Dear Friends,

I think spring has really finally sprung, but many parts of the country suffered some rather devastating false starts. A late freeze wiped out my mother’s early-blooming flowers in Missouri. The weather there has warmed up again, and the trees are putting on second stands of leaves and the plants are recovering. Spring is getting a second chance.

Thanks to those of you who have adopted, hundreds of thousands of pets are getting their second (sometimes third or fourth) chances as well. It’s a wonderful thing you have done, and I wish I could personally thank each of you. If you cannot adopt right now, there are other ways to insure that a pet gets that second chance. One way is by taking part in our Sponsor-a-Pet program. Another is by signing up as a volunteer.

No matter how you help, we at Petfinder thank you for supporting us in our mission to make sure no pets are euthanized merely for lack of a home.

Betsy Saul
Founder and President, Petfinder.com

Happy Tail

When the eight-year-old dachshund got sick, his owners didn't give him a fighting chance. Instead, they asked their vet to put Brownie to sleep. When they learned there was to be a charge for the euthanasia, they balked and dumped the little guy at a local animal shelter.

Brownie was down but wasn't out. Dachshund lovers rallied to his cause, urging Dallas-Fort Worth Dachshund Rescue to take him in, which they did.

When Kathleen Coleman, coordinator of DFW Dachshund Rescue, and her husband went to pick him up, she says, "He ran up to me and waved his front paws in the air. He melted our hearts on the spot."

Brownie had heartworms, and "his ears were so infected that he was almost deaf," Kathleen says. "The vet wasn't sure he would ever regain his hearing. But after steady treatment, he did. We found out he could hear when he heard the crackle of a candy wrapper and came rushing over." Kathleen fostered Brownie in her home through his treatments; he was neutered and received his immunizations. She also listed him on Petfinder.com.

Sally Monahan and her husband, Ron, of Arlington, TX, had already adopted a dog through the DFW Dachshund Rescue and when they learned about Brownie, they stepped up to adopt him.

"Brownie's hair was short and dull and his tail was sparse," according to Sally, "but now he has a long, thick coat and a beautiful tail." For his new life, the Monahans re-named him Zephyr. "He will never again be ignored and made to suffer for lack of attention and affection," Sally says.

News from Purina

Recently, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company voluntarily recalled all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes and 5.3 ounce Mighty Dog® brand pouch products that were produced by Menu Foods, Inc.

The company took this voluntary action as a result of learning that wheat gluten contaminated with melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina and Menu Foods by the same company.

Nothing is more important to us than the health and well-being of the millions of dogs and cats who eat our food, and we are deeply saddened by this situation.

For more information, including a list of Frequently Asked Question, please visit Purina.com.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact our Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-218-5898.

Spring Cleaning?

Hold a garage sale and donate a portion of the proceeds to help the Petfinder.com Foundation. Or check with your local animal welfare organization to find out what supplies or equipment they could use and donate unused items directly to them.

If doing so makes more space in your closet or dresser drawers, buy new, fun stuff at The Animal Rescue Site. Proceeds from all sales benefit the Petfinder.com Foundation.

Other Ways You Can Help the Petfinder.com Foundation

• Ask if your employer matches employees' charitable donations. Fill out the proper form and submit it with your next donation. In some cases, companies may double, if not triple, your donation!
• Give through our Sponsor-a-Pet Program.
• Have your canine try the new Naturally Complete Purina Dog Chow®. Proceeds (3% of pre-tax earnings) will support our new Animal Shelter Fund.

Our staffing and overhead expenses are kept low to maximize our ability to make a difference. Your gift will be invested wisely. If you have any questions, please visit the Petfinder.com Foundation Web site or email us. We'd love to work with you!

A Comfy Bed Makes a Difference

The Petfinder.com Foundation is providing free Kuranda Dog Beds to the dogs in the most rural and under-funded animal shelters.

The Every Dog Deserves a Bed Program is providing homeless dogs a comfortable and durable bed while they live temporarily in animals shelters, waiting to be adopted into new, loving families. The beds will make the dogs more comfortable by keeping them off hard kennel floors.

Kuranda dog beds can have a calming effect and lower the stress levels of kenneled dogs, thus improving their overall physical and mental well being.

This pilot program began earlier this year and is made possible by the Odie's Fund and our partnership with Kuranda USA.

If you are interested in ensuring this program continues after the initial grant is depleted, please email foundation@petfinder.com.

Spring into Volunteering!

Not sure where to get started? The Petfinder.com Volunteer Database is the perfect way to let the animal welfare community know that you're interested in helping.

Short on Time?

There are numerous ways to help without even leaving your house. Grant writing, graphic design and newsletter help can be done at home.

Speaking of helping out from home — think about becoming a pet foster parent. Foster care is a rewarding way to make a big difference in an animal's life.

Register in the Petfinder.com Volunteer Database Today!

Click to Feed Animals in Need — It's Free!

At The Animal Rescue Site you can make a free daily click on the "Fund Food For Animals" button to help feed homeless pets and injured wildlife being cared for in shelters and sanctuaries and also benefit the Petfinder.com Foundation. It costs you nothing!

Make Your Free Click Now!

Looking for a Mother's Day Gift Solution?

If your mom is a pet lover and a reader, she'll love the 56 heartwarming adoption stories in Second Chances: Inspiring Stories of Dog Adoption. Your purchase will benefit homeless pets through the Petfinder.com Foundation.

Available at bookstores, Discovery Channel Stores and The Animal Rescue Site.

Just for Fun

Is your pet's toy basket overflowing? Do most of the toys inspire about as much joy as a vet visit?

Perk up his or her interest by putting away some of the toys and bringing them out again after a few weeks. It's a whole new ballgame!

Tell us what your pet's favorite toy is, and we'll report some of the results in next month's newsletter.

2007 Hero of the Year

Do you know an unsung hero who helps animals?

Nominate Someone for the 2007 Hero of the Year Today!

Tune In

Spring Watch U.S.A.

Don't miss Spring Watch U.S.A., a four-week, nationwide, multimedia event. Filmed just prior to broadcast, this miniseries is a celebration of the arrival and beauty of spring across the nation.

Sunday, May 13, at 8 pm ET/PT

Happy Dog Tee $14.95

Few things say "happy dog" better than a busy tail! This dog is happy to tell everyone how they too can give other rescued pets their forever homes! The Petfinder.com logo and "Adopt a homeless pet" are printed above the excited canine, and "Actions speak louder than words" is printed below.

Buy Now!

A Note from The Animal Rescue Site

We are proud to partner with Petfinder.com and the Petfinder.com Foundation. Petfinder's leadership in online pet adoption has helped connect millions of homeless pets with loving caregivers, reducing the euthanasia of adoptable animals. Purchase of this product supports these initiatives in addition to the good you do by buying it at The Animal Rescue Site.