Actress on a Mission to Help 1.5 Million Pets Find Homes

After 10 years of successfully helping millions of orphaned pets find homes, Iams Home 4 the Holidays announced that two-time Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank will serve as the drive's 2009 North American ambassador.

Swank will share her personal experience with adoption and rescue in an effort to help educate others about how they can make a positive impact on the lives of homeless pets. Along with founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center and nearly 3,500 participating animal organizations from around the world, the program has set a goal to help 1.5 million pets across North American find homes.

The program runs October 1, 2009 - January 2, 2010 and is in partnership with the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies , Swiffer and Febreze.

"I'm so proud to be working with Iams Home 4 the Holidays to help raise awareness about the importance of pet adoption," said Swank. "Last year, the program's adoption goal was to get 1 million pets adopted in just three months, but this year the goal is even bigger - we're on a mission to find loving homes for 1.5 million orphaned pets during the campaign."

Swank has adopted many pets throughout her life, including her two dogs Karoo and Rumi. She rescued Karoo from the side of a road while filming in South Africa a few years ago and adopted Rumi last fall from a participating Homes 4 the Holidays shelter in Los Angeles.

Dogs & Cats Meet in Cyberspace!

New York, NY – Attention all dog and cat lovers, the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) – invite you to log on to www.meetthebreeds.com to learn more about dogs and cats.

The site is a comprehensive one-stop-shop for all things dog and cat, and is inspired by the upcoming Meet the Breeds™ event that will be held October 17 & 18, 2009 in New York City.

For those of us who can't be in New York for the main event, we can still participate in cyberspace!

The Meet The Breeds website features:

Meet the Dog and Cat Breeds – Learn about 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds.
Meet the Breeds Game from ZooToo – Test your breed knowledge and compete for the top score. Each round asks you to choose the correct dog breed from three choices.
Declare your Pet Preference! – Are you a doggy devotee or a feline follower? Weigh in on this centuries-old debate by taking our definitive one-question survey and tell us why dogs or cats are your preferred pet.
Virtual Sticker Downloads for your Social Media Pages – Choose your favorite breed and download a virtual sticker to your Facebook or MySpace page, Web site or blog.
Meet the Breeds Blog from AOL’s Paw Nation – Follow the latest news, learn about who will be attending and get in on all the behind-the-scenes action at the Meet the Breeds event.

“If you’re crazy for cats or passionate about pooches you cannot miss Meet the Breeds both online or in person,” said AKC spokesperson Gina DiNardo. “Both meetthebreeds.com and the event itself present an entertaining way for friends and families to enjoy quality time together while learning how to become responsible pet owners.”

Dog Lost Near Airport is Found... by Another Dog

Two-year-old "Opal" -- a Maltese X Poodle -- was en route to a new home... but she had plans of her own. When the door to her kennel was opened, so her new owner could put her on a leash, the little white dog bolted.

After eight long and worrisome days looking for her new pet, the distraught pet guardian called in the big guns... or shall we say the big nose! "Heidi", a Labrador X who came to her rescue, is one of eight dogs in the USA who are part of an organization called "Dogs Finding Dogs."

Heidi lead them to a hole in a fence, that lead them to an airport, where the run-a-way was safely captured.

Dogs Finding Dogs is a group of highly trained handlers and dogs that can track and find a lost pet. The program has eight dog/handler teams that operate in three States.They charge a nominal fee, a portion of which is donated to charity.

The sole purpose of this amazing organization is to reunite people with their pets as soon as possible. More than just tracking teams, the association has been instrumental in reuniting dozens of pet using a variety of methods.

They also provide excellent advise you on what steps to find your lost pet.

Visit their Tale Wags pages to read some heartwarming success stories!

Siberian Husky HomeSafe

When I found my Siberian Husky's collar on the ground in the backyard my first thought was that she had been stolen... since 'Agusta' is a retired champion show dog! I soon discovered, however, that she had escaped by digging a hole under the fence.

Thankfully, Agusta was soon picked up by my local humane society and she was back home in less than 12 hours.

The PetLynx web site helped me not to worry so much because it was another venue to help find my lost dog. With the amount of people that use the Internet [and Petlynx] I was confident that she would be found... even if she had been stolen.

Jason P.
City unknown

Cat makes a break for it, then gets HomeSafe

Our cats are never aloud outside unless on harnesses, so we were very worried when our five-year-old cat, Diesel, bolted out the door when I wasn’t looking and he would not let me catch him! We live in a town house complex in Regina that is actually "cat heaven" for any cat that is on the loose…. It is surrounded by park, trees, lawn, birds, rabbits, bugs, tall grass and even a creek nearby, so we were even more surprised when Diesel chose to run across a busy street before he disappeared from sight!

The first day he was missing we biked and walked around the neighbourhood calling and looking for him and asking neighbors if he they had seen him. The next night a neighbor who remembered us looking and asking spotted Diesel. Because Diesel was were a collar and tag the neighbour was able to call us.... even though it was close to midnight! Without that collar and tag we definitely would not have gotten our cat back so quickly and things may have been very different!

Thank you very much for this site. It is well done and very user friendly. Keep up the good work and thank you again!

Alex K.
Regina

Local Service Providers: Regina Humane Society

Lost Dog.... Found in Five Minutes! Really!

Here is an amazing story of how PetLynx helped our family find our two-year-old Labrador cross, "Otis."

On August 19^th Otis escaped out of a partially opened gate and was gone about 10 minutes before we noticed he was missing. We had just moved to our house the weekend before, so we knew that he would not know how to find his way home.

Everyone was in a panic, my son drove around the area looking for him and his son rode around on his bike. I went inside and had just finished putting Otis’s profile on Petlynx and was printing out the lost posters when the phone rang. Much to my surprise, it was a women who saw the profile on Petlynx!

I couldn’t believe it only took less than five minutes from posting Otis as LOST to having him FOUND! I can't put into words my family's appreciation to PetLynx for helping us get Otis back -- he is one of the family.

You truly are guardian angels to lost pets.

Thank you so much!

Kim B.
Edmonton, Alberta

Area Service Providers: Edmonton Animal Control

Kudos for Heping Reunite a Lost Cat!

"I am impressed by PetLynx! What a terrific way to reunite lost pets with their people -- thank you for this service!" wrote Demerse C. from Calgary.

"I found 'Leo' in SW Calgary one evening when returning home from walking my dog," she explained. "The cat's friendliness and desire to be around people really made me think that he wanted his family, so that was a big reason why I pursued finding his people so vigorously."

Demerese took pictures of the cat she would later learn was named 'Leo.' She made up “Found Cat” posters and put them on several of the lamp posts in the area, as well as the local grocery store. She emailed the posters to several vets, put the information on Kijiji, and filed a PetLynx report out that same evening.

Although there has been several close matches on PetLynx, the pet family was not located. Demerese then decided to take the cat to the vet to check out his tattoo and see if he had a microchip. The vet was able to identify him through the tattoo in his ear, and found his owners that way. The owners had given up hope of ever finding their beloved Leo again, since he had been missing for about six months.

"I really appreciate the PetLynx website, and will definitely use it in the future," concluded Demerese. "It’s nice to know that there’s a place to [help] reunite people with their pets."

Local Service Providers: Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services, Calgary Humane Society

Post-Summer Seperation Anxiety

The end of summer can be tough for dogs and cats

SAN ANTONIO, TX /PRNewswire/ Fall 2009 - Back to school time creates a dramatic shift in family schedules, which can have a devastating impact on companion animals that have spent more time with their owners over the summer vacation season. PurinaCare(R) Pet Health Insurance is urging all pet owners to be aware of the signs of post-summer separation anxiety in both dogs and cats.

Signs of Post-Summer Separation Anxiety include:

• Hyper-salivation or drooling.
• Soiling the pet owner's belongings.
• Chewing or scratching at doors or crate.
• Non-stop howling, barking, meowing.
• Compulsive grooming or licking.
• Tearing up furniture or pushing items off counters.

"Dogs are naturally social animals and are especially sensitive to loneliness this time of year. The family fills the role of 'the pack' and in their absence; dogs can feel abandoned and become quite destructive," says Dr. Bill Craig, DVM, Chief Medical and Underwriting Director of PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance. "Teaching dogs that their owners will return and the 'pack' will be reunited is the key to alleviating the stress of post-summer separation anxiety."

Ensure your pets are HomeSafe by preparing your Pet for Post-Summer Routines:

• Wean them into new post-summer schedule. Give positive reinforcement with praise and treats for appropriate behavior.
• Resume normal leash/walking schedules.
• Take the drama out of leaving - grab your coat and keys at times when you are not leaving so your pet doesn't connect the action with being left alone.
• Create a pet safe haven - a well-lit area where the family "pack" normally gathers, keep the TV or radio running, leave plenty of toys and safe clothing/items with family scents on them
• Don't punish bad behavior related to anxiety; it will only reinforce the stress
• For pets with severe stress, medications are available. They will rarely work alone without a behavior modification regimen. A veterinarian must prescribe these drugs

The Search for the Top Ten Dog-Friendly Cities in America

To celebrate the joyful life people share with their dogs, Beneful(R) Brand Dog Food recently launched an interactive, online destination where dog lovers can find and share everyday adventures with their dogs. WagWorld.com

WagWorld offers visitors the opportunity to find new dog-friendly places to visit, add their favorite places to go with their dogs, write reviews, upload pictures of themselves with their dog and pass along their favorite posts to friends and family.

In celebration of the WagWorld launch, Beneful announced its search for the Top 10 Togetherful Cities in America, the dog-friendly locations where dog owners and their dogs can enjoy daily adventures together.

Dog owners are invited to visit WagWorld to "buzz" about their favorite dog-friendly places. The 10 cities with the most activity on WagWorld.com, including postings, reviews and photo uploads, between July 27 and September 27 will make the list of Top 10 Togetherful Cities in America that will be announced in October 2009.

"Dog lovers know that life truly is better together with their four-legged friends. Our dogs are our best friends and help make every day full of play and adventure," said Matt Ferch, Beneful(R) assistant brand manager. "We created WagWorld to celebrate the relationship between dog owners and their best buddies and to provide them with a place where they can discover and
share dog-friendly places wherever their adventures may take them."

North America-Wide Animal Adoption Event

"Second Chance for Love"
Fall National Adoption Event
September 11-13 in all PetSmart Stores

PetSmart Charities(R) invites you to fall in love with a new pet this September 11-13 during the PetSmart Charities "Second Chance for Love" Fall National Adoption Event, sponsored by Hill's(TM) Science Diet(R) Brand and PetSmart(R).

The event will take place in all 1,137 PetSmart stores in the United States and Canada with a
goal of finding a lifelong, loving home for more than 18,800 companion animals.

More than 2,000 animal-welfare agencies in North America are expected to participate and will showcase adoptable pets at every PetSmart Charities in-store adoption center.

"Our vision is a lifelong, loving home for every pet," said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities. "This event will give prospective Pet Parents the opportunity to find a great pet who will complete their families and bring them unconditional love."

In the U.S. alone, an estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters each year, but 3 to 4 million never find homes.

"PetSmart Charities is a strong advocate for adoption when choosing to bring a new pet into your home," Della Maddalena added. "We strive to bring the needs of homeless pets into focus and remind everyone about the benefits of choosing adoption during our national adoption events, and we also give our animal-welfare partners a chance to showcase the pets in their care who are waiting for a forever home."

Hill's Science Diet Brand has donated $100,000 for the event to help save the lives of homeless pets. Plus, not only will prospective Pet Parents get a new family member during this event, but they will also receive valuable offers from Hill's.

"We are extremely proud and excited to be a part of this event," said Neil Thompson, Hill's president and CEO. "Hill's is committed to helping homeless cats and dogs find a loving, caring home to enjoy for the rest of their lives. To that end, we will donate to PetSmart Charities $10 per pet for the first 10,000 adoptions."

To find the PetSmart Charities' Adoption Center nearest you, visit www.PetSmart.com or call 1-800-423-PETS.