"ASPCA Collection" Now Available in Select Wal-Mart Stores across the Nation

NEW YORK, June 26, 2008—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the nation’s oldest and most respected animal welfare organization, is proud to announce that its licensed Pet Travel & Safety Product Line will be available in 1,400 Wal-Mart stores across the country. The special product offering will run for a limited time this summer (starting on June 27).

The Pet Travel & Safety Product Line from the ASPCA Collection (manufactured by ALCO Consumer Products) was one of the first collections of pet care products developed under the ASPCA’s licensing initiative. Developed in close collaboration with the ASPCA’s staff of animal behaviorists and pet experts, ASPCA-branded pet travel and safety items provide solutions to enable pet parents to enhance their bond with their companions. Just as the ASPCA is the voice for companion animals, ASPCA branded pet products are “what they’d ask for, if they could”™.

“The ASPCA aims to elevate the status of companion animals in our society and this includes providing pet parents with the resources to take the best possible care of their companions,” said ASPCA president & CEO Ed Sayres. “We are excited about this special Wal-Mart offering, and proud to be able to offer pet parents these products as tangible evidence of, and yet another way to support, our mission, while enhancing the human-animal bond.”

Whether travel involves far-off places or short, local car rides, pets are vulnerable when away from home, and the possibility for them to get lost or injured is much higher during these times. They are also exposed to the same travel perils as their human companions in the event of car accidents and other travel-related mishaps. While there is no definitive data available on the number of animals lost every year, about half of the estimated 8 to 12 million animals entering shelters nationwide annually are picked up by Animal Control officers.

Meeting the high standards of the ASPCA, the Wal-Mart specific collection includes, among others, “see-them-in-the-dark” light-up dog collars and leashes, “keep-them-safe” in-car seat belt restraints, no-spill travel water bowls, and easy-to-carry collapsible pet travel carriers.

Pet parents will appreciate that each package features membership information and pet care tips from certified animal behaviorist, Dr. Stephen Zawistowski, CAAB, executive vice president, national programs and science advisor for the ASPCA. Further, a percentage of the purchase price supports the ASPCA’s important work in providing the effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

The ASPCA Pet Travel & Safety Product Line is also available at the ASPCA’s online store; for more information, please visit www.aspca.org.