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As part of PETCO's ongoing mission to find forever homes for orphaned animals, PETCO stores across the country will participate in the 8th annual National Pet Adoption Days the weekend of April 2-3. Working with more than 1,000 grassroots animal welfare groups nationwide, PETCO locations will host in-store adoptions and raise awareness to the solemn issue of pet overpopulation.

With the support of Petfinder.com, the nation's leading internet-based animal adoption organization, PETCO and the PETCO Foundation matched 12,511 animals with loving homes during the 2004 campaign. PETCO, the PETCO Foundation and Petfinder.com all make the adoption of homeless animals a year-round cause, but have selected April 2-3 as a special weekend to focus their combined energies.

"There are millions of wonderful animals in shelters right now, waiting for the chance of a lifetime," says Paul Jolly, Director of the PETCO Foundation. "That chance-the opportunity to share unconditional love with a new family -- means the world to an orphaned animal, and we hope to make wishes come true with this year's National Pet Adoption Days campaign."

PETCO does not sell dogs or cats, and for almost 40 years has worked with shelters to find homes for millions of adoptable animals. PETCO further encourages adoptions by offering new pet parents Adoption Gift Booklets with up to $180 in discounts on PETCO products and services.

Last August, PETCO launched its "Think Adoption First" program, which reaches out to shelters that offer small animals, reptiles, and birds for adoption, in an effort to help find families for all homeless animals as well as resources for customers interested in these diverse companion animal groups. As part of the program, PETCO encourages customers to seek adoptable animals in the community as a first option, providing informational kiosks and in-store adoption opportunities to a larger variety of rescue organizations.

"With the National Pet Adoption Days effort, we hope to call attention to the plight of homeless pets across the country," says Betsy Saul, President of Petfinder.com. "We hope events such as this will help the community realize that adoption is the best option for adding a new companion animal to the family, and that millions of great pets are available for adoption every day of the year."

PETCO is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services with a commitment to quality animal care and education. PETCO's strategy is to offer its customers a complete assortment of pet-related products and services at competitive prices, with superior levels of customer service at convenient locations, by hiring pet lovers and training them to become counselors to our pet-loving customers. PETCO operates more than 720 neighborhood stores in 47 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading destination for on-line pet food and supplies at www.PETCO.com. The PETCO Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than $21 million since inception in 1999. More than 2,500 non-profit grassroots animal welfare organizations from around the nation have received support from the Foundation. Through the PETCO Foundation, PETCO endeavors to be a community leader in promoting the welfare of companion animals, as well as the importance of the human-animal bond.

Petfinder.com is the nation's largest and oldest online adoption community. Working with more than 7,100 animal welfare organizations across the country, Petfinder.com offers a searchable database of adoptable companion animals. Last year, Petfinder.com adoption partners found homes for more than 1.5 million animals.

SOURCE: PETCO