SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Betsy Saul, co-founder of
 Petfinder.com, the largest online database of adoptable pets, made the
 following statement in response to yesterday's controversy surrounding
 Petfinder.com member Mutts & Moms and Ellen DeGeneres. DeGeneres made a
 national television plea for the local rescue group to return the dog they
 reclaimed when she re-homed him rather than returning him to the group's
 care.
     Mutts and Moms is one of the over 11,000 shelter and rescue groups that
 post their adoptable pets on Petfinder.com.
     "This is a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved," said Saul.
 "We understand and sympathize with Ellen and the family to which she gave
 Iggy. We also realize how important it is for adoption groups to put
 regulations in place to protect each and every pet that comes into their
 care. Statistics indicate that over a half million pets who are adopted
 from shelters and rescue groups land back in a shelter during their
 lifetime. For this reason, adoption groups put assurances in place to serve
 as a safety net for their adopted pets -- both at the point of adoption and
 throughout the pet's life. The upside of this event is that Ellen, Mutts
 and Moms and the hundreds of people who have emailed and called
 Petfinder.com about this issue want to see this little dog in the best home
 possible. If we could ensure that same future for all the pets available on
 Petfinder.com, our job would be accomplished."
     About Petfinder.com:
     Petfinder.com is an online, searchable database of animals that need
 permanent homes. A directory of 11,000 animal shelters and adoption
 organizations across the USA, Canada and Mexico, the organization's
 technology helps visitors search adoptable pets in their areas that fit
 their family's individual needs and preferences. In addition, Petfinder.com
 also offers a wealth of information about how to select a family pet and
 how to raise and care for an animal. The Web site is free to use. Animal
 shelters and placement groups can register to join Petfinder.com online and
 can start entering pets the same day.
     In November of 2006, Petfinder.com was acquired by Discovery
 Communications. Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of
 Discovery Communications, connects humans and animals with rich, deep
 content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners
 access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for
 entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal
 Planet television network, available in over 89 million homes in the US;
 online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all
 things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond;
 Petfinder.com, the #1 pet- related Web property globally that facilitates
 pet adoption; PetsIncredible, a major producer and distributor of
 pet-training videos and includes web service PetVideo.com; and other media
 platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content;
 and merchandising extensions.
      CONTACT:
      Shanley Stern Gravel              Katy Layton
      212-455-8076                      212-455-8029
      sgravel@cooperkatz.com            klayton@cooperkatz.com
 
 

SOURCE Petfinder.com

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