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New PetLover Group Will Lead the Pack for Stray and Rescue Groups

By: Cathy Dunkin | 08/11/2009

As an animal lover and the proud parent of rescue dogs Murphy and Annie, my heart goes out to all the homeless pets in shelters. So when Nestlé Purina invited me to get involved in the new St. Louis PetLover Coalition, I leapt at the chance - even though I teach my dogs not to jump up, of course!

Unwanted pets are a big issue in this region. The Humane Society of Missouri and Animal Protective Association alone take in tens of thousands of animals annually - and these are just two of the Coalition's 18 charter members. Clearly this enormous problem will require focused leadership and thoughtful, innovative, communitywide solutions.

The animal rescue organizations that have come together in the St. Louis PetLover Coalition have pledged to support three goals:

- Reduce unwanted dogs and cats coming into the system;
- Produce education and communication; and
- Increase pet adoptions and placements.

The groups already have generated positive results in the group's first few months. In June, Mayor Francis Slay headlined the Coalition kickoff in downtown St. Louis. As part of the MLB All-Star Game weekend in July, coalition members held an informational and adoption event near the stadium for animal-loving baseball fans. The coalition's biggest win so far has been to put members together so that operations with extra space could take in dogs from overcrowded shelters and give them the chance to find forever homes.

Betsy Cohen is Nestlé Purina's vice president for animal welfare. She and her team spent a full year scouring the country to find best practices of animal welfare groups in other cities before launching the group here. "We saw the amazing things that happened when individual pet organizations came together to support each other and focus on the common goal of saving pets," she says. "It's uplifting to see things moving along so well and people working so effectively together!"

This fall the PetLover Coalition's advisory board gets to work. I'll be there, along with Kristin Gumper from Standing Partnership. She's another dog lover, volunteer and foster mom. Together, I'm excited that we'll get more animals off the streets and into the homes of people who will love and cherish them.

Visit the Web site or follow the coalition on Twitter for more information!

Posted in Community Relations, Where We Stand