DogTime Media Signs Leading Pet Marketers as Sponsors of Popular Cause-Based Facebook Applications

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- DogTime Media, the largest vertical media community focused exclusively on pet owners, today announced it has signed two new sponsors to support the mission of its popular cause-related Facebook applications, Save a Dog and Save a Cat.  Hills Science Diet is renewing its sponsorship of Save a Dog in 2010, while the Fresh Step® litter brand from The Clorox Company is Save a Cat's launch media sponsor. The applications let users raise money for homeless pets by "virtually" fostering real shelter animals.

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"With Save a Dog and Save a Cat, we wanted to go beyond social gaming and create an engaging and altruistic experience that is tied to our mission of helping homeless pets," said Trevor Wright, CEO of DogTime Media.  "The popularity of Save a Dog and Save a Cat has shown us that we can successfully involve brands and a passionate community of pet enthusiasts together in a common, unified mission to help animals find loving, permanent homes." (VIDEO: DogTime Media CEO, Trevor Wright, talks about the Save a Dog and Save a Cat applications)

Users of the Save a Dog app, which is on track to reach 1.5 million monthly active users by April 2010, are viewing an average of 18.75 pages per visit, and spending an average of 6:33 minutes with the app(1). Shortly after the app's launch, Hill's Science Diet partnered with Save a Dog to promote the Hill's 3-Bag Challenge, an annual contest that awards a $5,000 donation to the Hill's shelter of the winner's choice, and a lifetime supply of food for the winner's pet. Hill's is renewing its sponsorship of Save a Dog for 2010 based on the strong performance of its initial campaign.

"The Save a Dog application allowed Hill's 3-Bag Challenge to connect with a powerful audience of pet enthusiasts who drove a record level of engagement with the promotion," said Laura Major, senior media planner, VML for Hill's Science Diet. "Save a Dog drove a remarkable amount of traffic to our promotion in 2009, and we are looking forward to continuing this success in 2010."

Fresh Step® litter from The Clorox Company has signed on as the launch advertising sponsor for the new Save a Cat application. To date, Save a Cat's more than 56,000 monthly active users currently spend 6:21 minutes and view an average of 17.5 pages per visit, which gives Fresh Step® litter a deep level of engagement with an audience of passionate cat owners(1).

"The makers of Fresh Step® litter are committed to helping cats in need," said Carole Louie, Senior Group Manager, Media, The Clorox Company. "DogTime's Save a Cat application allows us to help DogTime provide consumers with an opportunity to support a cause that is important to them."

Past sponsors of Save a Dog include Frontline, who signed on as the launch sponsor in June of last year and is slated to sponsor the app again in 2010.

The Save a Dog and Save a Cat applications by DogTime allow users to browse and "virtually" foster real animals in their neighborhood or anywhere in the country.  Points are awarded to users for "petting" and "walking" their fosters, and for inviting other Facebook users to co-foster an animal.  For every 2,500 points each user scores, DogTime donates the financial equivalent of a cup of food to RescueGroups.org, a non-profit organization that provides free and low-cost technology services to animal shelters and rescue groups across the country.  As of February 17, 2010, the app has raised more than $34,000 for shelter animals in the U.S.

For more information about DogTime Media and its Save a Dog and Save a Cat applications please visit http://www.dogtimemedia.com.

(1)  SOURCE:  DogTime Media/Facebook (2/12/10)

About DogTime Media:

DogTime Media is the largest vertical media community focused exclusively on pet owners and the 45.4 billion dollar annual pet market. DogTime Media reaches 28.5 million monthly users via its community of 500 leading pet-focused websites, 420 pet bloggers and more than 2,000 rescue groups, anchored by its own DogTime.com, the premier destination for dog owners.

DogTime Media actively supports the efforts of rescue groups and shelters nationwide to significantly reduce the number of homeless and neglected pets in the country by providing authoritative advice to both novice and experienced pet guardians. Founded in 2007, DogTime Media is a privately held company based in San Francisco, CA.

The makers of Fresh Step litter are not responsible for the Save a Cat application and related cause-based activities which are administered solely by DogTime Media. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE DogTime Media