Pet Sitters International Names First Pet Adoption Advocate of the Year

 

Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world’s largest educational association for professional pet sitters, has awarded its first Pet Adoption Advocate of the Year Award to Mary Louden, owner of Dog Visits by Mary in Indianapolis, Indiana.

 

Since 1999, PSI has promoted pet adoption through its annual Take Your Dog To Work Day® celebration. This award highlights the many PSI members who work year-round to promote local pet adoptions when they volunteer at local animal shelters, foster adoptable pets and even create non-profit pet-rescue organizations.  

 

PSI created the Pet Adoption Advocate of the Year Award to honor one PSI member each year that has gone above and beyond to impact the local pet community.

 

“The many wonderful stories we received from members working tirelessly to advocate for local pet adoptions made the decision process very difficult,” noted PSI President Patti Moran. “But Mary’s vision, commitment and perseverance to create and oversee Prison Greyhounds made her the perfect choice for PSI’s first Pet Adoption Advocate of the Year Award.”

 

Mary Louden has been a PSI member since 2008. She describes herself as a “strategist, with a bent toward leadership,” and put these skills to use by branching out to start Prison Greyhounds (www.prisongreyhounds.org). 

 

Prison Greyhounds is an innovative 501(c)3 animal-welfare organization that seeks to empower nonviolent Indiana offenders to acclimate retired racing greyhounds to life off the track—the life of a family pet.  Louden knows that when a greyhound is retired from the race track, he has no idea about the outside world and can make for a less desirable pet. With Prison Greyhounds, each dog that is fostered by inmate-handlers is a life saved, instead of euthanized.

 

“I am honored to receive this award on behalf of all the many community volunteers, inmate-handlers, prison staff, local business partners and adoptive families that make this mission a reality,” said Louden. “Our first three prison greyhounds graduated as ‘pets’ in June and, because of the collaborative efforts and vision of our volunteer community, already had forever homes waiting for them.”

 

As recipient of the 2012 PSI Pet Adoption Advocate of the Year Award, Mary Louden receives a $500 donation for Prison Greyhounds in her honor.

 

For more information about PSI or to locate a professional pet sitter in your area, please visit www.petsit.com.