The "Every Pet Deserves A Home" Pet Adoption Program

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 16, 2011) - PJ's Pets and Pets Unlimited have announced that they will no longer sell puppies in any of their stores. As of September 1st, their focus will be to support pet adoption services in an effort to find homes for thousands of pets in local SPCA's, Humane Societies, rescue groups and shelters across the country.

To create awareness, the companies are launching the "Every Pet Deserves A Home Program". The mission of the program is to help increase the visibility of pet adoption agencies within local communities by offering them space within their stores to educate people about participating organizations and the pets they have available for adoption.

"More than two million pet lovers visit our stores every year. We recognized that we can provide a significantly positive effect on local pet communities by working with adoption agencies to help them find homes for their pets," said John Jules, President and CEO. "We chose to stop selling puppies and turn our focus on the new adoption program. This decision allows us to create the welcoming space within our stores needed for adoption agencies and customers to connect."

Each store will have a dedicated area for adoption organizations to hand out brochures/pamphlets, handle adoption applications, and show photos of adoptable pets. Stores that can accommodate it will have kennel space reserved for shelter pets. The company is reaching out to a long list of groups that it hopes will take advantage of and benefit from this program.

"We applaud what PJ's Pets and Pets Unlimited are doing in giving up puppy sales to help organizations like ours find homes for more pets," said Kristin Williams, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia SPCA. "Far too many animals are without a home, but this program will help to alleviate the burden and add vital capacity to our network of Branches. Collaboration is critical to resolving welfare issues and saving more lives and this is a remarkable example of what can be achieved by working together".

Pets Unlimited had stopped selling puppies in all of its stores earlier this year, while PJ's Pets will wind down sales by September 1st. Between now and October 1st, PJ's will be working with their private kennels to help find adoptive homes for their breeding dogs and any remaining puppies. The companies are making every effort to minimize job losses in the transition.

About PJ's Pets/Pets Unlimited

PJ's Pets and Pets Unlimited is a Canadian owned and operated company with 41 stores in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland. We proudly employ over 600 Canadians and support dozens of Canadian pet product manufacturers and distributors.

We believe the bond between humans and animals is a remarkable gift that should be available to all and treated with the utmost care. We nurture this gift every day by putting the health and happiness of pets first and by providing Canadian pet parents with quality pet care products and knowledgeable advice in a bright, happy and welcoming environment.