Whenever I see stories and emails about mega-adoption events, I always picture the “Crazy Eddie” ad man doing his nutty blow-out-blitz, the-prices-are-insane! shtick (New York, circa 1984). But just as there was a method to Eddie’s contrived madness, there is logic and a track record behind shelters’ “mega” events.

Multi-shelter adoptathons—such as the upcoming ASPCA Mega Match-A-Thon (Washington D.C., March 31–April 1)—work. Pooling marketing dollars and know-how, email lists and support networks, plus incentives like reduced adoption fees and the promise of many adoptable animals in one place, creates a rising tide that can lift all boats.

Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon (June 9 and 10, San Francisco Bay Area) sets a high bar for these collaborations, bouyed by the resources of Maddie’s Fund, which makes donations to participating shelters and rescues for each animal adopted out to the tune of $2 million in 2011.

During the ASPCA Mega Match-A-Thon, animals from seven area shelters will be available at the Washington Animal Rescue League’s headquarters (71 Oglethorpe S,t, NW Washington, D.C.) on March 31 and April, 1 from 11 am to 5 pm. Adoption fees are reduced to $20 for cats and $40 for dogs. The fees will also apply at participating shelters during this event. For details and information on adoption requirements, call 202.726.2556 or visit warl.org/mega.

This same weekend, the ASPCA is also sponsoring a three-day adoption event in Santa Fe, N.M., with five agencies including the Hispañola Humane Society.

It's great to see the ASPCA helping to spearhead these adoptathons around the country. Is there an multi-rescue adoption event coming to your community? Tell us about it.

Flea problems got you down? Well, count your lucky stars that you’re not raising a pack of pet Brachiosaurus. Recently, paleontologists in China discovered fossil evidence of Jurassic fleas that were as long as a thumbnail with sharp “mouth parts” all the better to dig into dinosaurs’ tough reptilian skin. Shudder.

You know how when you hear about something for the first time, it seems to pop up on your radar repeatedly after the fact? When it’s a good idea—such as talented photographers helping shelter dogs get adopted—the repetition is a source of satisfaction.

Last year, I wrote about HeARTs Speak, a coalition of professional photographers shooting adorable (and hopefully irresistible) portraits. Recently, I learned about an initiative called Pics of the Litter, which takes the idea one step further by incorporating a grooming session before a photo shoot in a swanky studio, then launching the pups into the webisphere with a slick, engaging campaign.

As part of its philanthropy and community service effort, The Brighton Agency, a marketing, advertising and public relations firm in St. Louis, Mo., teamed up with the Animal Protective Association of Missouri and photographer Lynn Terry to capture the je ne sais quoi of the 15 dogs who’ve been in the shelter longest and are having the hardest time getting adopted. (Read: Several are Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes or black.) Chris Lee of A Walk in the Park Pet Spa and Boutique donated his grooming skills using tools donated by St. Louis-based FURminator.

The project was launched ion Valentine's Day and already, 11 of 15 of the dogs have found homes. I gotta believe (and pray) that Marco, Peanut, Chunk and Willow won’t have to wait much longer. It’s a lot of effort for 15 dogs but a great example of what can be accomplished when creative, passionate people commit themselves to do good.

What's next? "We’re staying focused on finding homes for the site’s current dogs for now, but the response from the community so far has been tremendous," says Jazzy Loyal, a PR account executive at Brighton. "We can’t be sure yet where this project will go, but the agency will absolutely continue supporting local pets and shelters. We’ve had so much fun working with these great dogs and watching them find their families."

Check out the video story:

Pics of The Litter Photo Shoot: Behind The Scenes from Brighton Agency on Vimeo.

Back in the early 2000s, a number of municipal governments around the country and in Canada revised their city codes, county ordinances and state legislation as they related to companion animals, replacing the term “owner” with “animal guardian.” In addition, animal welfare professionals, such as animal shelter staff and police and humane society officers, were referred to as guardians. The idea was to reflect in official language the role our dogs, cats and other animals play as members of our families and our role in protecting and providing for them.

The first city to make the change was Boulder, Colo., in 2000. But during the next four years, 40 cities and the entire state of Rhode Island adopted guardian language. Since then, only six cities in the United States have embraced the concept—an average of fewer than one per year, according to In Defense of Animals’ Guardian Campaign.

I wonder if it’s a reflection of hard times. Does a campaign like this seem frivolous with world economic instability, unemployment, climate change, protracted wars and other more urgent issues claiming our attention?

Is this an idea for better, less distracting times or is it as important today as it ever was?