Indiana (September 6th, 2006) - Bayley (pictured below) was abandoned by his owners after they decided to get divorced. Now he sits confused in a kennel at the Ohio County Animal Shelter in Rising Sun, where shelter staff are left to hope someone will decide to give the shy Shepherd-mix a home before time runs out, and space has to be made for another dog. Sophia's owner gave her away after he married a woman with allergies to cats. Now, volunteers at the Animal Protection Association in Jeffersonville are doing their best to find a home for the sweet 8 year-old Calico, despite the fact that there are thousands of cats just like her in shelters across Indiana, also awaiting homes. Carter was left for dead on the streets of LaGrange, and now volunteers for Love of Labs of Indiana are working to find him a home where he will never be abandoned again. A nameless kitten awaits adoption at the Rushville Animal Shelter - time is so limited for animals at the shelter, according to volunteer Jaime Glandon, that there would be little point in publicizing the kitten's name, as the teeny agency may have to euthanize her by the time a potential adopter calls. Glandon says fewer than 7% of the animals at the shelter are adopted.

And so it goes . . . the stories of thousands of dogs and cats in shelters and rescue agencies across Indiana, awaiting homes. Thousands of animals, thousands of stories - each animal dreams of finding a home. National statistics indicate the majority of them are euthanized before an adoptive home can be found. And so, Indiana-PAW, the State's fastest-growing animal welfare education league, and Lucky Dog Retreat, an Indianapolis daycare and boarding facility, are working with shelters and rescue agencies across the State to spotlight animals awaiting adoption through the "Pet Of The Week" feature at Indiana-PAW's website: www.indiana-paw.com.

Current Indiana-PAW "Pets Of The Week"
Bayley, available for adoption at the Ohio County Animal Shelter In Rising Sun, Indiana.	Sophia, available for adoption through the Animal Protection Association in Jeffersonville, Indiana.	Carter, available for adoption through Love of Labs of Indiana.	Nameless kitten, available for adoption at the Rushville Animal Shelter, and a representative of the many animals at the shelter.
Sponsored by:

Indiana-PAW's Founder and Executive Director, Amy Van Ostrand, says the "Pet Of The Week" program is designed to capitalize on the heavy traffic to Indiana-PAW's website, and encourage visitors to adopt animals from shelters and rescue groups, rather than purchase them from breeders and pet stores. "We hope the faces and profiles of these wonderful animals will capture folks' hearts, and remind them that no matter what type of animal you're looking for, you can find them in a shelter or rescue group, and save a life," says Van Ostrand. Robin Herman, owner of Lucky Dog Retreat, the "Pet Of The Week" corporate sponsor, says "For us, it was a natural choice to sponsor this terrific program. It's quite evident that there are thousands of healthy, highly adoptable dogs and cats awaiting adoption across Indiana, and it only makes sense to work together to try to publicize their faces and stories. By working with Indiana-PAW, we feel we're doing that.”

Indiana-PAW encourages media outlets across the State to feature some of the featured "Pets Of The Week" in their publications, and encourages citizens to visit www.indiana-paw.com to view photos and detailed biographical and adoption information for adoptable pets from across the State. Indiana- PAW also reminds citizens that if they don't see a pet they like, Indiana-PAW's website offers a database of information for more than 340 shelters and breed-specific rescue groups serving Indiana.

About Indiana-PAW

Indiana-PAW is a 501(c)(3) non-profit all-volunteer organization dedicated to Indiana animal welfare education. Its mission is to use education and advocacy to reduce the number of companion animals who are euthanized in Indiana, and to cultivate in the community a sense of respect for the needs of those animals with whom we share our world. For more information, visit www.indiana-paw.com.