please e-mail Jennifer at jennifer@visualpeople.com or write c/o The Gazette-Times.