need to be advocating for children and their rights. We are all in this together. We are a community.” 8. What other events or opportunities does AzAEYC provide? As a membership organization, AzAEYC offers great resources for teachers as well as parents and community members. The brand-new “Family Membership” level is designed for members outside of the early learning profession, such as parents, family members and community members who want to support quality early learning. We’re also working to advocate for children, families and our profession by helping host Early Childhood Day at the Legislature every February. Anyone can join us to show their support. 9. How can readers support your efforts to advance high-quality early learning? Consider donating any amount to the AzAEYC scholarship for early childhood college students. The $1,000 AzAEYC scholarship was created to acknowledge the outstanding service of early childhood professionals, like Esmeralda. The scholarship recognizes leadership qualities and commitment to early education and public policies that support the well-being of young children. 10. Is there anything else you’d like readers to know? AzAEYC’s work is supporting parents, caregivers and teachers — the people whose interactions are critical to children’s healthy development and social- emotional w ell-being. When we invest in early education, we impact our community in ways that benefit all of us. AzAEYC will continue to provide advocacy training and work to help raise the quality of early learning around the state. We are honored to be a part of this movement to create a better future for all Arizonans. To learn more, visit azaeyc.org . SPAMILTON AN AMERICAN PARODY JUNE 12 - AUGUST 11 AT THE PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY Visit PhoenixTheatre.com or call 602.254.2151 for tickets! 10 QUESTIONS CONTINUED

Summer is officially upon us, and along with scorching temperatures and longer days comes kitten season – the seasonal time frame when cats are commonly in heat and give birth to thousands of kittens. As a result, many shelters become flooded with these bouncing bundles of fur who need homes. Because kitten season can occur more often in warmer climates, PetSmart Charities and our nearly 4,000 adoption partners work to find homes for these kittens. Cats and kittens are available for adoption every day at PetSmart Charities Cat Adoption Centers, located in nearly every PetSmart store. Adopting ensures kittens like Sassy leave shelters for loving homes. At just five weeks old, she was found abandoned, shivering in a drain pipe. Thanks to foster care Sassy will soon be ready for adoption. Whether volunteering, donating or adopting, it’s support from pet-lovers like you that provides homeless pets the best chance to find the people they’ll call family. {PetSmart Charities} THE PAW REPORT SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION VOLUNTEER Many shelters become overwhelmed with the influx of kittens. Whether volunteering to bottle-feed neonatal kittens, cleaning or fostering, spending time with cuddly kittens can be a fun and gratifying experience. Stop by a PetSmart store near you to learn how you can help. www.petsmartcharities.org/adopt-a-pet/ adoption-centers DONATE During kitten season shelters quickly run low on supplies, and there is almost always a need for funding and materials such as kitten bottles, towels and small crates. Donate at your local shelter or online. www.petsmartcharities.org/give ADOPT Adoption changes lives for both people and pets. Give a local kitten a loving home and find your new best friend. www.petsmartcharities. org/adopt-a-pet/find-a-pet All kittens are born with blue eyes and will have their fully developed eye color at around 8 weeks old Bottle-fed kittens need to be fed frequently – on average, every 2 hours Kittens make great pets and instinctively know how to use a litter box Spaying/neutering your kitten is the best way to prevent unplanned litters – kittens can be spayed/neutered very early, usually around 8-12 weeks old KNOWLEDGE IS KEY A few facts that can help you and your new kitten: KITTEN SEASON