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We take our New Year’s resolutions seriously around here. After all, that’s how Petfinder.com got started. This year, I’m determined to balance my resolutions between the immense need brought about by the national tragedies and the ongoing struggles in animal welfare. Through your generosity the Petfinder.com Foundation was able to distribute about a half million dollars to hurricane-affected shelters, and we’ll continue to help them rebuild over the next year. But we know these donations have had an impact on local giving and we need to address that.
So I’ve been working on my resolutions early, and I’m sharing them with you as a sort of promise to help me keep them. (I wish I’d told you last year about my resolution to eat less.) Here they are:
- I resolve not to forget the thousands of families and pets who are still struggling to rebuild their lives after the hurricanes and to be mindful of opportunities to help them.
- I resolve to support animal charities in the Gulf states while they rebuild their support networks because their donor base has disappeared.
- I commit to supporting local shelters.
- I’m going to use the power of Petfinder.com to spotlight two groups of animals whose numbers and suffering desperately need more attention - homeless cats and barnyard animals.
Please join me in including homeless pets in your 2006 resolutions. I’m honored to have your support as we work together to make things better.
Betsy Saul
Founder and President, Petfinder.com
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 "You couldn’t help but look past his black-with-dirt ears and fall in love.”
Billie was the victim of a hoarder who had 100 Chihuahuas in her home. The three-pound dog had a birth defect in his jaw that caused his tongue to hang out one side of his mouth, and what few teeth he had were rotten. A veterinarian had to remove the last of them when the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire rescued him and the other dogs.
“But Billie was cute, with his big dark eyes and tiny little nose,” said Kara O’Donnell of Concord, New Hampshire, who adopted him after seeing him on Petfinder.com. “You couldn’t help but look past his black-with-dirt ears and fall in love. At least I couldn’t.”
During his first few weeks in his new home, he hid under the bed and rarely left the bedroom. Yet, Kara says, he withstood gentle ear cleaning and his first baths.
“Billie is still learning to overcome his fears,” Kara says, “but now comes running to me to be picked up for a hug and a kiss. I am so thankful to ARL for saving these helpless Chihuahuas and providing them with the care they so desperately needed.”
Do you have a Petfinder.com adoption story to share? If so, enter our “Happy Tail" Drawing. One lucky person will win a 6 Month Supply of Frontline from our good friends at Merial!
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The holidays can be a magical time, but they can also be a veritable minefield for your pets. Decorations and seasonal traditions usher in a host of hazards not present the rest of the year.
So while it may be fun to kiss under the mistletoe, be sure it stays out of Fido's reach -- and Fluffy's, and Tweety's, and even Slithers' -- the plant is toxic to almost any pet. The same is true for that pine and holly wreath -- it looks great on a door, just be sure it doesn't become your pet's chew toy.
Even something that seems harmless, like scented candles, can be trouble. Those candle fumes are no friend to our fine feathered companions.
As you prepare for the holidays, take a moment to read the helpful articles from the Petfinder.com library linked below. And if you're considering giving a pet as a gift, the last two articles listed will help make your pet present a gift everyone can look back on with joy.
Celebrate safely for a truly happy holiday!
Holiday Pet Health Tips to Help Make the Season Bright
Holiday Hazards
Plants Toxic to Cats and Dogs
Pets as Presents
Animals as Holiday Gifts
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The holidays are here and what better way to bring joy, laughter, love, and warmth into your home than by adopting a pet. But, you also may be bringing in a few other things not so lovable. Things like fleas and ticks. That’s why you need FRONTLINE, the number one veterinarian-recommended flea and tick control product for dogs and cats. FRONTLINE Plus kills fleas, their eggs and their larvae fast and lasts all month long. It’s the one that’s waterproof.
That’s why FRONTLINE brand products want to make sure that all pet owners understand the importance of finding the right flea and tick product.
Thanks to Petfinder and FRONTLINE, this holiday season we want to bring nothing but love into your home.
*FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of Merial. © 2005 Merial Ltd., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved.
FLE-PRO-5-12Petfinder
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Adopt a Senior Pet Month
 November was Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month, but any time is a good time to save a senior pet. Mature animals still have a lot of love left to give and offer some distinct benefits over younger pets for certain adopters.
Pictured here, Dexter was adopted last November at the age of 10, and his maturity eased his integration into a house of well-established senior cats.
If you’re considering adopting, consider whether or not you’d be happier with a senior pet, bypassing the shenanigans of puppies and kittens and getting right down to quality time with a loving new friend.
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Thousands of pets separated from their families in the confusion following Hurricane Katrina have strained local shelters to the maximum. The effort to reunite pets and families is ongoing, and although less widely-reported, is an essential part of healing the scars caused by the greatest natural disaster in the U.S. in living memory.
The proceeds from each Hurricane Relief Paw Pin purchased will be disbursed through PetFinder.com Foundation to pay for a vet check-up or vaccination for a rescued animal in one of the devastated area's local shelters.
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Thinking of giving a pet as a gift?
makes a great gift tied to a stuffed animal or a DVD on pet care. The certificate promises to pay adoption fees for a pet. Kids can also sign the Pet Promise Pledge, which gives guidelines for responsible pet care.
Recipients will enjoy the fun of choosing their pets later, and waiting for the holiday hubbub to pass is better for the pet, as well.
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KATZ ON DOGS: A Commonsense Guide to Choosing, Training and Living with Dogs
by Jon Katz
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Help spread the word about Petfinder.com.
This 100% cotton, preshrunk t-shirt, available in two colors –- vibrant orange or lime green –- features four cuddly animal pals and the phrase "Best Friends Forever" on the front, along with the Petfinder.com logo.
Available in child sizes XS thru XL.
Limited quantities.
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| The is a public charity created to assist Petfinder.com shelters and rescue groups through problem solving, fundraising, and relief in times of stress or disaster. Petfinder.com provides a searchable database of animals that need homes from more than 9,000 animal shelters and adoption agencies across the USA, Canada and Mexico, free ads for lost/found/adoptable/wanted pets, pet-related message boards, a library of pet information and pet-related content for kids. Since its inception, Petfinder.com has helped find homes for more than 6,000,000 pets. |
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