We have a 2014 Meow Madness winner

Congratulations to Starling and Washington Animal Rescue League for her first place finish in 2014 Meow Madness. Thank you all for voting. All of these cats were worthy and we applaud the creative videos submitted by each of the organizations involved.

EIGHT CATS MOVE ON TO SECOND ROUND IN BEST IN SHELTER’S “MEOW MADNESS”


Five Animal Shelters and Rescue Organizations Still Competing for $87,000; $16,000 Already

Won in Round One in this Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month Contest

Tuesday, June 10, 2014, Washington, D.C. – Best in Shelter (www.bestinshelter.org), a nonprofit organization created to encourage pet adoption from local shelters and rescue organizations, is pleased to announce that eight cats representing five shelters and rescue organization as moving on to the second round in its 2014 virtual cat competition, ?Meow Madness.? Round two voting begins on Thursday, June 12.

While all the cats who participated in the first round are worthy and Best in Shelter urges the public to consider adopting them, the eight cats who received the most votes in their individual matchups are: Captain (Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County); Phoenix (Last Chance Animal Rescue); Chuck and Luke (Seniors for Seniors); and Bertha and Starling (Washington Animal Rescue League.)

Based on the NCAA?s ?March Madness? men?s basketball tournament, ?Meow Madness? is a four-week elimination tournament to take place during National Adopt-A-Shelter Cat month featuring eight local animal shelters and rescue organizations. Best In Shelter?s first online pet adoption competition in 2012 celebrated dog adoption and caused a media sensation with 51,000 votes cast for 16 dogs and distributed $110,000 to four local shelters. For 2014, local New York Times bestselling mystery writer and animal rights activist Martha Grimes decided after the successful adoption of all the featured dogs, it was time to give cats their turn.

Voting will take place on the Best in Shelter website via Facebook and animal lovers are asked to cast their votes for their favorite cat. ?Meow Madness? began on Thursday, June 5. Each successive round of voting occurs on Thursday, June 12, Thursday June 19 and ends with the final round of voting on Thursday, June 26. The initial 16 cats faced off in eight separate polls with the winners moving on to the next round. The eight cats in round two will be winnowed down to 4 cats in round three. The final two cats will compete against each other in the ?Meow Madness? championship on June 26. Cats younger than one year old are not eligible for ?Meow Madness.?

Each participating organizations will be awarded a $1,000 grant for being selected. The organizations will also be awarded grants as their cats move on in the tournament. Winners of the first, second, and third rounds will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000, respectively for their organizations.

At the end of the contest, the ?Meow Madness? champion will have earned $52,000 for its organization and the runner-up will be awarded a total of $17,000. By the end of the competition, Best in Shelter will have distributed $103,000 to these deserving animal shelters and rescue organizations.

The eight participating organizations are: Animal Welfare League of Arlington; Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County; Last Chance Animal Rescue; Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation; Madison Greene Humane Society; Seniors for Seniors; Washington Humane Society; and, Washington Animal Rescue League. Each organization will enter two cats and prepare videos for the Best in Shelter website. Details about the cats will be included and Best In Shelter encourages all potential and current pet owners to consider adopting a shelter cat.

‘Meow Madness’


Gaithersburg Town Courier, (Vol 11, No. 11)

Felines Captain and Sunny live at The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County (AWLMC), a no-kill shelter in Gaithersburg. Beginning mid – night on Thursday, June 5, they will be contestants in “Meow Madness,” a cat show sponsored by “Best In Shelter,” an organization dedicated to promoting adoption of shelter and rescue animals.

Best in Shelter will award each participating organization a $1,000 grant at the beginning of “Meow Madness.” The winners of the first, second and third round will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000, respectively. In the final round of voting, the winning cat will be awarded $35,000 for its shelter.

“Meow Madness” is a month-long competition with four rounds of voting. You can vote for Captain and Sunny June 5, 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., and again on June 12, 19 and 26?with the same hours for each additional round of voting. Go to www.bestinshelter.org to vote.

Best in Shelter’s 2014 “Meow Madness” cat adoption competition to begin in June


Eight Animal Shelters and Rescue Organizations Vie for $100,000 in Prize Money During

National Adopt-A-Shelter Cat Month

Tuesday, June 3, 2014, Washington, D.C. – Best in Shelter (www.bestinshelter.org), a nonprofit organization created to encourage pet adoption from local shelters and rescue organizations, is pleased to announce its 2014 virtual cat competition, “Meow Madness,” to begin on Thursday, June 5, 2014.

Based on the NCAA’s “March Madness” men’s basketball tournament, “Meow Madness” is a four-week elimination tournament to take place during National Adopt-A-Shelter Cat month featuring eight local animal shelters and rescue organizations. Best In Shelter’s first online pet adoption competition in 2012 celebrated dog adoption and caused a media sensation with 51,000 votes cast for 16 dogs and distributed $110,000 to four local shelters. For 2014, local New York Times bestselling mystery writer and animal rights activist Martha Grimes decided after the successful adoption of all the featured dogs, it was time to give cats their turn.

Voting will take place on the Best in Shelter website via Facebook and animal lovers are asked to cast their votes for their favorite cat. “Meow Madness” begins on Thursday, June 5. Each successive round of voting occurs on Thursday, June 12, Thursday June 19 and ends with the final round of voting on Thursday, June 26. The initial 16 cats will face off in eight separate polls with the winners moving on to the next round. The eight cats in round two will be winnowed down to 4 cats in round three. The final two cats will compete against each other in the “Meow Madness” championship on June 26. Cats younger than one year old are not eligible for “Meow Madness.”

Each participating organizations will be awarded a $1,000 grant for being selected. The organizations will also be awarded grants as their cats move on in the tournament. Winners of the first, second, and third rounds will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000, respectively for their organizations.

At the end of the contest, the “Meow Madness” champion will have earned $52,000 for its organization and the runner-up will be awarded a total of $17,000. By the end of the competition, Best in Shelter will have distributed $103,000 to these deserving animal shelters and rescue organizations.

The eight participating organizations are: Animal Welfare League of Arlington; Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County; Last Chance Animal Rescue; Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation; Madison Greene Humane Society; Seniors for Seniors; Washington Humane Society; and, Washington Animal Rescue League. Each organization will enter two cats and prepare videos for the Best in Shelter website. Details about the cats will be included and Best In Shelter encourages all potential and current pet owners to consider adopting a shelter cat.

Animal Welfare League of Arlington to Compete in Best in Shelter Competition


Virtual online cat show, ?Meow Madness,? challenges local animal welfare organizations in a four-round elimination tournament for top prize

ARLINGTON, Va. (June 2, 2014) ? The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is one of several local animal welfare organizations to compete in ?Meow Madness,? a 2014 virtual cat show hosted by Best in Shelter throughout the month of June. Each participating animal shelter and rescue will receive a $1,000 grant and the organization with the most votes for their cat video will win the grand prize of $35,000.

?June is National Adopt-A-Shelter Cat month and it is an honor to have been selected to participate in this contest not only to compete for such a generous prize, but to demonstrate how shelter cats are just as wonderful pets as show cats,? said Neil Trent, president/CEO, AWLA.

AWLA, adoptable cats MacKitty, a 16-year-old male, pure bred, Ragdoll and Jewels, a six-year-old female domestic shorthair, each star in their own 90-second video clip on the Best in Shelter Facebook Page. Starting Thursday, June 5th the public will be able to cast their vote on Facebook for their favorite video and continue to vote each Thursday throughout June. Based on the NCAA ?March Madness? men?s basketball tournament, the competing shelter cats will face off in eight separate polls with the winners moving to the next round. The eight cats in round two will be winnowed down to four cats in round three. The final two cats will compete against each other in the ?Meow Madness? championship on Thursday, June 26.

Meow Madness is a sequel to the 2012 Best in Shelter?s virtual dog show. Founded in October 2011 by best-selling writer and longtime animal advocate Martha Grimes, Best in Shelter?s mission is to promote the adoption of shelter and rescue animals. Best in Shelter aims to debunk stereotypes of shelter animals being less desirable then show animals, by raising awareness of the adoptable animals shelters and rescues have to offer.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) provides animal adoption and community programs to the northern Virginia and D.C. metropolitan area, as well as animal rescue and control services within Arlington County. For 70 years AWLA has remained committed to its mission to improve the lives of animals through sheltering, community services and humane education.

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Victoria and Cyfir are Contenders for Best In Shelter: Meow Madness


Arlington, VA. Victoria a four year old old domestic shorthair with a distinctive tortoiseshell coat is poised to pounce on the title of ?Best in Shelter,? snatching victory from the paws of fifteen other contenders in the Meow Madness Competition set to begin June 5th.

Victoria was submitted by Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation to the Meow Madness contest and is joined by Cyfir, the mellow, dog-loving cat who might just sneak past Victoria while she is hunts down a moving feather.

Best in Shelter?s Meow Madness is a virtual cat show featuring feline contestants from local animal welfare agencies. Each agency submitted photos and videos of two cats to comprise the ?Sweet Sixteen.? Based loosely on the NCAA?s March Madness, Meow Madness will place the competing felines in brackets with a weekly face-off in each bracket. Votes will be cast via Facebook beginning Thursday June 5, 2014. The championship voting will take place on June 26.

The cat who makes it to that final round and gets the most votes will be named ?Best in Shelter? and will collect a $35,000 grand prize for his or her group. Winners of the first three rounds of voting will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000 respectively. In addition, each group participating receives a $1,000 donation towards their animal rescue efforts.

The ?Meow Madness? contest is sponsored by award-winning mystery writer Martha Grimes. Grimes, a long time advocate for animals, sponsored a similar contest for dogs in 2012 in which Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation placed second with a dog named Cowboy. 51,000 votes were cast during that contest and half of the animals featured were adopted during the contest.

 

About Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation: Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF) is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization, established in 2001. The organization?s mission is to rescue abandoned dogs and cats from the threat of euthanasia in over-crowded shelters or other at-risk situations, and place then for adoption into loving homes. All animals in the care of LDCRF are spayed or neutered, and fully vaccinated prior to adoption, and any special medical needs are addressed. Since 2001, Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation found homes for over 18,000 dogs and cats.

For more information, and to see the dogs and cats currently awaiting homes, go to www.lostdogrescue.org

Seniors for Seniors Cat Rescue Enters Best In Shelter?s 2014 ?MEOW MADNESS? Virtual Cat Show


ROCKVILLE, MD ? JUNE 2, 2014 – Seniors for Seniors USA Cat Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been invited to enter Best In Shelter?s 2014 Meow Madness virtual Cat Show. Meow Madness Virtual Cat Show is based loosely on the NCAA ?March Madness? men?s basketball tournament and is is a follow up to Best in Shelter?s wildly online successful virtual dog show in 2012. The competition will feature 16 organizations in a four- round elimination tournament. Seniors for Seniors will be entering two cats, Chuck and Luke, to enter Meow Madness which is being held in June during National Adopt ?a- Shelter-Cat Month. All voting will be done by the public on Facebook.

Each participating organization will receive a $1,000 grant at the beginning of ?Meow Madness.? The winners of the first, second and third round will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000, respectively. In the final round of voting, the winning cat will be awarded $35,000 for its shelter. Seniors for Seniors Cat Rescue will receive the first round grant for both cats.

Seniors for Seniors, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, operates a free run cattery in Rockville MD by Senior Director, Marcy George. We save our cats from local kill shelters and provide food, shelter, love, and medical care until we can adopt them out to those who can provide a loving forever home. Our 18 volunteers work hard to find the perfect homes for these loving adult, mostly senior cats. In 2011, Seniors for Seniors-USA placed 15 cats, in 2012 we have placed 42 adult cats and in 2013 we placed 76 mature cats. We are hoping to place 100 cats in 2014. All adults 21 and older can adopt from S4S-USA.

Seniors for Seniors takes in senior cats who often come to us sick and abandoned. Their medical care and health needs far outweigh the donations we receive. Seniors for Seniors wants to use the awarded winnings from Meow Madness to help provide the medical care needed for many of our senior cats and to raise more awareness by campaigning for additional volunteers. We want to use the winnings to fund a project based on World Vision?s ?Sponsor a Child? Program to raise awareness about our rescue?s mission and ask those who cannot foster or adopt one of our cats to virtually ?sponsor? a cat online. These sponsors will receive online weekly updates and pictures and stories of their favorite cat in exchange for a monthly donation that will go toward the support and medical needs of the cat they choose to sponsor.

We are excited about being part of Meow Madness event and the chance to implement this project that will take advantage of the opportunity to raise awareness while helping our beloved feline friends get the food and medical care they desperately need before they can be adopted.

Our wonderful loving cats can be seen by appointment only. Call Marcy at 301-838-1990. A list of our adoptable pets can be seen on Petfinder. Or please visit us online at www.S4S-USA.org.

Best In Shelter offers animal rescues, including Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, a chance to raise awareness about the importance of adopting shelter pets.


Best In Shelter offers animal rescues, including Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, a chance to raise awareness about the importance of adopting shelter pets.

May 22, 2014 — Gaithersburg, MD ? Local no-kill shelter Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County (AWLMC) is participating in the feline version of American Idol during the month of June, thanks to Best In Shelter?s ?Meow Madness,? a 2014 Virtual Cat Show based loosely on the NCAA ?March Madness? men?s basketball tournament.

?Meow Madness? begins Thursday, June 5, and will progress through successive rounds of voting on subsequent Thursdays, with the final round of voting on June 26. The AWLMC has entered two cats, Sunny and Captain in the competition.

Founded in 2011 by best-selling writer and longtime animal advocate Martha Grimes, Best in Shelter?s mission is to promote the adoption of shelter and rescue animals. Best in Shelter wants to blot out the stereotypes of shelter animals as being less ?desirable? than show animals ? unworthy of adoption ? by raising awareness of what shelters and rescues have to offer.

?We are delighted to team up with the worthy efforts of Best In Shelter to raise awareness about the importance of adopting shelter pets,? said Posey Fox, President of the Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County. ?We are honored to showcase our cats and partner with Best in Shelter on this life-saving project.?

For information about how to support the AWLMC and to vote for us in Meow Madness, please follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/AWLMC

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The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County, MD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all-volunteer animal welfare organization founded in 2005. The AWLMC has operated a no-

kill cat adoption shelter, funded by private donations and small grants, in Gaithersburg, MD, since 2007. The AWLMC serves Montgomery County residents? pets by offering

low- cost spay/neuter services for cats and dogs, and operating the Chompers Pet Food Bank. Visit us at 12 Park Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 or www.awlmc.org to learn more or email info@awlmc.org. Follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/AWLMC.

Washington Animal Rescue League Selected to Participate in “Meow Madness” Competition


Virtual Cat Show Takes Place June 6 ? 26th Online; Winning Cat Earns $35,000 for Shelter

WASHINGTON, DC ? The Washington Animal Rescue League is one of eight Washington, DC-area organizations selected to take part in the first ?Meow Madness? Virtual Cat Show, to take place online, June 6-26.

?Meow Madness?, a Virtual Cat Show based loosely on the annual college basketball tournament, is sponsored by Best in Shelter, an organization established by best-selling mystery author and animal welfare activist Martha Grimes. This is a follow up to Best in Shelter?s virtual dog show in 2012 that was an immediate online success with more than 51,000 votes cast. ?Meow Madness? will be held in June during National Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month. Grimes established ?Best in Shelter? to promote the adoption of shelter and rescue animals. Its mission is to blot out stereotypes of shelter animals being untrained, unkempt, unworthy?the opposite of show animals?and to raise awareness of what the shelters and rescues have to offer.

?We?re thrilled to have been chosen to participate in ?Meow Madness,?? said Washington Animal Rescue League CEO Bob Ramin. ?Best in Shelter and particularly Martha Grimes, have been loyal and active animal welfare advocates and we?re proud to compete in a friendly competition organized by such dedicated people. We had good success in 2012 and we know that our supporters will have our cats in the running again this year!?

The competition features eight organizations in a four-round elimination tournament.

Voting will take place on www.bestinshelter.org via Facebook. Once the competition begins, the public will be encouraged to log on and vote for their favorite cat. Best in Shelter will award each participating organization a $1,000 grant at the beginning of ?Meow Madness.? The winners of the first, second and third round will receive $2,000, $4,000 and $10,000, respectively. In the final round of voting, the winning cat will be awarded $35,000 for his or her shelter.

The Washington Animal Rescue League is in the process of selecting two cats to compete, and will give supporters a ?sneak peak? soon via www.warl.org and www.facebook.com/WARLDC.

About the Washington Animal Rescue League

The oldest animal shelter in the District of Columbia, the Washington Animal Rescue League?s mission is to honor and strengthen the human-animal bond by providing the best quality care for homeless dogs and cats, and supporting companion animals in their homes through affordable veterinary care, community outreach and education. WARL?s facility is painstakingly designed from the animals? point of view to make it one of the most humane animal shelters in the world. The full-service Medical Center serves the general public as well as the companion animals of low-income pet guardians. The Medical Center also cares for our shelter animals. The Washington Animal Rescue League is located at 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW, Washington, DC. . Visit www.warl.org and lend us your support.

Last Chance Animal Rescue Chosen for Best In Shelter Competition


?Meow Madness? Online Cat Show Contest Takes Place June 5-26; Winning Cat to Earn $35,000 for Its Shelter

Last Chance Animal Rescue is proud to announce that we will take part in ?Meow Madness,? a virtual cat show to be held June 5 through June 26 in honor of National Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat month at www.bestinshelter.org. Last Chance was one of eight Washington-area rescues and shelters selected for Best In Shelter?s contest.

Each competitor will feature videos of two adoptable cats and the public will have a chance to vote for their favorite kitty videos. A $35,000 prize will be awarded to the winning cat?s rescue organization.

Best in Shelter, founded by award-winning author Martha Grimes, brings awareness to the plight of shelter and rescue animals and promotes adoption. There are too many great cats and dogs abandoned at shelters across the country that are friendly, healthy, and perfectly adoptable.

?We are thrilled to participate in Meow Madness to help shelter and rescue animals, especially cats,? said Cindy Sharpley, executive director of Last Chance. She noted that the overpopulation problem in cats is significantly worse than for dogs. ?Bringing attention to adult felines is so important, especially during kitten season, when adult and momma cats get overlooked,? Sharpley said.

About the Organization

Last Chance Animal Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to minimize the euthanasia of homeless pets through both adoption and providing low-cost, high-quality spay/neuter for both cats and dogs. Last Chance rescues and rehomes about 10,000 pets annually. Since 1999, we?ve provided loving homes for more than 100,000 cats and dogs. In addition, Last Chance operates two veterinary hospitals in Maryland that are open to the public. Paw Prints, our full-service veterinary hospital provides low cost vet services to our clients, including other rescue groups. The Spay Spot offers low cost spay/neuter services and vaccine clinics in Upper Marlboro Maryland. Between both hospitals we spay and neuter nearly 20,000 animals a year, thus reducing the problem of pet overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia of healthy adoptable animals in Maryland. For more information please visit www.lastchanceanimalrescue.org and www.facebook.com/LCARMD.


Also published on Southern Maryland Newspaper Online.