I'd like to nominate 'Home At Last' Humane Society in The Dalles, OR (http://www.homeatlasths.org/)
They're located in a rural area of Oregon and do all of their work in a small, concrete bunker type building just outside of town. They're scrupulous about making sure that all of the animals adopted from their shelter are well cared-for and most importantly, spayed or neutered (to the extent that, though we live 80 miles from them, when we adopted our dog Huck as a puppy we had to agree to drive him back there for his neutering surgery a few weeks later - they wouldn't take anybody's word for it!)
They are often sadly flooded with mistreated puppies, cats and kittens and abandoned dogs from the farms and poorer rural towns around them but do tireless work caring for and finding homes for these animals.
We're very grateful that they brought our first dog into our lives and would love to see their rather spartan building enlivened with some great new Crypton products.
Thank you

Susanna Luck, Portland OR.

I would like to nominate a small Chicago based no kill shelter called One Tail at a Time. They can be found at www.onetail.org The donation of your quality products would increase the money they could spend on saving more dogs rather than buying supplies.

I nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter in East Brookfield as a candidate for the Crypton makeover. A small faciltiy with a big heart and community outreach, the animals are always first priority. The animals are all spayed/neutered, microchipped, vaccinated as well as LOVED. The entrance to the shleter acts as the office, reception area, educational area, and itis where people first get to know their furture family member. This area is in need of the magic of a makeover.

I am nominating the Second Chance Animal Shelter in East Brookfield, MA. I adopted my beloved pet from this shelter and am eternally grateful for the amazing work that they do and care that they treat the animals with.

I would like to nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter in N Brookfield MA. This shelter has a reputation for community involvement and the dedication of it's volunteers. They are a worthy recipient of this honor.

I would like to nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter - East Brookfield, MA. Second Chance helps save the loves of thousands of Dogs and Cats every year. The staff and volunteers are the best around. Any help to better their facility will only add to how great they already are.

I would like to nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter in East Brookfield, MA. This is a truly outstanding shelter with a group of extremely dedicated animal lovers running it. I'm sure all donations get spent on the animals, so a gift to brighten up the lobby, I'm sure, would be welcome!

I would like to nominate the Animal Rescue League of Pittsburgh, PA. The ARL is one of the Pittsburgh City Shelters and accepts all dogs, cats and other small animals, not turning any away. Donations of money and other goods are so very imporatnat to maintain the shelter. The ARL is also where Animal Control brings animals to. The shelter has many, many pets for adoption and many people are intimidated by the shelter environment and may not come and look for a new pet here. Having some bright new furnishings that will welcome prospective new pet owners and make them more comfortable, may assist in pets finding a new home. The shelter is also building a new building for cats and a "welcome" area would be great!

I would like to nominate Freedom Service Dogs in Denver Colorado. This organization rescues abandon dogs and specially trains them as service dogs to assist people with disabilities. They operate solely on donations and give the dogs, at a cost of about $25k per dog, to the client for FREE. Recently, they have been inundated with requests for dogs to aid returning veterans that have been injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. A boost of TLC could go a long way in making the dogs more comfortable as they are prepared to enrich someones life.

Dear Bark, Thank you for this opportunity! I would like to nominate the Centre Hall SPCA in central Pennsylvania. They have recently gone through some changes and are trying very hard to revamp their image and gain back public support. This makeover would be the perfect way for them to be able to draw more of the public in to see deserving animals and help regain some of the support that they have lost. We live in a rural area that sees many abused and abandoned animals, not to mention puppy mills. The volunteers and staff at the SPCA now do everything they can to make sure those animals have a safe environment to stay in, until they find their forever home. Please consider them for this opportunity. Happy Holidays!

I would like to nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter in East Brookfield, MA. I have visited the shelter and can't believe how very devoted the volunteers are there. I have visited several shelters through the years and can tell you from the bottom of my heart that Second Chance deserves some help. Thank you so very much for your consideration.

A small animal shelter located on the Island of Martha's Vineyard in Edgartown MA could greatly benefit from this wonderful gift.

A couple of years ago the shelter was the MSPCA as it had been for years. Because of the hard economic times we are all facing they were forced to close their doors, and their kennels to the Islands homeless and abandoned animals.

There were many letters in the papers and people pouring their hearts out, worried about the animals and them having nowhere to go. So the community took action and through the generosity of people through donations and volunteers the shelter has remained open.

There is a small area to play with cats but as far as the dogs go you can take them out of the kennel and walk them, but there isnt a real visiting area. The shelter is very small but it's really the only place this island has got.

Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue (HBGRR) is a volunteer organization which rescues and heals displaced, abandoned, and homeless Golden Retrievers and Golden mixes no matter their age or health. HBGRR also provides sanctuary for Goldens who are not adoptable. Since HBGRR is 100% serviced by volunteers and donations, very few resources go into infrastructure. The lobby is actually part of a barn and has never been a warm, friendly place where adopters could meet their new best friend, a place to highlight the services HBGRR offers, and a place to showcase the businesses that support this rescue.

The Humane society of greater Akron would probably get more adoptions if the cost was not $115 to adopt a dog! all the other local shelters are 70$ or less, I am all about finding good homes, and the true belief of a rescue dog, but that is a little to high! I understand the cost of taking care of animals, but how can most other shelters do it with lower cost and same amount of animals??

The Cookeville/Putnam Co. Animal Shelter is long overdue for a facelift. The staff works tirelessly to find homes for the endless stream of animals entering the door. Working with a very limited budget, the money they spend goes to the welfare of the animals, leaving little to improve their outdated surroundings. Entering the building, people are met by a caring staff but only concrete walls and a small room with no decoration. I would love to see something bright and cheerful added to match the warmth and joy of this staff and the volunteers.

I nominate the kennel where our adoptable retired racing greyhounds are housed. We are lucky enough to have a retired breeder who houses our greyhounds, though the kennel is looking wary and could use a facelift. Our goal is to place retired racing greyhounds into ther Forever Homes, and allow them to live out the rest of their years on a comfy couch. Greyhounds are regal, clean, loving dogs, and our adoption program could use a nice place to meet families coming to pick their new fast friend. WI's last track is closing at the end of the year, and many dogs will be looking for homes. We hope to get many new faces in to meet the hounds, and a nice place to socialize and relax would be greyt!!

I'd like to nominate Indianapolis' Animal Care and Control. They try to do a good job for the animals but have very limited resources. It's hard to get people to go there to adopt because the facility is pretty bare bones. If it looked nicer, I think more people would feel more comfortable going there and choose to adopt animals who are likely to be euthanized. We adopted both of our dogs from there and feel we saved two very worthy lives.

I nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter - East Brookfield MA as a candidate for the Crypton makeover.. The shelter just celebrated it's 10th Anniversary - and it's obvious from all appearances that any monetary donations that come in are all spent on the animals - the building , bedding etc are in need of some "fix me uppers".. This is a truly dedicated group of volunteers that give their all each & every day to the animals - giving love, care, food, veterinary services. Making sure all animals are spayed & neutered before adoption. Providing vaccinations and other medical care. Giving their all for those who need it the most - our beloved animal friends. I hope you will consider Second Chance.

I nominate Pope County Animal Shelter in Glenwood, Minnesota! This tiny shelter in the heart of Minnesota does a fantastic job. It is basically a house that has been modified to accomodate both dogs and cats. The "living room" when you first enter boasts a couple of couches that have seen a lot of love from pets and people. It is a relatively comfortable place, so the dogs aren't in such a clinical or "dog storage" type of setting. I believe that they deserve a face lift. Please contact Barbara at mulvaney@tds.net or by phone at 1-320-634-3491. Happy Holidays!

I nominate Second Chance Animal Shelter in E. Brookfield, MA. Funds are limited and needed for the actual care of the animals, therefore there is little if any for sprucing up. The entrance room is cluttered and cramped, due to a severe lack of space. Volunteers work diligently on animal care...leaving little time to reorganize or decorate. The other public areas with the cats and dogs are lacking as well, cages and beds are worn from endless use. This no-kill shelter is truly deserving and would benefit from any help you could offer.
Thank you for doing such a truly wonderful thing for the ones without voices.

Second Chance has accomplished uncountable great things for lost/discarded pets in our area, in the smallest of buildings. As a new volunteer, I am amazed at Second Chance’s achievements. Volunteer run and operated, the plain surroundings of the animal areas and the small office show that every possible dollar donated goes into the care and feeding of the animals. Even so, the animal areas could use a “face-lift,” making the animals more comfortable with new bedding, and the area more appealing to prospective adoptive families. Second Chance deserves a chance for a makeover!

The Humane Society of Greater Akron is dedicated to alleviating animal suffering, preventing and investigating animal cruelty. This orginazation is home to over 200 animals unforunetly most of them pit bull mixes. The dogs are kept outside most of the day but at night they bunk down in an old barn. Majority of the dogs I'm sure are not used to being pampered, so a nice bed to sleep on at the end of the day, well I'm sure that would be like Christmas morning every night.

A small no kill shelter, Second Chance does things with few funds. Using every shred and ounce found.. stretching all we are lucky to be gifted, finding ways to rescue, rehab and re-home. We have little. we ask for less, but we do great work. Our focus.. bring love, care and peace to God's creatures that pass our path. Our volunteers,tireless.. We bring a new life to our voiceless friends. We need the help of those wanting to speak with us and assist in improving our shelter. We do this all only for the love of the animals.

Second Chance Animal Shelter is a small no-kill shelter located in Massachusetts. This shelter has done amazing things and been featured in the national spotlight. Despite the wonderful works, the shelter is in desperate need of updates. The front lobby is cramped and very basic which is not very appealing. An update would greatly improve the appearance. The animals are well cared for but the cages need to be made more comfortable and inviting looking. A makeover would make a BIG difference to the pets in need and would make the shelter look better to those that visit them.

The Hawaii Island Humane Society in Kea'au, Hawaii, operates in a culture that is not dog friendly. No dogs off-leash in parks, no dogs allowed on beaches, no dogs in National Park, no dog parks except at Kea'au shelter. People chain dogs around homes for protection; newly chained dogs howl until dog submits to boring life. Men arrested stealing Aussie and torturing before eating. State legislature proposes dog protection laws – accused of cultural insensitivity. Economic crisis strains shelter as more owners surrender dogs. The Kea'au shelter needs help to treat "unwanted" shelter dogs like valuable animals, and promote dog-friendly ideas.

Homeward Bound Pet Shelter in Decatur, IL is a wonderful no-kill pet facility as well as a job training program for people with disabilities. So the shelter not only helps homeless dogs and cats, but helps people who have a hard time finding jobs in the community. While the staff do their absolute best in being efficient and effective in placing the right pet with the right family, the visiting rooms could use a little TLC. The animals would be more comfortable and it would make the rooms a lot brighter!

I am a volunteer at Save The Animals Foundation and both the dog and cat areas could really use some sprucing up. The adoption area for the dogs doubles as a quiet/overflow room for dogs. The floors are stained and some areas have cracks where some dogs have been a little destructive.

The main lobby could also be more welcoming, as individuals have to sit on plastic chairs in a room crowded with donations and a fax machine. STAF takes wonderful care of thier animals and the shelter deserves to look as bright and cheerful as the volunteers.

I nominate the Town Lake Animal Shelter in Austin, Texas. It's hot here in the summer (over 100 degrees for 80 days this year!) and cold in the winter. The animals could use some comforts as they wait for their homes. If the play rooms were happier, people and dogs could get to know one another faster and be more comfortable playing there! The volunteers, donors, and patrons of this shelter love their furry friends and this would be thrilled to have happier animals, and cut down on their length of stay.

I nominate the Horn Lake Animal Shelter in Horn Lake, MS.

I adopted my Great Pyrenees/lab mix there a year ago. They take care of the dogs the best they can and seem to really care about animals. They are in dire need of a makeover! The dogs and cats there would love dog/cat beds and whatever else you give them.

Please consider them!

The current building being used by the Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center was never intended as a shelter. They have been at their temporary shelter for over a year since being flooded in 2008. There is no meet and greet room, they are usually done outside or in a kennel in the dog room. Staff has done great work in making the new location comfortable for animals and visitors, and I think they deserve a little help.
Here is a link to a video about the flood and the shelter.
http://gallery.me.com/ladyhawk#100000

I nominate the Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter. I have volunteered there for 2 1/2 years and saw how hard they worked. Although there shelter is small,old,and in need of major repair they work the best in their condition. They work hard to provide each dog with a donated blanket or rug,a few toys,and all the food,water,and love they need! They have went beyond my expectations of a shelter by taking puppies and dogs to training class and working hard to find them a good home. They really deserve some of the beds!

If you google the Mile High Humane Society in Thornton, Colorado, what you will find isn’t pretty.
The shelter doesn’t have enough leashes and collars for all the volunteers to walk the dogs. The sewage system clogs and the heater sometimes goes out, and much more.
The staff wants to make it better but there is a lack of funding.
The shelter just never seems to have enough help or money to make it better. Their hearts are in the right place though.
The Mile High Humane Society is a non-profit shelter.
I have toured many shelters in search of my new best friend. This shelter sets itself apart from the others by Miles! I vowed that some day I will try to help them. After all, the animal loving staff and volunteers try with all their might to help find the amazing dogs and cats in their shelter great homes, with the limited financial and human help they have. I worry the staff will throw up their hands in despair and all go someplace where they'll be better paid and have better working conditions.
Any help at all would be greatly appreciated by the staff and the homeless pets at Mile High Humane Society!

The shelter where I volunteer is Chcago Anmal Care and Control.This shelter is part of the city of Chicago and as you know most major cities have financial problems, being part of a large city and because we MUST accept All animals All the time we get an enormous amount of animal and people traffic.
We need sprucing in the worse way, hopefully new decor would be more welcoming and help our adoptions.
The staff and volunteers would welcome your help and all of our animals would benefit.
Please do consider Chicago Animal Care and Control.
Respectfully Yours
Zarad Gowenlock

I am a kennel staff member of the Bloomington Animal Shelter, and I can not strees how in need we are of updating and a spruce up. We take in 10-60 animals on a daily basis and sometimes more. Trying to find space to house all these animals can be very difficult. We need updating; a face lift. We maybe small, but we do big things. We would appreciate the spuce, but the animals would appreciate it more!

Bloomington Animal Care and Control is in a dyer need of a mini makeover. With the shelter being open admissions they are constantly full. The visiting room, the paint, the hallways, the concrete floor that the animals sleep on with minimal padding... all of these things would help make the shelter better. The staff members are wonderful as well as the animals that they care for deserve to have a better more up to date look and feel.

The Bloomington Animal Shelter of Bloomington Indiana is a great shelter that does not turn animals away. As long as they are domesticated, we take them. Very few shelters in our area take stray animals, as a result we have people coming from other surrounding counties with animals. We do not turn away any animal. We have big hearts, but not big space. We get so full sometimes that dogs and cats are in crates opposed to a kennel. A spruce up would help to lift moral and extend our abilities to rehabilitate animals in order to put them in permanent homes.

Bloomington Animal Care and Control does a wonderful job with a difficult mission, but the facilities are woefully outdated. The one room that serves as a meeting place for dogs and people looks more like a cell than a truly happy, welcoming place. Given that several surrounding counties also count on this place for support, it is truly in need of some fresh paint, new furniture, and general sprucing up.

Bloomington Animal Care and Control does an excellent job with a very hard mission. Their facility is very outdated and could definitely use a spruce up--the one room that is for visiting dogs prior to adopting looks more like a cell than a happy place. With pet overpopulation rampand in South Central Indiana and several surrounding counties that do not have the resources ours does, these guys do a great job with what they have--but could definitely use a little more.

Bloomington Animal Care and Control in Indiana is a fantastic animal shelter. The staff are committed to the well being of all the animals that pass through the door. BACC is open admission and takes in animals from surrounding counties on a daily basis that would otherwise have no place to go. Despite being in the heart of a dog loving community, almost all of the dogs sleep on blankets on concrete floors. BACC could use a colorful touch and the animals could use a nice soft bed to sleep on.

I am talking about the humane socitey of silcon valley. I may be only 11, but I love animals so much and the shelter just rocks, but is kinda boring. Many people i this area what a animal, but get it from the newspaper. they remodoled last year, but it,s still hina shabby. When theydid remodle, thoug, the word sperd and many dogs got homes. We are near the sf, so many come out hear for pets, and so if the humane socity was cooler, many deserving pets would get homes! (I AM BAD AT SPELLING!!!)

I am talking about the humane socitey of silcon valley. I may be only 11, but I love animals so much and the shelter just rocks, but is kinda boring. Many people i this area what a animal, but get it from the newspaper. they remodoled last year, but it,s still hina shabby. When theydid remodle, thoug, the word sperd and many dogs got homes. We are near the sf, so many come out hear for pets, and so if the humane socity was cooler, many deserving pets would get homes! (I AM BAD AT SPELLING!!!)

South Pacific County Humane Society is a no-kill shelter in the SW corner of Washington. There are just 10,000 residents, yet the decade-old shelter finds homes for about 700 pets annually.
6 employees share fewer than 2 positions. The community drops supplies and cash while volunteers complete an endless list of tasks: fundraise. Laundry. Cleaning. Baths. Medical. Maintenance. Promotions. More.
Visitors note their surprise at the cleanliness, visually and in an olfactory sense. Still, the community cat rooms and the dog kennels are in need of cheer. Hand-me-down beds, trees and blankets do the job, but don’t charm potential adopters.

South Pacific County Humane Society is a no-kill shelter located on a strip of a Peninsula in the SW corner of Washington. The 28-mile long string of communities have only about 10,000 full-time residents, yet the decade-old shelter manages to find homes for about 700 cats and dogs every year.

One full-time staff member and a half dozen others who share a 3/4-time position make up the employee roster; the rest of the effort is all volunteer. The supporting community drops food, litter, toys and cash while volunteers hold events and other fundraisers to keep the doors open. Mountains of laundry are washed. Paperwork. Cage Mucking. Baths. Medical treatments. Website. Grant writing. Facility maintenance. The list seems endless yet hands show up and work gets done.

It's stunning, really. This bright, colorful, cheery shelter was built by volunteers and runs thanks to volunteers. Visitors regularly mention their surprise at the cleanliness, visually and in an olfactory sense.

I can't think of a more deserving Shelter.

Ours is a small town humane society who does an outstanding job! They don't have much room to work with and have done a very nice job with what they have. However I can't imagine how much a refurbish would do for them. Bringing a more home feeling to the shelter, in turn I am sure making people feel more at ease about visiting. As sometimes people are afraid to go to shelters. A more at home feel would make a big difference. What shelter couldn't use this really!?! Especially in recent times with the economic situation of our country, donations being down for the most part. I know our little midwest shelter would be beyond words to receive this gift.

In hard economic times, it's not only people who suffer, but their animals as well. Our small, previously dirty County run shelter is held together by a young animal loving manager, and 1-2 animal control officers. The glue to our Coos County Animal Shelter are the tireless volunteers. Together they have created fenced areas for dogs to stretch their legs, painted walls and brightened up the dingy cinder block facility as much as possible. There is presently no area for potential adopters and dogs to meet, but if chosen-an area will become available and I know the volunteers will again work tirelessly 'MAKE IT WORK' and to keep it up so they can not only help to save one dog, but two....because every adoptionmeans they have made room for one more.

I was adopted by my mummy from a pet shop. Mummy didnt know where and how I was born and what I have gone thru.
As I grew in my new lovely home, I still have this trauma of being molested by hands all over me. I growl each time I feel human touching my private part. Yes, i was only 2 months old.. Mummy later brought me to a vet for check ups and discovered that I was molested and my hymen was torn. Mummy suspected that I was also thrown from a height because I am always afraid of height. Today I live happily with my another female shih tzu with a loving human bro, mummy daddy and aunty. Recently, both of us suffered tummy upset from a dog's treat call Jerhigh and my mummy was shocked that the manufacturer cannot be bothered and will not take any action to do something about this product. Today, whenever we walked into a pet shop, we still see this dog treat Jerhigh all over the stall. It is like waiting for another dog to die. Our full article is found on this site. Do read them and leave some comment for dog lovers to know and to be vigilant about this product. Tq http://www.dogpetgroomingsupplies.com/pet-bonding-with-owner/watch-your-...

For a city animal control department fighting to transform their image, I must nominate Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control. Facing budget cuts every year, the department struggles to educate citizens about the importance of spaying and neutering, vaccinations and adopting. They even maintain an inmate dog training program that not only produces well train dogs for adoption, but gives back to the community in the way of inmate rehabilitation. My husband and I adopted from MACC, and our three-year-old is the joy of our lives. I believe that MACC should be rewarded with a Crypton makeover.

The Langlade County Humane Society works very hard to raise money in a low income area to upgrade and maintain it's facility. Their staff and volunteers have the biggest, mushiest hearts. Their love and care come through in all they do. The animals look happy and healthy and cared for. They really could use help upgrading their facility to allow them to take in and care for more animals. Please consider this wonderful shelter for an upgrade.

The Rice County Humane Society in Faribault, Minnesota is an open door shelter staffed by very caring people, both paid (not much) and unpaid. The current economic challenges have made us work harder, we don't mind, but we could use some nicer areas for people to get to know our wonderful animals available for adoption, and some nice dog beds, we seem to always have senior dogs and dogs with other medical issues who need to be comfortable. Everything we receive helps us to carry on our mission of helping the homeless animals of our area. Thank you.

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton in Dayton, Ohio is working hard in a tough economy to find ways to keep adoptions growing. We have two small "Meet & Greet" adoption rooms with hard benches that would really benefit from a pair of durably designed upholstered attachable but removable bench cushions (we sometimes have to use that area to house dogs), and we would LOVE some new moisture resistant dog beds for some of our older dogs that need better cushioning. Thank you for considering us!