#PurinaPartner " Meet Punky the Perfect Dog and Companion" #MetOnPetfinder

This is a sponsored post, written by me on behalf of  Nestle Purina®  and PetFinder. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Petfinder's 20th Anniversary.  Cat Chat With Caren and Cody only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.

For the past 20 years, Petfinder has worked to ensure that more adoptable pets find their forever homes. Since 1996, Petfinder has helped facilitate more than 25 million pet adoptions through its shelter and rescue member organizations.


While neither of my pets were found on Petfinder, for many years I have had the Petfinder widget displayed on the right hand side of both of my blogs which displays a daily "Featured Adoptable Pet". Since I am in Michigan, the pets that you will see featured on my Petfinder widget are always pets who are located in Michigan.

I have been blessed to know some pets who have been found on Petfinder, because  I have family members who have found their furever friends there! I am a huge fan and advocate of the work that  Petfinder does. Yes, this is a cat blog, but today we are featuring a DOG!! Yes! A DOG!! Why? Because one of my favorite dogs in our extended family, who was found on Petfinder, and was given a furever home, is Punky!!

"Punky" Photo Courtesy of Bill Stern

PUNKY'S STORY AS TOLD BY HER DAD,
 (my brother-in-law, Bill)

I was looking for a dog for my daughter on Petfinder. I wanted a little dog that was hypoallergenic, great with kids and friendly. I found a little Bichon-Poodle mix that seemed perfect. However, she was in the pound about 30 miles from where I was working. I took care of my business and drove quickly to the Westland dog pound. Unfortunately, another couple beat me. The staff made me wait across the room while this other couple played with her. They left, saying they'd think about it. When it was my turn, I played with her and found her to be lovable and friendly. I told the staff that I wanted her. They called my vet and checked me out. I then paid the adoption fee and we went to my car. Our new dog jumped in and off we went. It turned out that she not only was house broken, but knew to sit on the passenger seat when I put the car in Park. On the way home, I took her to the assisted living home to visit my father and she 'hit it off' with the residents. My daughter took her for a short time, but Punky liked my house best and bonded with me. She has been our companion for 8 years and is perfect.

"Punky" Photo Courtesy of Bill Stern

I can vouch for Punky being "perfect." She always runs to the door to greet everyone who enters and gladly accepts scritches, petting and loving. She often accompanies her "Dad" Bill, to work, she goes for car rides, family trips and recently had her FIRST trip on an airplane! She traveled  all the way to Denver to see her human brother and HIS family, which includes their dog, Baxter. Punky handled the trip like a pro!! Punky has brought much happiness to Bill, his wife, kids, grandkids and the rest of the family. Adopting Punky was the PERFECT decision!

Like my brother-in-law Bill, and his adorable dog,  Punky, more than 25 million pets and millions of pet parents can claim that they #MetOnPetfinder since the site was established in 1996 – that’s an average of 1.2 million pets per year who have found their forever homes via Petfinder and Punky is just one of them!!! That's a lot of happy pets and pet people!!


HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Petfinder is asking pet parents, pet lovers and pet advocates to join the celebration and its effort to donate $200,000 benefiting 20 shelters and rescue members. To make this donation possible, Petfinder is asking animal lovers to help generate one million views of its #MetOnPetfinder anniversary video, by October 24, which shows how adoptable pets have transformed the lives of their adopters.

When the one million views goal is met, 20 Petfinder shelter and rescue members will each receive a $10,000 grant from the Petfinder Foundation to help continue to transform the lives of the pets in their care and cultivate more lifelong relationships! 

As part of the celebration, Petfinder families, advocates, partners and fans are encouraged to share their Petfinder adoption stories on social media by using the hashtag #MetOnPetfinder. 

Petfinder encourages more people to consider adoption when adding a pet to their family. By removing barriers within the adoption process, Petfinder’s goal is to make the pet adoption process easier by connecting people with pets, just like Bill and Punky were connected!!! 

Get Social With Petfinder

Facebook: Petfinder

Twitter: @petfinder

Instagram: @petfinder

About Petfinder  

Petfinder is a leading online resource for pet adoption, education, awareness and advocacy. It strives to promote the advantage of adopting pets and make it easy to connect people with adoptable pets. Petfinder’s searchable online database of animals that need homes is updated daily and includes a directory of nearly 13,000 animal shelters and adoption organizations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Petfinder also includes a library of free pet-care articles to help keep pets in their homes. Since 1996, Petfinder has helped more than 25 million pets find forever homes. Petfinder joined the Nestlé Purina family in 2013.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare

Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.