Otterkill Animal Hospital
Newsletter Volume 4, January 2006

Dr. Zgoda Named Veterinarian of the Year
Runner-Up in National Program

Hartz Mountain Corp., the leading manufacturer of pet care products in North America has selected Dr. Zgoda as runner-up in their program to honor veterinarians who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to patients, their families and to their communities.

This year, Hartz received nearly 1,000 nominations from individuals around the country seeking recognition for their veterinarian's outstanding contributions. The nominated veterinarians are then asked to respond to a series of questions about their clinical experiences, volunteer work and their definition of the human-animal bond.

Dr. Zgoda was nominated by Sara Whalen of Pets Alive, an animal sanctuary located in Middletown that houses homeless, retired and special needs animals. Sara recognized Dr. Zgoda for his mission not just to save the lives of companion animals, but to ensure the best possible quality of life for them. He is known for going beyond the medical needs of his patients to also caring for their emotional well-being. Through Pets Alive, Otterkill Animal Hospital has had the wonderful experience of caring for several animals displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

It has always been part of our mission to assist in the care of homeless and less fortunate animals. We provide care for many area shelters and rescue organizations. In fact, we are proud to announce that last year we donated over $75,000 in free veterinary care for these groups in our area. It's part of Otterkill's mission to make the world a better place one animal at a time. Congratulations Dr. Z!

Keep up the parasite control!
This crazy weather we're experiencing this winter will allow parasites to remain active. Remember to keep up your regular flea, tick and heartworm preventative programs on your animals.

Office Upgrades
We are very pleased to have added several new employees to help improve our five star service to you and your animals. Allow us to introduce you to our new office manager, Lauren. She comes to us after many years managing a company with over 40 employees. She's glad to share her experiences with many aspects of business management as well as her love of animals (she's even spent some time working in a zoo) with Otterkill. Learn more about her at our website: http://otterkill.com/sfelix.htm.

We've also just completed installation of and training on a totally new computer system for the office. Your patience while we all become acquainted with it is appreciated. It is a powerful system which will allow us to process information faster, cut down on your wait times and help us in our goal to educate our clients, thereby making you a vital part of our animal health care team. We're all excited with how it will allow us to serve you better.

Canine Flu Update
We are very pleased to report that as of this writing, we have not seen any confirmed cases of canine flu in the practice. Let's all keep our paws crossed.

Photo Contest
Announcing the first annual Otterkill Animal Hospital Animal Photo Contest!
Send us pictures you've taken of your companions or any animals that capture their true spirits. You may drop them off, mail or e-mail them to us. Prizes consisting of credit here at the hospital will be awarded in the following categories:

• Prettiest Picture or Animal
• Best Picture Depicting an Animal in its environment
• Best Picture Depicting the Human-Animal Bond.
• Most Humorous Picture

A grand prize of a $100 credit will be awarded in each category, with two $50 honorable mention credits in each category as well. All entries will be posted in the office for review. The winners will be placed on permanent display and added to our website.

All entries must be received by April 1, 2006. The winners will be announced during National Pet Week on May 4, 2006. Get your entries in now!! Please call the office if you have any questions.