AS A nation of animal lovers, we are well catered for online with a host of websites dedicated to our best friends and constant companions.

If you are looking for some help and advice then try out www.animalforum.com where animal lovers can take part in various chat rooms. As well as general pet chat available 24 hours a day, visitors to this site can also take part in specific chat rooms including dog chat on Mondays, cat chat on Saturdays or bird chat on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

For owners with problem pets,www.pethelp.net is an online pet behaviour clinic which aims to help pets and people grow together.

If you have had enough chat and it is shopping you are after thenwww.pet-pyjamas.co.uk provides some inspiring gift ideas.

To keep your favourite cat in the style to which it is accustomed you could splash out on a faux-fur "yuppy cat bed for just £13.99 or how about a real pine bed for just £129.99.

And for canine lovers there are a selection of limited edition prints on offer by British artists of pedigree dogs.

But if you want your pet to steal the show try the Pet's Corner at The Northern Echo's own website.

www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/petscorner has a reader's pets gallery, a children's photo competition and strange stories about the region's pets.

There is also the chance to ask a vet about any problems, an advice column on guinea pigs and a free lost and found listing service.

The web site also give readers the chance to learn about this newspaper's AnimalWatch campaign which won the RSPCA's Regional Media Award.