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Pro Sports and Pro Pets: Houston Astros Player & Pet Calendar Promotes Adopting Shelter Animals and Humane Education

Houston Astros players joined the Saving Animals organization and pet industry leaders Petco and Bayer(R) Animal Health to produce the 2008 Astros Player and Pet Calendar now available at http://www.astros.com/petcalendar or http://www.savinganimals.org and in most Texas Petco stores.

The $15 donation for the calendar (plus shipping and handling if ordered on-line) benefits the adoption of homeless animals at Saving Animals' Pet Adoption Center in Houston and community service programs of the Astros in Action Foundation. Astros players will be at the Pet Adoption Center Saturday, September 29, 2007 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon to autograph calendars purchased for the project. Bayer Animal Health and Saving Animals veterinarians will microchip dogs attending the autograph signing event for free with Bayer's resQ pet identification microchip. (Limit two dogs per family.) Every 2008 Astros Player & Pet Calendar includes a coupon for free Advantage(R) flea control.

Houston photographer Evin Thayer captured artful images of Astros players at Minute Maid Park; players posed with their own pets or with homeless dogs and cats from Harris County's animal shelter. The Astros Player & Pet Calendar, in its second year of production, attracted Astros Brad Ausmus, Brandon Backe, Dave Borkowski, Adam Everett, Jason Jennings, Jason Lane, Brad Lidge, Carlos Lee, Mark Loretta, Trever Miller, Roy Oswalt, Chad Qualls, Chris Sampson and Woody Williams who donated time for the cause.

Astros Pitcher Dave Borkowski spearheaded the calendar project. He says, "My wife, Jill, and I have three adopted pets so promoting adoption of homeless animals from shelters and spaying or neutering are very important to us. We started the Astros Player and Pet Calendar to raise funds for Saving Animals and to raise awareness about the beautiful dogs and cats available for adoption at both the City of Houston's and Harris County's animal shelter. The city and county shelters are often overlooked when looking for a new family member; collectively they admit around 50,000 animals a year, the majority of which are euthanized simply for lack of a home," Borkowski concludes.

Petco and Petco Foundation stepped up to the plate to sell the 2008 Astros Player and Pet Calendar in most of its Texas stores. "Petco is the leading retailer to oppose selling dogs and cats while healthy animals are destroyed in shelters," according to Petco Foundation Executive Director Paul Jolly. "As a good corporate citizen, Petco's policy not to sell dogs and cats in our stores and providing space to adopt homeless animals saves lives," Jolly said. "Instead of promoting breeding more dogs and cats, creating a surplus, Petco works with organizations to adopt animals in need of a home. We also fund innovative programs like Saving Animals' Pet Adoption Center in Houston where shelter animals are featured for adoption in an upbeat and friendly environment in the community," exclaims Jolly.

Bob Walker, Director of Communications for Bayer Animal Health, adds, "Bayer Animal Health exists to deliver products to market that improve the health and safety of pets. Supporting Saving Animals' efforts by sponsoring the calendar helps spay or neuter dogs and cats to prevent homeless animals, precisely fitting within Bayer's mission and values. Additionally, animals identified with Bayer's resQ microchip are reunited with their owners instead of entering the shelter system only to become a statistic. Bayer supports programs to promote healthy pets and Bayer helps keep animals that have homes safe," Walker proudly explains.

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