Do you have a pet lover in your life? Give him or her a special Gift of Love this year by donating to the Petfinder.com Foundation. Best of all, throughout 2012, all donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar by Orvis (up to $30,000 in matching funds)!

Your donation will benefit homeless pets nationwide like Bryn, a 6-week-old Boxer mix who found her forever home thanks to a transport grant from the Petfinder.com Foundation and our partner, Bissell.

The grant, awarded to the Humane Society of Jefferson County in Tennessee, allowed the shelter to transport 72 dogs to less-crowded shelters in three months, giving those dogs a better opportunity to be adopted.

Humane Society of Jefferson County shelter manager Melissa Enck wrote us: "I wanted to say how much this has helped us out. More rescues are working with us, the vets are cutting us great deals on the animals going out and the public once again is supporting us! Our euthanasia rate is the lowest it's ever been. For the first time we have a functional transport fund! Thank you so much; this has really saved a lot of pets and will continue to do so."

The Petfinder.com Foundation recently partnered with the Thundershirt company to award 5,000 Thundershirts to Petfinder.com members across the country. Thundershirts' constant, gentle pressure has a dramatic calming effect on most dogs when they are anxious, fearful or overexcited. Thundershirts have already helped hundreds of shelter dogs find forever homes. Hertford County Animal Shelter in Winton, NC, received a Thundershirt grant from the Petfinder.com Foundation. Here is how a Thundershirt helped one of the shelter's dogs, Flo.

Flo was found abandoned in an empty house and has been with Hertford County for about six months. During her first few months at the shelter, staff could barely tell that she had legs -- she always laid with her legs curled under her body, hidden from sight.

She was fearful of people and would cower and hide when the shelter staff went near her to show her affection. Then the Thundershirt grant arrived.

A shirt was placed on Flo right away and, slowly, she warmed up to other dogs at the shelter. Flo began to play in the puppy room and venture outside for some fresh air. But she was still fearful of human interaction.

The dedicated staff and volunteers at Hertford worked patiently with Flo to gain her trust. They kept the Thundershirt on during training sessions and when Flo was in her kennel, hoping it would help her gain some trust. And indeed, her trust in humans grew stronger. She started allowing the shelter staff to come closer.