Petfinder.com Co-Founder Betsy Saul Responds to Ellen DeGeneres Pet Adoption Controversy

Petfinder.com Co-Founder Betsy Saul Responds to Ellen DeGeneres Pet Adoption Controversy

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

CONTACT: Shanley Stern Gravel, +1-212-455-8076, sgravel@cooperkatz.com,
or Katy Layton, +1-212-455-8029, klayton@cooperkatz.com, both for
Petfinder.com

Web site: http://petfinder.com/
http://www.animalplanet.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment