CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwire) -- 01/20/09 -- The Obamas are not the only Chicago family doing their part to spread the word about pet adoption. Draftfcb Chicago announced today that is has partnered with The Advertising Council, The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie's Fund to develop a holistic, three-year national campaign to change perceptions about pet adoption.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, six to eight million pets enter shelters and rescue groups every year, with three to four million of these healthy pets euthanized due to a lack of adoption. The campaign being created by Draftfcb Chicago intends to make shelters and rescue groups the first place people go to find a pet. The work is scheduled to launch mid-2009.

"We are thrilled to be working with Draftfcb Chicago and Maddie's Fund on this important campaign which we hope changes Americans' perceptions on pet adoption, creates awareness and illustrates the benefits of adopting shelter animals," said Peggy Conlon, President and CEO, the Ad Council.

While pet adoption has been a key focus for The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie's Fund over the years, so too has it been an important issue to the employees at Draftfcb, which annually supports dozens of civic and charitable organizations on a pro bono basis. Draftfcb has worked with the Ad Council since its inception, having created the iconic Smokey Bear campaign in 1944 to combat wildfires. The agency has also worked with EarthShare, a nationwide network of America's leading non-profit environmental and conservation organizations, via the Ad Council since 1993. As a member of the Ad Council's board of directors, Draftfcb Chairman and CEO Howard Draft helped initiate this new partnership, bringing his enthusiasm for pets and pet adoption to the organization.

"Our Chicago agency has worked with no-kill animal shelters such as P.A.W.S. to execute campaigns on a local level, so this is a wonderful opportunity to educate a national audience on this important issue," said Draft.

It's a sentiment shared by colleagues throughout the agency.

"This is an amazing opportunity to do something for perfectly healthy, wonderfully friendly animals desperate for someone to care for them," said Mark Modesto, president of Draftfcb Chicago.

As part of the agency's commitment to pet adoption, Modesto and his Chicago leadership team decided to go above and beyond just creating a new marketing campaign.

The agency adopted three dogs who were in need of a good home, and who are now spending the workweek at the agency's offices at 101 E. Erie in Chicago: Piper, a Labrador/Golden Retriever mix; Brody, a Labrador/Sharpei mix; and Payton, a Pug/Beagle mix, each now belong to a primary employee "parent" with whom they go home each night and over weekends. During the business day, a team of approximately 40 volunteers takes turns caring for the dogs' every need.

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