Craving the compansionship of a dog, but don’t have the time

Animal Shelters Spring into Action During Their Busiest Time of Year
Iams Friends for Life Month Encourages Canadians to Consider a Shelter Pet TORONTO, May 1 – A recent survey of Canadian animal shelters revealed that most people have apprehension around adopting
pets from shelters. According to the survey, eight in ten pet shelter employees (81 per cent) report having heard people comment that shelter pets tend to have behavioural problems, and sixty-seven per cent of shelters report Canadians believe they will not be able to find a pure-bred animal at a shelter. The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has partnered with Iams in the Friends
for Life program (www.IamsFriendsForLifeMonth.ca), which sheds light on these myths and educates Canadians on the benefits of
“Shelters are great places to find beautiful and healthy pets,” says Steve Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. “We have partnered with Iams on Friends For Life month to educate pet passionate people on shelter adoption
and to help find loving homes for the thousands of cats and dogs in need of human companions.” Putting the muzzle on pet shelter myths
There are many reasons why animals are brought into shelters. Many people believe it’s due to beavioural issues, but the Iams survey revealed only a small percentage (five per cent) of animals are brought in for this reason. The reality is most reasons have to do with the owner, not the pet. Other reasons include: stray or abandoned (50 per cent) pets, owner is moving and cannot take pet (nearly one in five), financial difficulties (seven per cent), pet is not suiting owner’s lifestyle (three per cent) and major life change (two per cent). Canadians who are exploring shelter adoption can also rest assured that regardless of why the animal has been brought to the shelter, the team of dedicated staff and volunteers do a thorough examination of the animals upon arrival. This allows the shelter staff to alert potential pet adopters to any possible health or behavioural concerns. From May 1 to 31, Iams Friends for Life encourages pet passionate people to visit participating shelters and learn about animals
awaiting adoption. According to the survey, shelters currently have an average of 30 cats and a dozen dogs available for adoption. The survey also revealed nearly one in two (48 per cent) Canadian animal shelters report spring as their busiest season, making May an ideal time of year to consider adopting an orphaned animal. In Celebration of Iams Friends For Life Month – May 1 – 31, 2009
According to the survey, shelters report that on average they have three times as many cats as they do dogs and almost four times as many kittens as they do puppies available for adoption. While many people may have a certain age or type of pet in mind, Iams and the CFHS encourage people to careful y consider their lifestyle before choosing a pet. Although it is exciting to bring home a puppy or kitten, an older pet may be a better match as they often have some training and may be calmer compared to younger pets. People with busy schedules or small living quarters should consider cats – they offer love and affection, yet value their independence, require less time commitment than their canine counterparts, and are comfortable living in smal er spaces. Visiting a local shelter will help people learn more about the lifestyle, financial and emotional commitments to pet ownership and help pet- parents to-be choose an animal best suited to each individual. "Iams Friends for Life is committed to matching the right person with the right pet to ensure the happiness and well-being for both
the pet parents and their furry family members,” says Katy Klosowski, Public Relations Manager, P&G Pet Care. For more information about Iams Friends for Life, month please visit www.IamsFriendsForLifeMonth.ca.
About the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
Since 1957, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) has been working to improve conditions for animals across the
country. With more member societies across Canada committed to preventing the cruelty and suffering of animals, CFHS is the
national voice on animal issues for Canadians coast to coast. It uses this voice to liaise with government, the public, industry, the
scientific community, educators, and the media nationally to end animal suffering. By working collaboratively with all industry
stakeholders, CFHS is making positive change and improving animal welfare.
About P&G Pet Care
For more than 60 years, P&G Pet Care (NYSE:PG), the maker of Iams and Eukanuba, has enhanced the well-being of dogs and
cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. To learn more about Eukanuba(R) and Iams(R) Dog & Cat Foods
or general pet care and nutrition information, call the Iams Consumer Care Center at (800) 446-3075. You can also visit us at
http://www.iams.com or http://www.eukanuba.com.
About Procter & Gamble
Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of
trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers(R), Tide(R), Always(R), Pantene(R), Mach3(R), Bounty(R), Pringles(R),
Folgers(R), Charmin(R), Downy(R), Iams(R), Crest(R), Oral-B(R), Actonel(R), Duracell(R), Olay(R), Head & Shoulders(R), Wella,
Gillette(R), and Braun. The P&G community consists of over 135,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. P&G is the
leading consumer products company in Canada with over $2.9 billion in annual sales. Please visit www.pg.ca for the latest news and
in-depth information about P&G and its brands.
For further information: For media inquiries, please contact Ana Aujla, Optimum PR, (416) 934-8425, ana.aujla@cossette.com OR Andrea Hynes, Optimum PR, (416) 968-6007, andrea.hynes@cossette.com These are the findings of a telephone survey of 103 Canadian pet shelters conducted on behalf of IAMS from March 16 – April 2, 2009. IAMS provided the contact information of pet shelters across Canada. Statistical margins of error are not applicable polls that are not based on a pure probability sample; however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 9.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had the entire population of Canadian pet shelters been polled.

Source: http://cfhs.ca/files/090426_iams_ffl_release_w_cfhs_2030_recovered.pdf