DENVER, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PetAdvocate.net launches officially today, offering animal lovers the first and only website to find and share reviews and advice on pet care providers, pet retailers and pet-friendly destinations. Created by two Denver marketing executives with a passion for animals, PetAdvocate.net allows pet owners to find and share trustworthy information about businesses and services for the animal members of the family.

America's love affair with pets is at an all-time high. Sixty-two percent of U.S. households own a pet, and pet ownership has increased over the last decade, according to the American Pet Products Association. The organization also estimates that this year, the U.S. will spend more than $52 Billion on pets. With most pet owners now considering their animals as members of the family, Pet Advocate founders Leila Ahmed and Cristy Gonzalez felt the time was right for a pet-focused online community.

"Over the last decade, online review websites dedicated to travel, restaurants and consumer services have taken off, but until now there has not been a destination for pet owners to find reliable, aggregated information about pet care and services," said Ahmed. "We created Pet Advocate to fill that void. Now animal lovers can find unbiased reviews from other pet owners, and share their own experiences as well."

At PetAdvocate.net, users can search by their location to find recommendations on animal hospitals, animal shelters, veterinarians, pet boarders, pet sitters, groomers, pet supply stores and more. Pet owners can also find and share information about pet-friendly places, like dog parks, and events including animal charity activities, plus the latest in pet news and pet care tips and information.

"It is crucial that we, as pet parents, advocate for our animals' physical and emotional well being, because they don't have the voice to do it themselves," said Gonzalez. "As a pet owner, a great way to advocate for your animal family members is to share your experiences and information with like-minded individuals.  At PetAdvocate.net you can write your own reviews of your favorite pet care providers, such as the local animal hospital, the neighborhood animal shelter, or even that dog-friendly park down the street."

PetAdvocate.net will house reviews and listings on pet businesses and destinations around the country, but this month launches initially in six pet-centric states: Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. Pet Advocate has been in beta testing since March 2011 and has listings of more than 7,000 pet businesses. Additionally, in an effort to build the community quickly, PetAdvocate.net will be raffling off an iPAD3 after they reach 1,000 user reviews. The winner will be chosen at random and reviews will not be sponsored in any way.

About PetAdvocate.net
Pet Advocate is the first and only website where pet owners can find and share reviews and advice on pet care providers, pet retailers and pet-friendly activities. Animal lovers can access trustworthy information about animal hospitals, animal shelters, veterinarians, pet boarders, pet sitters, groomers, pet supply stores, pet-friendly events and destinations and more. Pet Advocate was founded by Leila Ahmed and Cristy Gonzalez in 2011. For more information visit www.petadvocate.net, or our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Media Contact:
Erin Dolin
Dolin PR for Pet Advocate
303-204-4819
erin@dolinpr.com

SOURCE PetAdvocate.net