Flea collars for cats and dogs can contain a toxic cocktail of chemicals like carbaryl and propoxur, which are essentially dangerous insecticides your pets are forced to wear around their neck. To help your furry friends, try a few natural and preventative measures instead. Groom regularly and use a flea and tick comb to remove the pests from your pet's fur. Wash their bedding regularly and vacuum to help keep a clean sleep environment. And when looking for a flea repellent, talk to your vet about oral medications, which can do just as good a job as a collar.

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Do you want to help your local animal shelter? Plenty of things in your home could be useful to them. If you have a stash of plastic shopping bags, they can be used by animal shelters to clean up dog messes. If you have a working heating pad, it can help small animals stay warm and simulate a mother's warmth. And your stack of old newspapers can be used in the bottom of cages as a lining that is easily swapped out when needed. Of course, every shelter is different, so check the website or social media feeds of your local shelter to see if there's anything else they may need.

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Did you know you can make your own craft glue using flour and water? Just mix 1/2 cup of flour (it can be white or whole wheat, but should be a wheat flour) with 3/4 cup of cold water. Then pour the mixture into a simmering pot of 3 cups of boiling water. Cook the mixture for about five minutes until it’s sticky and smooth, then chill until it's cold. You can use it like you would use any craft glue! And it's a food-grade adhesive, so it's safe for anyone to use.

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