PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 08/30/10 -- PetSmart Charities®' new adoption center in Littleton is going to the dogs -- literally!

On September 11, 2010, PetSmart Charities, Inc. will open a new adoption center just for dogs inside the PetSmart® store at 2129 W. Chenango Avenue. A ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of the center is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11. Members of the public and news media are invited.

The Littleton center is one of four such specialized dog-adoption centers now open in U.S. PetSmart® stores as nonprofit PetSmart Charities collaborates with local animal-welfare agencies and shelters to save the lives of even more homeless pets. Similar dog-adoption centers also are open in Lubbock, Texas; Albuquerque, N.M. and Hemet, Calif. At these three centers, 435 dogs have been adopted since January 2010.

Dogs and puppies from Humane Society of the South Platte Valley, Inc. will be available at the new Littleton center, which features 10 adult-dog kennels measuring 3' X 4' and four, 3' X 3' puppy kennels.

The existing cat-adoption centers will remain open in all PetSmart® locations. The new dog centers are an enhancement to PetSmart Charities' longstanding pet-adoption efforts which, to date, have helped more than 4.2 million pets from local shelters and rescue agencies in North America find new homes. The center hopes to find homes for 10-15 dogs per week.

"We're adding the dog-adoption centers so that the animal-welfare agencies we collaborate with can showcase even more adoptable pets in a dedicated area that's spacious and comfortable for the dogs, adopters and shelter staff and volunteers," explained Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc. "The new dog-adoption areas allow our adoption partners to showcase dogs of all shapes and sizes, especially larger dogs. We're very excited to see how successful the first four dog centers are so we can continue with our plans to open 12 similar centers in other PetSmart stores by the end of 2010."

The opening of this center coincides with the PetSmart Charities® Second Chance for Love National Adoption Event, which is taking place Sept. 10-12 in all 1,160 PetSmart® stores in North America. For information about the event, as well as the many ways that nonprofit PetSmart Charities works to save the lives of homeless pets, please visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

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 $110 million in grants and programs benefiting animal welfare organizations and, through its in-store adoption program, helped save the lives of more than 4.2 million pets. 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.

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