“Help Us Facilitate Pet Adoptions Across the USA.” 

Petfinder.com, in concert with animal shelters across the U.S., operates the nation’s largest database and web site of adoptable pets.  In the summer of 2005, the organization hired CooperKatz to broaden awareness of its mission, drive additional traffic to www.petfinder.com and raise the profile of cofounder and president Betsy Saul as a leading expert on the animal welfare issues.

CooperKatz’ first initiative was a comprehensive publicity campaign in support of Petfinder’s Hurricane Katrina Emergency Response Network.  In the wake of the New Orleans tragedy, the emergency online network helped identify displaced pets and reunite them with their owners. CooperKatz secured interviews for Betsy Saul with top-tier broadcast and print outlets including CNN Live From, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough Country, Coast to Coast with Ron Reagan and Fox & Friends.  In addition, CooperKatz secured mentions in the CBS Early Show, Good Morning America, The New York Post, Atlanta Journal Constitution and New York Daily News.   As a result of the publicity, the Petfinder Foundation received over $1 million in donations.

To help celebrate and promote Petfinder’s 10^th Birthday and 10 millionth adoption, CooperKatz secured and planed a major segment on the Today Show, in which ten 10-year-old children were surprised on the air with the present of a special dog handpicked and adopted by their parents through the Petfinder.com site.  Host Natalie Morales interviewed Ms. Saul in the world renowned plaza and helped present the dogs to the children.  In addition, Al Roker and Ann Curry announced the surprise during two teaser segments.