Petfinder: Find a Pet On The Net

Cyber-shelters like Petfinder.com is a free site that lets you search hundreds of shelters and rescue groups for the pet of your dreams without leaving the comfort of your home.

A place to find a pet to adopt. It is a directory of over 11,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations that have come together in ONE database to display their inventory of animals who need permanent homes.

THESE ANIMALS DO NOT COME FROM PUPPY MILLS, PET STORES OR BREEDERS. THEY ARE PETS THAT ARE SITTING IN SHELTERS OR ADOPTION CENTERS, HOMELESS, WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE THEM HOME. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SITE IS TO FIND PERMANENT HOMES FOR THESE POOR BABIES.

History

In 1996 a computer and graphic designer came up with the idea to help homeless animals. Being animal lovers and knowing their way around the "NET", gave them the idea of Petfinder.com. Their goal was to make it easier to match potential pet adopters with pets available for adoption so that no adoptable animal would have to be euthanize d due to lack of a home.

Betsy Banks Saul and Jared Saul built the website around their day jobs and worked on the site at night. The site was initially limited to their home state of New Jersey, however when the idea spread and a few sponsors signed on, Betsy Saul quit her day job to devote herself full-time. In 1998, the site went national, and in 2000, it became an international group with the addition of Canada.

There are currently more than 262,200 animals listed, mostly dogs and cats, and shelters report that over half their adoptions came from Petfinder. Euthanasia rates have dropped substantially since the beginning of the site and more than 12 million animals have been adopted.

More Then Just Adopting

The site publicizes the pet overpopulation crisis and the plight of shelter animals.

Educational Resources include an online library, pet care and grooming tips, health tips, fun center for kids, pet news and videos.

Nationally they have helped reunite thousands of animals with their owners when Hurricane Katrina and Rita destroyed the Gulf Coast in September 2005.

Commercially they have a television series on Animal Planet and even have their own Blog.

Using the Petfinder Site

You can start a search by looking for a particular animal, breed, gender, size and/or age. The results of your search will be in close proximity to your Zip Code so you can pick up the animal at the center nearest you.

Each shelter and rescue group has its own home page and pet list on the site. The pets have their own home pages, too - with a description and usually a photograph.

Shelter personnel and volunteers keep the lists of pets continuously updated, so check in often.

Here is an example of how to use the site. Let's follow "John Smith" through the process.