Do you have a favorite animal rescue or shelter?

Do you have a favorite animal rescue group or animal shelter? Starting on November 5th you can help that group win $10,000 in our upcoming America's Favorite Animal Shelter contest!

All your favorite shelter needs to do to be a part of the contest is to be listed with Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America's largest non-profit pet-adoption web service. Over 8,000 animal shelters and rescue groups already post their pets on Adopt-a-Pet.com and those pets are seen by 900,000 adopters who visit the site each month. The service is free for shelters and for pet adopters and saves hundreds of thousands of lives!

If you don't see your favorite shelter in the list, please contact them and have an authorized shelter representative go to http://www.adoptapet.com/signup to sign up. You can also see an animated tour of Adopt-a-Pet.com features at http://www.adoptapet.com/tour.

Search for your favorite group on Adopt-a-Pet.com here.

If you see your group listed, then you're all set! Come back to our contest site on November 5th to vote.

Thank you for all you do to help animals! Rebecca Young, Care2 and ThePetitionSite Team

P.S. Want to get started spreading the word for your favorite group? Download a flyer and some web banners you can use to promote:

150x200 banners (great for blogs): Cat, Dog, Horse, Bird
300x250 banners: Cat, Dog, Horse, Bird

P.P.S. Due to legal restrictions we are unable to open this contest to groups or residents in Quebec, Canada. We wish we could -- we want to help all groups in the U.S. and Canada, but the province has legal restrictions on contests that we simply do not have the resources to meet.

Does Lead in Toys Pose a Danger to Pets?

Whether your pet prefers squeaky rubber squirrels, stiff rawhide bones or fuzzy mice, he or she undoubtedly loves to play with toys. But is the source of your dog's or cat’s merriment safe? Many common household products—including toys for children and pets—may contain trace amounts of lead and other toxins. In most cases, however, the levels of these ingredients in toys don’t pose a significant threat to your furry friend.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) reviewed 200,000 cases from the past two years and produced no examples of lead poisoning from pet toys. According to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, ASPCA Vice President and Medical Director of the APCC, younger dogs, just like children, are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, but most studies reveal only tiny amounts of lead in pet toys—not a grave risk for acute or chronic lead poisoning in dogs.

“Just because it's 'detectable' doesn't necessarily make it hazardous,” says Dr. Gwaltney-Brant. “Even oxygen is toxic at the right concentration.”

And what about other types of treats such as rawhide bones? Like pet toys, rawhide chews can include trace amounts of pesky chemicals. Dr. Safdar Khan, Director of Toxicology at the ASPCA, believes many dog lovers would be surprised if they learned the true contents of their pets’ treats. But he also adds that pet parents would likely be surprised if they knew the complete ingredients of what they eat and drink, too.

The reality is that a dog is much more likely to suffer obstruction from a rawhide bone than poisoning from a hidden toxin. In general, the smaller the dog, the fewer rawhide treats he should receive, and only give your pet rawhides under a watchful eye. Remember, it’s always wise to supervise!

Barkitecture 2009

On Saturday, October 17th from noon to 5pm please join us at the long awaited Barkitecture 2009 event where you can enjoy a silent auction of designer dog houses, spectacular shopping, and full dog-day afternoon of fun including a doggie fashion show at 2PM in front of the Lofty Dog store!

Austin's best architects and designers have been chosen to create modern dog houses to be auctioned off to benefit Blue Dog Rescue, Austin Pets Alive, Austin Dog Rescue, and Forgotten Friends. These non-profit, largely volunteer-run groups work to find forever homes for homeless animals, many of which would otherwise be euthanized at local shelters.

Hope to see you there!

October is American Humane's Adopt-A-Dog Month

Adopt-A-Dog Month®

October is American Humane's Adopt-A-Dog Month

Want to be a Superhero?

Rescue a Shelter Dog … and Get a Loyal Sidekick for All of Life's Adventures

You can save the day for a homeless dog -- and find a faithful companion who will be at your side for all of life’s adventures -- by adopting a dog from your local shelter or breed-rescue group during American Humane’s Adopt-A-Dog Month® in October.

Adopting a dog is a heroic feat that’s easy to perform, and animal shelters and breed-rescue groups are filled with amazing dogs: large, small, mixed breeds, even purebreds. In fact, millions of loyal, lovable dogs are surrendered to our nation’s animal welfare organizations every year because their owners simply couldn’t take care of them anymore. Now they’re homeless -- and just waiting for a hero like you!

During Adopt-A-Dog Month, we encourage you to visit your local shelter or breed-rescue group, meet potential sidekicks and discover the many super-size benefits of having a dog: happiness, companionship, improved physical and emotional health, and devoted love. Dogs also encourage people to exercise, enhance family and social relationships, promote laughter and act as a nonjudgmental audience and sounding board. Now that’s super!

American Humane works year-round to support animal welfare organizations, promote adoptions and enhance the bond that people share with their companion animals. And each year during Adopt-A-Dog Month, we give shelters tools and resources to continue fostering connections between people and pets.

If you’re ready to find your very own faithful canine companion, check out American Humane’s resources to learn about the adoption process, behavior and training, and pet care.