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In light of the growing need for financial assistance in the hurricane-stricken Gulf Coast, PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. and the PETCO Foundation are urging the community to make donations towards animal rescue and relief efforts.

When Hurricane Katrina made landfall August 29, the PETCO Foundation initiated an emergency "round up" fundraiser at all 750+ PETCO stores nationwide. Upon grasping the scope of the disaster, the Foundation contacted major animal disaster teams, making them aware of the open offer of assistance.

Thanks to the generosity of PETCO customers, vendors, and associates, in-store and online donations have pushed the 10-day total past $600,000. However, animal needs in the Gulf Coast are sure to surpass this amount, and relief efforts call for greater financial support.

"The Katrina catastrophe has presented an overwhelming challenge for people and pets alike, and even more assistance will be needed to properly rescue and care for these animals," said Paul Jolly, Vice President and Director of the PETCO Foundation. "The real work will begin in the weeks and months to come as we collectively begin the daunting task of rebuilding animal welfare organizations in the area."

Donations to the PETCO Foundation have helped fund the transfer of food, supplies, crates, and pet beds to animal welfare organizations who have rescued displaced animals. The PETCO Foundation has also helped individual pet parents and families, who lost their belongings, care for their companion animals.

"The outpouring of support has been truly awe-inspiring," Jolly said. "A very young customer came into one of our Missouri stores with a jar full of change and donated all the money she was saving up for Christmas, bringing the associate to tears because she was so touched."

A PETCO store in Little Rock, AR provided free self-service baths for the animals of hurricane evacuees, and an associate at the Monroe, LA location personally found shelter for a family that was rendered homeless by the storm.

The PETCO Foundation has also partnered with the American Humane Association to activate its Disaster Response big rig that facilitated the cross-country delivery of much-needed supplies to animal welfare groups in the Gulf Coast and became a command center for disaster teams. In addition, the PETCO Foundation continues to partner with the Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, and Best Friends in their coordinated efforts to help animals in the area.

The in-store fundraiser will run through September 11, but customers can continue to donate to the PETCO Foundation's disaster relief fund on PETCO.com.

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 750 neighborhood stores in 49 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 $24 million since inception in 1999. More than 3,000 non- profit grassroots animal welfare organizations from around the nation have received support from the Foundation.

SOURCE: PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc.