Charities of all kinds pull out the stops in December when it comes to filling our mailboxes with pleas for donations. Before you give, be sure you agree with the focus of any group you're considering, and research it to be sure the charity isn't spending more on fundraising and staff salaries than on helping animals.

Improving animal health is one good use for donations. Your nearest school or college of veterinary medicine will have a fund set up to accept donations, either for scholarships or ongoing research into animal health.

To find your nearest school or college of veterinary medicine, visit VetNet (www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetnet.html). You can usually find out where to donate on the school's Web site.

The Morris Animal Foundation (www.morrisanimalfoundation.org), AKC Canine Health Foundation (www.akcchf.org) and Winn Feline Foundation (www.winnfelinehealth.org) also accept donations to support research into animal health.