Must Love Dogs: Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals Teams Up with Leashes and Lovers Online Community to Connect NYC Dog Owners & Promote Adoption

About Sheryl Matthys

As The Dog Expert, Sheryl has doled out tips to thousands of dog lovers regarding their relationships as well as dog behavior issues. She is the founder of Leashes and Lovers, the first of its kind online social community for dog lovers, a resource for pet news, and a marketplace to improve your dog's life.

Sheryl is a speaker, author, actress, entrepreneur, former TV/Radio reporter, interviewer of Leashes and Lovers videos, Greyhound rescuer, and certified dog trainer with a B.A. in psychology and a Master's in communications. She and her husband have two young children and one Greyhound, and reside in New York.

In Sheryl's new book, Leashes and Lovers, dog lovers learn to "let go" of the leash and discover what their dog can teach them to attract the life they want, and improve relationships, whether with a special someone, a spouse, or friends and family. Interviews in the book include many NYC dog park participants, Leashes and Lovers party-goers, and several celebrities, including Cesar Millan, Howard Stern, and Rachel Ray.

www.leashesandlovers.com

About the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, Inc., founded in 2002 and powered by Maddie's Fund, The Pet Rescue Foundation, with support from the ASPCA, is a coalition of more than 150 animal rescue groups and shelters working with Animal Care & Control of New York City (AC&C) to end the killing of healthy and treatable cats and dogs at AC&C shelters. To achieve that goal, the Alliance, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, helps its Alliance Participating Organizations (APOs) work to their highest potential to increase pet adoptions and spay/neuter rates, with the goal of transforming New York City into a no-kill community by 2015.

www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org

Media Contacts

Jessica Del Guercio

Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals

M. Silver Associates

Phone: (212) 754-6500 x237

E-mail: jessica@msilver-pr.com

Dana Humphrey

Leashes and Lovers

Whitegate PR

Phone: (619) 414-9307

dana@whitegatepr.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 22, 2010

Must Love Dogs: Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals Teams Up with Leashes and Lovers Online Community to Connect NYC Dog Owners & Promote Adoption

Partnership will feature dog run adoption events, the Leashes and Lovers book launch and more!

New York, NY – Monday, March 22, 2010 – With the upcoming March 31 book launch of Leashes and Lovers, written by The Dog Expert Sheryl Matthys, the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals is pleased to announce a unique partnership with Matthys and her national online social community, Leashes and Lovers. Through this online community, thousands of dog lovers meet each day to seek out fellow Fido lovers and find news about dog related products and services, information about upcoming local events, plan doggie play dates, and meet other dog enthusiasts for possible romance.

The Mayor's Alliance's affiliation with Leashes and Lovers will include a calendar of Leashes and Lovers Dog Run adoption events throughout NYC during the spring and summer months. At these events, dog owners and those interested in adopting can meet one another and also some of the many wonderful dogs (and cats) available for adoption from Mayor's Alliance participating shelters and rescue groups.

These events will provide opportunities for people to learn about the initiatives of the Mayor's Alliance, connect with other dog-loving New Yorkers, and potentially find love — both human and canine! With the similar goal of creating a dog-friendly community, Leashes and Lovers FetchaFriend microsite offers New Yorkers a fast and easy way to search for and connect with dog lovers based on categories including: Friends, Same Dog Breed, Dog Playdate, Dating, and Relationship.

Leashes and Lovers will work with the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals to help promote pet adoption from rescue groups and shelters, including the approximately 160 Alliance Participating Organizations (APOs) in and around New York City. Among the vehicles that will promote the adoption message are Leashes and Lovers' microsites: FetchaBiz, an online marketplace for dog related products and services; FetchaNews, featuring a weekly e-newsletter that promotes news and events; and LeashesandLovers TV, offering viewers information on news and events. The site also includes event listings and a blog.

"This distinctive partnership with Leashes and Lovers provides us with another important avenue to engage more New Yorkers in our efforts to transform New York City into a no-kill community," says Jane Hoffman, president of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. Additionally, this online community offers opportunities for pet owners and potential adopters to connect with a wide range of pet-related services and information that can help them provide the best care possible for their pet.

Sheryl Matthys, The Dog Expert and founder of Leashes and Lovers, says she is thrilled with the partnership with the Mayor's Alliance. "I love a challenge — whether it's to help a dog learn better behavior, find a single dog lover a match, or work with people to improve all of their human relationships with the help of their dog. Our events and membership have always recognized animal shelters and other organizations that help animals, and we're excited to join with the Mayor's Alliance in its mission to transform New York City into a no-kill community."

The partnership will kick off at the launch of Sheryl Matthys' new book, Leashes and Lovers: What Your Dog Can Teach You about Love, Life, and Happiness, on the evening of Tuesday, March 30, at BLVD night club, located at 199 Bowery, from 7:00–9:30 p.m. Dogs for adoption from a Mayor's Alliance participating organization will be on-hand at the event to meet potential adopters. Dog lovers and their furry friends are invited to join Sheryl to celebrate the launch of her book, with live music by Atlantic Records artist Toby Lightman. Dog stunts, prizes and a Canine Catwalk Parade will make this a memorable book launch! General admission is $30 entry with coupon code: BOOK. RSVP on the Leashes and Lovers website.

For more information about Leashes and Lovers, please visit: www.leashesandlovers.com.

For more information about the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, visit: www.AnimalAllianceNYC.org.

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