Every day at the Petfinder.com Foundation, people ask us what they can do to help homeless pets. My usual answer is: Just do something. But today I have a specific request for you because we need your HELP.

It's easy, it's free and it could mean a lot of money for homeless pets. Here's what you can do:

1. Go to Chase Community Giving on Facebook and "like" that page.
   
2. Click here and vote for the Petfinder.com Foundation!
   
3. Tell your friends!
   

If we get enough votes to put us among the top 100 charities, we'll win $25,000 to support our programs that help homeless pets -- and we'll move on to round 2, where we'll have another chance to win up to $500,000! We got a late start ... the first round of voting ends May 4!

All it takes is a minute of your time, but your vote means so much. With $25,000 and the chance to win $500,000, we can do a lot to ensure every pet has a forever home. Together we can all make a difference.

Adopt, volunteer, donate (and VOTE)!

Thank you for your support. We couldn't do it without you.

Senior pets, like people, can suffer mental decline that is not considered a normal part of aging. Last time we wrote about how cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS, is diagnosed. This week we're looking at how using environmental enrichment can prevent or delay it. (Read all our CDS posts.)

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of enriching pets' environments. Games that make your pets think can help with all kinds of behavior issues. (Read about my tub wars with Toby to find out why.)

And there's another benefit to keeping your pet's mind active: Studies show that it can prevent or delay cognitive dysfunction syndrome.

When Black Jack's guardians lost their home to foreclosure, they moved out and left the Dalmatian alone in the backyard.

A neighbor opened the gate and let Jack loose on the streets, where animal control officers eventually picked him up. At the shelter he became very sick with kennel cough, and his days were numbered.

Fortunately, Save a Spot Dalmatian Rescue in Turlock, CA, took him in and nursed him back to health.

Nathan and Teresa Pry saw Jack on Petfinder and went to meet him. The Prys work for Angels Camp (CA) Fire Department Station 21; Nathan is a captain and fire marshal and Teresa is a firefighter. They thought the 2-year-old Dalmatian would make the perfect spokesdog to help Nathan educate the public about fire prevention and safety.

Jack, now 3 and an official fire prevention and public education dog, "loves to ride in the fire engines, greet the public and participate in fire prevention duties," according to the Prys. He shows kids how to stop, drop and roll and get low and go.

"When children see Jack, the loud noises of sirens, bright flashing lights and people in uniform aren't so scary," the Prys write. "He is helping them understand that firefighters are here to help." An elementary-school student recently nominated Jack for a Kindness Hero award, which Jack received at a City Council meeting.

Off-duty, Jack lives with the Prys, their 3-year-old daughter and their dogs Belle and Josey. "Even though Jack has been through a lot," the Prys say, "he is the one of the most loving animals you will ever meet."

On Friday, Prince William and Kate Middleton will begin their lives as a married couple. What could make their happily ever after even happier? Adopting a pet!

The pair could adopt a Cocker Spaniel friend for Kate's Cocker, Otto, or a Corgi, which would please William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth (she currently has four Corgis and three Corgi-Dachshund mixes, according to the royal family's official website).

If Kate and William want to consider other pets worthy of royalty, they could follow the lead of the Chinese and adopt a Pekingese -- the dogs were treated like royalty during the T'ang Dynasty (700-1000 A.D.). Or they could adopt a Pug, the breed favored in France by Marie Antoinette and the Empress Josephine.

Before Pugs took over as the English royal breed during the Victorian era, monarchs such as Charles II, and Mary Queen of Scots had Cavalier King Charles Spaniels -- Charles, the breed's namesake, loved his dogs so much, he was accused of neglecting his royal responsibilities for them.

Whatever dog they choose -- or even if they decide to break with tradition and adopt a cat! -- the prince and his new princess can find their perfect pet at a shelter or rescue group. Here are some of the more than 300,000 adoptable pets posted on Petfinder who could make fabulous additions to the royal couple's family:

This week we asked our Facebook fans, "Do you take any earth-friendly steps to help reduce your pet's carbon pawprint?" Today, in honor of Earth Day, we're sharing some of our favorite answers:

1. Prevent pet overpopulation
"Spay or neuter!" says Leslie H., and we agree. All pets have some environmental impact, but spaying and neutering keeps the pet population in check (and unwanted litters out of shelters).

2. Buy in bulk
Maria R. buys the biggest bags of pet food available. "That saves on gas back and forth to the store," she says. It also cuts down on packaging waste (and is easier on the wallet).

Here's an amazing found-pet reunion story from our partner HomeAgain and put together by our friends at Steve Dale's Pet World.

Learn more about the benefits of registering your pet's microchip with HomeAgain.

Callie disappeared while vacationing with her family
Callie was adopted from Battle Creek Animal Shelter in Michigan by Loretta Lowe. "She kind of picked me," Loretta says of her visit to the shelter. "When I went in there she jumped on my lap and stayed the whole time."

Callie lived as an indoor-only cat with Loretta and her family, venturing outside only once by going through a window screen after a chipmunk. "Cats can be sneaky," Loretta admits.

When the family planned a vacation, Loretta was not sure whether to bring Callie. But the trip was long and they decided to bring her along.

The family made it from Michigan to Oklahoma to New Mexico to California without incident, but after leaving Shasta, CA, they realized Callie was missing -- and that a window had been left open at their last stop. They quickly returned, but Callie was nowhere to be found.

Nearly two months later the family got a call from HomeAgain. Callie was found in Redding, CA. HomeAgain arranged the flight to reunite her with her family. "I was amazed. Everything was set up through HomeAgain -- they figured out the flight [and] someone to take her down to the airport," Loretta says.

"I never thought that I'd ever have to use the chip," she adds, "because I've had cats before and they've always stayed inside. But I was thankful that I had her chipped because it got her back to us."

Nora was a bait dog used for dog fighting. She came into a Chester, S.C., shelter all ripped up, just skin and bones. Chester County Animal Control staff nursed her back to health. See a video of Nora in January.

Thanks to the Petfinder.com Foundation and The Animal Rescue Site's sponsorship of a Rescue University Trip, Nora (now named Luna) has found her forever home!

Read more about the Rescue U. trip and check out video blog posts by volunteers.

The Petfinder.com Foundation helps thousands of homeless pets like Nora every year. You can help! Send a special gift this year for Mother's Day: Give a gift of love to homeless pets. Honor your mom, grandma, sister, wife or friend by supporting the Petfinder.com Foundation. Make a donation of $25 or more and we will send her a special letter notifying her of your donation. (Donations must be received by May 2 to ensure delivery by Mother's Day.)

Wallace Mozart of Forked River, NJ, was browsing on Petfinder when he saw the listing for a three-legged German Shepherd named Buddy.

"I have always liked shepherds and have had shepherd mixes in the past," Wallace says, "so I decided to inquire."

The dog's foster mom responded promptly and told him that Buddy had been rescued from a yard where he'd been chained to a post.

The chain had become firmly wrapped around his leg, cutting off circulation and causing a wound that had become infected. A portion of his leg had to be removed.

Buddy was part of a group of dogs that were transported from Lenoir County SPCA in Kinston, NC, to Furry Angels Rescue in Elwood, NJ, to increase their chances of being adopted.

"I was interested in meeting Buddy and set up a meeting that next weekend," Wallace says. When they met, Wallace was impressed by what a friendly and happy dog Buddy was.

In January, Petfinder held a live Q&A on Facebook with pet trainers Andrea Arden and Mychelle Blake. Over the coming weeks we'll be posting some of our favorite questions and answers here on the blog. Read all our FurKeeps Q&As here.

Q: We cannot keep our 2-year-old cat off the table! We have tried everything since the day she came home at 13 weeks (spray bottles, stern voice, putting her in her room, etc.), but nothing has worked. Any time we turn around, she's up there.

We make sure she has food and water, play with her, pet her ... but she still insists on being on the table. How do we break this habit, or is it even breakable at this stage? -- Meg H.

A: This is a common behavior with cats who have an instinctual need to climb. Here's what you can do:

Aging pets, like people, can suffer mental decline that is not considered a normal part of aging. Last week we wrote about the signs and symptoms of cognitive dysfunction syndrome, or CDS. This week we're looking at how it's diagnosed. (Read all our CDS posts.)

Diagnosing cognitive dysfunction syndrome can be tricky. "There is no specific test for CDS," says Karen Johnson, DVM, of Banfield Pet Hospital in Portland, OR. "The diagnosis is made based on age, symptoms and ruling out medical issues that can cause cognitive changes."

Since CDS is a "diagnosis of exclusion," your vet will test for a variety of other conditions to see if they can be ruled out. According to Dr. Johnson, tests would typically include basic blood work, a thyroid test, urinalysis, a neurologic exam and possibly x-rays or ultrasound.

"Some types of liver disease can cause changes that could mimic CDS, as could other types of brain disease, including cancer," Dr. Johnson says. "Any illness has the potential to cause changes in mental status when normal physiologic parameters -- blood pressure, electrolytes, etc. -- are affected."

The tests can be expensive, but they're worth it -- they may identify a treatable condition. "The earlier a correct diagnosis is made and treated appropriately, the better the chance of being able to manage it," says Dr. Johnson. "Also, it's usually less expensive for the client and traumatic for everyone if a correct diagnosis can be made early."

If your vet ultimately diagnoses your pet with CDS, don't despair: "The pet owner should understand that while treatment -- medical and environmental -- doesn't change the progression of disease, it can make a difference in quality of life for both the pet and family," Dr. Johnson says.

After the jump: Questions to ask your vet.