PETsMART (PETM)

PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 02/15/12 -- More than 16,000 pets found a forever home during the most recent PetSmart Charities® National Adoption Weekend, just in time for Valentine's Day. The event was held in partnership with nearly 2,000 animal-welfare organizations throughout North America, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Held last week in all 1,210 PetSmart® stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, every adoption benefitted participating local shelters and rescue agencies because each received $35 in adoption-reward grants from PetSmart Charities for every pet they adopted during the event.

"Our National Adoption Weekends continue to show how many people are willing to make a difference in the lives of homeless pets," said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. "With the strong support of our in-store adoption partners, we are helping more pets find the lifelong, loving homes that they deserve."

Of the 8 million pets in U.S. shelters, approximately 4 million are euthanized each year because they aren't adopted. Since 1994 PetSmart Charities has led pet-adoption efforts across North America; helping nearly 5 million pets find homes through the PetSmart Charities adoption centers located in every PetSmart® store.

The event was sponsored by Purina® Pro Plan®, Tidy Cats® and PetSmart® in the U.S. and Puerto Rico and Purina® Pro Plan®, MAXX Scoop® and PetSmart® in Canada.

"Every homeless pet deserves the opportunity to find a forever, loving home," said Kevin Hill, shopper marketing manager, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. "Our goal in supporting the PetSmart Charities' National Adoption events is to help improve the lives of homeless pets by providing them with super premium nutrition as well as other important pet care supplies. We hope by providing these essentials, these pets and new pet owners can now focus on other important matters like growing a bond for life."

The next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend will take place May 4-6, 2012.

To find the PetSmart Charities' adoption center nearest you, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org/adoption or call 1-877-473-8762.

All of PetSmart Charities' programs are made possible through donations. You can contribute to programs that save lives by making a tax-deductible donation online, by email at gifts@petsmartcharities.org or by calling 623-587-2826.

Stay up-to-date on the many ways PetSmart Charities is saving the lives of homeless pets by visiting www.PetSmartCharities.org and by following on Facebook at www.facebook.com/savehomelesspets.

ABOUT PETSMART CHARITIES®
Established in 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. The largest funder of animal-welfare efforts in North America, PetSmart Charities has provided more than $134 million in grants and programs benefiting animal-welfare organizations and has helped save the lives of nearly 5 million pets through its in-store adoption program. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working toward its vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS (7387).

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