Here are our top prize winners:

• Kitty Kind, New York, New York-$25,000
  
  Kitty Kind coined the phrase "Extra Special" for cats who are blind, with missing or injured limbs, paralyzed, FIV or FELV positive, have neurological problems, diabetes, elderly (over age 7), poorly socialized or semi feral, to invoke the sense that you get something positive from these cats. Extra Special cats are showcased at the adoption center and on the center bulletin board, featured in entire newsletters, promoted on the website. Kitty Kind specially trains adoption counselors to find adoptive homes for these cats. 134 "Extra Special" cats were placed in first seven months of 2007 (12.5% of total adoptions).
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• Senior Dog Project of Oregon, Philomath, Oregon-$25,000
  
  Eddie was a 3-year-old puppy mill breeding dog whose hind legs were so bowed from being caged, he couldn't walk--he could only crab his way along. Although he wasn't a senior, Senior Dog Rescue took Eddie in and started a marketing campaign to pay for his medical rehabilitation. The publicity was enormous. "I helped Eddie walk" signs were all over town.  Through fundraisers and donation jars, the community raised over $10,000. From Eddie's Campaign came Eddie's Friends, building on Eddie's celebrity and community support to rehabilitate and adopt many more difficult to place dogs, most elderly and all in need of serious or on-going medical and dental aid prior to adoption.
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• Humane Society for Hamilton County, Noblesville, Indiana-$15,000
  
  A local bank partners with The Humane Society of Hamilton County to provide financial support for the Survivor Program, providing emergency medical care for homeless shelter animals. The bank hosts adoption and micro-chipping events and helps with fundraising events through ticket sales and flyer distribution. The bank created the tag line, "the bank with heart," and has successfully attracted new customers, creating a win/win situation for everyone.
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• Pom Rescue.com, Charleston, South Carolina-$15,000
  
  This very small rescue group uses new media and technology to rescue blind, toothless, deaf, cripple senior Poms and Poms with chronic health problems. It uses the same methods to help a local shelter with their hard to place cats and dogs. Posting "before" and "after" pictures on the website was how it all started. Next, the group used their digital camera to post appealing videos on their website, YouTube.com and Petfinder.com. Two hundred hard to place dogs were videoed for the neighboring Humane Society, and in a six month period of 2007, 167 were placed in loving homes.
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• SPCA of the Triad, Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina-$15,000
  
  The Adopt Your Own Mini Panther campaign was born when an abundance of black cats filled the small adoption center at the SPCA of the Triad. "We drew on the public passion for Carolina Panthers NFL football to make black cats…well, cool and sexy." Eighteen black cats were taken to the local PetsMart. Their cages were decorated to look like miniature football fields complete with "grass", field markers and goals. Carolina Panthers bandanas were put on each cat, and their adoption fee was cut in half. Every new adopter received a Panthers keychain or refrigerator magnet. All eighteen cats were placed during the month long campaign.
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• Nevada Humane Society, Reno, Nevada-$10,000
  
  Nevada Humane appeals to the compassionate pride of the animal lover in its marketing. The underlying message: only you can love this special needs creature. "We animal lovers all do truly want to be special and want to be able to give like no one else can. The special need actually becomes the selling point." Over 10% of the 6800 animals adopted in the first nine months of 2007 were hard to place: cats and dogs over ten years old or pets with physical, medical or behavioral issues.
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• Pets for Seniors, Edwards, Illinois-$10,000
  
  Pets for Seniors places senior pets with seniors. Informal surveys revealed that a lot of older people wanted pets but weren't adopting them. Pets for Seniors created a marketing plan that enumerated the barriers to adoption and a means for getting around them. Their target population had some unique concerns: What if they had to spend time in a hospital or nursing home? What if they couldn't get to a vet or a groomer? What if they reached a point where they could no longer care for the animal? Seventy-seven older dogs and cats or pets with medical conditions were placed with older people in the first nine months of 2007.
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• Richmond SPCA, Richmond, Virginia-$10,000
  
  The Angel Pets program was created for dogs and cats with lifelong ailments or conditions that require several months or years of treatment and follow-up care. These pets often appear less desirable to adopters due to the cost of their care. The Angel Pets program continues to provide medication, food and testing for the life of the pet. Angel Pets are featured on the website, TV and radio spots, and placed in the most prominent and cozy living spaces in the shelter.  Common Angel Pet ailments include heartworm, hypo-hyperthyroid, chronic allergies, tumors, diabetes, bladder stones, dry eyes, pancreatic insufficiency, seizure disorders, etc.
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