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PetSmart Charities® Rescue Waggin’® Program Fast Facts for 2013 PetSmart Charities® Rescue Waggin’® program launched in 2004 in the Midwest. Today, the Rescue Waggin’ program currently operates in 23 states. The Rescue Waggin’ program operates nationally, transporting dogs from shelters in communities with severe pet overpopulation problems to high adoption shelters in other communities where adoptable dogs are more in demand. Since 2004, more than 60,000 dogs have been saved through the Rescue Waggin’ program. In 2013, the Rescue Waggin’ program is expected to save the lives of more than 11,000 dogs and puppies. The Dogs All adult dogs are given an evaluation before being selected for the Rescue Waggin’ program. All puppies and dogs must be vaccinated prior to travel and are examined for illness prior to transport. No animals are displaced at destination shelters to make room for incoming Rescue Waggin’ program dogs. At the destination shelters, animals receive a medical exam and spay/neuter surgery prior to being made available for adoption. Once on the adoption floor, dogs from the Rescue Waggin’ program are generally adopted within a week of their arrival. The Vehicle Since 2004, vehicles used in the Rescue Waggin’ program have logged more than 2 million miles transporting dogs to shelters with high adoption rates. The Rescue Waggin’ vehicles are temperature-controlled vehicles; many have piped-in music to comfort dogs during the trip. Rescue Waggin’ program guidelines have been reviewed by veterinarians and national humane organizations and are considered the gold standard for pet transport. The Shelters Currently, 61 shelters participate in the Rescue Waggin’ program nationwide. All shelters in the Rescue Waggin’ program must go through a screening and training process before being admitted into the program. ---PAGE BREAK--- Shelter staff receives behavior evaluation training to ensure only behaviorally- adoptable dogs are chosen and transported through the program. Many Rescue Waggin’ program shelters report significant reductions in euthanasia as a result of the program, in one case as much as 50%. Source shelters transporting pets in the Rescue Waggin’ program are eligible to apply for PetSmart Charities’ grants, so that they can improve their shelter facilities and increase their services to their communities. Destination shelters are selected because they have achieved very high standards of animal care in their shelters as well as high sterilization rates of pets in their communities. As a result, there are fewer homeless dogs available. The Rescue Waggin’ program picks up dogs from animal shelters and transports them to other shelters that have more waiting adopters than dogs and puppies taken in locally, and as such are able to accept transfers of dogs and puppies into their adoption program. About PetSmart Charities® PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and our sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.