Monica Monzingo

Growing up with two beagles in the Midwest, there were few things more difficult than getting the dogs their proper dose of exercise in the winter. Walks in the snow brought on constant protest. One of our beagles would raise one paw at a time when she started getting too cold, balancing on three legs and then two, until eventually she flopped onto her back and had to be carried home to the fireplace.

One great solution is to visit an indoor dog park. There is usually a charge to enter -- a per-visit fee, a membership fee that covers the season or both. You will also probably need to show your dog's vaccination records.

Here are a few of the indoor dog parks now open around the country (parka and hot chocolate optional).

Fetch Club - New York City
Located near Wall Street in Manhattan, the Fetch Club envisions itself as a full-service pet hotel, animal spa, indoor park and doggie nightclub. Owners can take their dogs in for a variety of grooming services, gourmet snacks or personal training. Access to the indoor park is for members only -- an annual membership includes a set number of visits, with each additional park visit costing $8 and up.

Fido's Indoor Dog Park - Portland, Ore.
Built inside a former warehouse, Fido's is a large-scale park with recycled artificial turf and a doggie pool. Embracing Portland's artsy culture, paintings from local artists hang on the walls and the store stocks local and organic food and toys. It offers boarding for animals and a few perks for humans: free Wi-Fi and a coffee bar. Visitors can buy either a day pass or a membership for more frequent drop-ins.

Name: Jan Folk

Title: Founder, Orange Dog and Freedom Flights

Jan Folk not only owns the Orange Dog, a Canadian online boutique specializing in high-end products for dogs and humans, but she uses those profits to run Freedom Flights, a charity that takes dogs at risk of being euthanized in California and delivers them to a no-kill shelter in Canada to find new homes.

The charity, which works through an agreement with private airline Global Exec Aviation, has made headlines recently thanks to an endorsement from Kevin Costner, who recently flew with Folk on one of the flights.

Why did you start Orange Dog?
When my business partner and I sold our company, I thought it was a little early in my life to retire, so I began wondering what I was going to do next. In 2009, a friend came to see me and said that you're obviously a fanatic about dogs, and you live in Orange County part-time, (my other home is in Edmonton Alberta), why don't you start a store and call it Orange Dog? Later on we found out that it is the universal color for animal rescue, but that was a lucky coincidence; we had no idea at the time. We decided to start a web-based company. I'm very proud of the fact that 100 percent of the store's profits go to help the dogs.

How did Freedom Flights begin?
I sit on the board of the local Humane Society in Edmonton, and one day when I was speaking with the executive director, she said what would really help is if I could find a plane they could have access to and bring in dogs so they could get them adopted. I thought that was a good idea, not even really thinking it through, of course.

I had a marketing company put together a media plan, and we called them the Freedom Flights. The first flight we did was in June 2009, and we brought up 60 dogs. We bring them to Canada is because in California, the shelters always have an overabundance of dogs. Always. The shelters there unfortunately have to euthanize animals. That's why we take them to our Humane Society. As long as the animal is healthy, they aren't euthanized.

Tell me about your first Freedom Flight and how that motivated you to keep working.
It was absolutely amazing. The dogs were on this Gulfstream III, riding in the lap of luxury. I swear they acted like they knew they were going somewhere safe. When we got to Canada, the Humane Society was there to meet us, the media went crazy and everyone was happy. They took the dogs to the Humane Society, and within two to three weeks maximum, every one was adopted! This continues to happen time and again.

Even better, every time the California dogs come in, the adoptions of other dogs and cats also increase dramatically. It's a real bonus, and helps get a home for dogs that might not have been adopted.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a number of pet companies are raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Check out the creative ways they're getting into the action below.

Dogtopia Pet Pampering
Through the end of the month, Dogtopia will donate 10 percent of the price of spa services to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Whether she's enjoying a quick nail trim and blowout or a full day of indulgent treatments, your pooch will look good and you'll feel great about making a difference.

Purina Cat Food
Look for pink-ribbon-marked packages of Purina Cat Chow, Fit & Trim and Whisker Lickin's treats. Through the end of the year, sales will benefit Komen for the Cure. And through October, you can participate in Purina's "Cat Nap for the Cause" by pledging to take a catnap with your kitty on Purina's Facebook page, and Purina will donate $2 to Komen for the Cure for each pledge.

ShopKomen.com Pet Products
You can also shop the official e-store of Susan G. Komen for the Cure year-round, where 25 percent of your purchase price goes to the fight against breast cancer. Their selection of pup products includes a Race for the Cure leash and collar set.

We all know about the human heroes of World War II. We've seen the photos of the "Times Square Kiss" and the "Flag Raising on Iwo Jima." But how many of us have seen pictures of the animal heroes of WWII?

A new exhibition at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, La. called "Loyal Forces: The Animals of WWII" commemorates the canine, equine and avian heroes that served and gave their lives in the war. "Often people think our museum is all about guns and tanks, but we really strive to tell the American experience from all parts of the war," co-curator Toni Kiser tells Paw Nation. "Loyal Forces is a great way for us to tell the story of those that couldn't speak for themselves."

The photos in our gallery below are a sampling of what's shown in the exhibit, which includes life-sized mannequins of horses and mules fully outfitted in authentic WWII equipment, videos of U.S. servicemen encountering exotic animals, and an interactive digital German horse veterinary kit.

If you've just moved to a new town or if you've recently adopted a pet, one of the first things you'll want to do is to find a veterinarian you can trust to care for your animal's health. But how is the best way to do that?

Paw Nation asks Louise Murray, D.V.M., Vice President of the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City and author of "Vet Confidential: An Insider's Guide to Protecting Your Pet's Health," for advice on finding the right doctor for your pet.

Start by seeking recommendations from friends, animal-shelter workers or neighbors in the dog park. Use the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) website to find accredited clinics in your area. Once you have a short list of recommendations, Dr. Murray advises that you call and ask them key questions about their approach to veterinary medicine and the services their practice offers.

"It does make a difference, and there are objective parameters you can use," Dr. Murray tells Paw Nation.

Round One - Phone Evaluations

1. How many veterinarians are in the practice?
Your pet can benefit from a clinic that has more than one veterinarian. One vet might be a specialist in a particular field, and multi-vet practices are often more able to afford better technology, more staff members and perks like extended office hours and overnight care.

2. Does the vet refer patients to specialists?
"This speaks to the vet's priorities," says Dr. Murray. "It's about that the pet is the number-one priority, above money, above ego, above time." Most practices will not be able to provide every type of care your pet might need, so referring should be essential.

3. How are overnight patients monitored?
The practice might have an overnight employee who monitors the patients constantly, or one that just stops by periodically. If the practice is unable to provide round-the-clock care, then they should be able to refer the patient to another facility.