Stephanie Levinson of Studio City, Calif., had hit a wall in her life. Her teaching career had been her focus for 10 years, but when she arrived home tired after a long day, she had little energy left to do more than play on her computer or watch television into the wee hours. 

"I had little self-esteem (as I am a plus-size girl) and had lost interest in doing much," she says.  Loneliness and depression assailed her.

Someone suggested she get a dog.  She knew she needed to do something, so she took the advice, moved to a dog-friendly apartment, and began looking for a canine companion.

"One night on T.V., I saw a show where the cast members had to go to Pet Orphans to volunteer," she says.  Pet Orphans of Southern California is a private, nonprofit rescue group with a shelter in Van Nuys.

On Friday we shared an excerpt from Joanne Wannan's new book, New Lives: Stories of Rescued Dogs Helping, Healing and Giving Hope. (Read about Leo, a Pit Bull once owned by Michael Vick who became a therapy dog and Canine Good Citizen.)

Joanne's book is all about the ways rescued pets give us new lives -- and she's pledged to use her book to help shelter pets find new lives, too. Joanne's donating 50% of the book's profits for the months of October and November to a Petfinder.com member shelter or rescue group. This is where you come in.

Joanne Wannan is the author of New Lives: Stories of Rescued Dogs Helping, Healing and Giving Hope. Below is an excerpt from her chapter about Leo, a Pit Bull once owned by Michael Vick who became a therapy dog and Canine Good Citizen. Enjoy the story, and come back on Monday to find out about a chance to select your favorite shelter to receive 50% of the profits from the sale of New Lives for two months!

On April 25, 2007, Marthina McClay was relaxing in her living room watching television when a newsflash was broadcast. Property owned by NFL star Michael Vick had been raided, and approximately 50 Pit Bulls, allegedly part of a dog fighting operation, had been seized.

She sat bolt upright, stunned. "I don't believe it," she thought. And then: "I would really love to get one of those dogs and train it to do therapy work."

The Petfinder.com Foundation is giving $150,000 in grants to shelters and rescue groups affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill in partnership with Merial's Paws to Save Pets and The Animal Rescue Site's Gifts That Give More.

Shelters from Galveston, TX, to Tallahassee, FL, have suffered from the economic impact of the oil spill. They are taking in more animals as the region's pet parents lose their livelihoods, while donations have decreased so much that many shelters can no longer cover general operating costs.

Back in March, we started #TweetAPetTues on Twitter.

How does #TweetAPetTues work?
Each Tuesday, Twitter users everywhere tweet adoptable Petfinder pets with the hashtag #TweetAPetTues or #TweetAPetTuesday to help those pets find homes. (See some great examples here.) Some users include only the pet's name, species and location; others point out something unique about the pet. Either way, they're getting that pet some much-needed publicity.

How many people see the tweeted pets?
On the first #TweetAPetTues in March, tweeted pets went out to more than 35,000 Twitter users. In the month of July alone, #TweetAPetTues was shared with more than 165,000 Twitter users (i.e. potential adopters)!

When Nanai was picked up as a stray and brought into NYC Animal Care & Control's Manhattan shelter, where I was a volunteer, everyone thought she'd be adopted right away.

After all, she didn't look that much like a Pit Bull, compared to the other dogs at the shelter; she was on the small side, about 50 lbs. (again, relatively speaking); and she had a one-ear-up, one-ear-down thing that gave her a permanently quizzical expression. Plus she was friendly and calm and easy to walk.

But for whatever reason, no adopters wanted Nanai, and through an administrative twist of fate, she ended up in the shelter's version of solitary confinement. For weeks. She began a downward spiral: With no social interaction, her behavior in her cage worsened, and as her behavior worsened, it became less likely that a rescue group would pull her and place her in a foster home.

Today's USA Today has a great article about shelter pets and the joy they bring their adopters (the piece also features comments from Petfinder's co-founder, Betsy Saul).

Author Janice Lloyd shares the heartwarming adoption stories submitted by readers to USA Today's online pet community, Paw Print Post. Here are just two examples:

Shaggy, a terrier-golden mix, was in the SPCA in Syracuse, N.Y., and about to be put down because he has seizures. Marilyn and Stephen Strock heard about him and took him home. "Seizures are no big deal to
me since I'm a former neurosurgical ICU nurse," says Marilyn Strock.

I recently posted my very own simple, home-grown recipe for catsicles, a frosty treat to help keep cats cool. And the response got me thinking: What other tasty, easy and healthy recipes are out there for our pets?

So now I'm asking you: Do you have a great recipe that your dog, cat or other pet just goes wild for? Is it healthy and easy to make? We want to hear it!

If your very own pet-treat recipe fits the bill, e-mail it to me at jane [at] petfinder.com or leave a comment below and your recipe may just get featured on the Petfinder blog! Recipes must be your original creation and include exclusively non-toxic ingredients for the species specified.

The makers of Feline Pine have dubbed August 16-22 National Take Your Cat to the Vet Week and we're thrilled! After all, cats outnumber dogs in the U.S. by about 15 million, according to the CATalyst Council. But cats receive less-frequent veterinary care than dogs, and their signs of illness are often more subtle than their canine counterparts'.

Call your vet today and make sure your cat's next wellness visit is on the calendar. (The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends taking cats to the vet for regular checkups twice a year.)

Until your next appointment, here are some of the less-obvious signs that your cat may be sick:

• Bad breath: Stinky breath can indicate kidney problems and serious dental disease in your cat - and sweet or fruity-smelling breath can be a sign of diabetes. Consult your vet if you notice any bad or unusual odors when your cat opens his mouth. (Source: ASPCA)

This month, it will be five years since Hurricane Katrina caused one of the worst natural disasters in American history. We all remember the news stories about pets who lost their homes back then -- but would you believe that some dog and cat hurricane survivors are still waiting for forever homes?

Here they are. Most human survivors of Katrina have found new homes and moved on with their lives. Isn't it time these pets do the same?

Noah
Alaskan Malamute Mix
Louisiana Alaskan Malamute Protection (LAMP)
Baton Rouge, LA
Splash
American Bulldog, Pit Bull Terrier Mix
Doberman Rescue
Fillmore, CA
Spirit
Border Collie, Labrador Retriever
Alchemy Acres Animal Sanctuary
Salem, OH
Davey
Domestic Short Hair
SpayMart Inc.
Metairie, LA