OAKVILLE, ONTARIO--(MARKET WIRE)--Sep 18, 2008 -- Pethealth Inc. (Toronto:PTZ.TO - News) There's now hope for distraught owners of pets lost during Hurricane Ike. Pet owners in Texas can now search an online, centralized database of pets lost during last week's severe weather which left hundreds of thousands homeless and separated family members. Under the direction of the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ("HSPCA"), Pethealth Inc. ("Pethealth") (owners of the PetPoint animal management system) and Pets911 (an online resource for pet adoption and lost and found services), a Disaster Response Pet Portal ("DRPP") has been launched which can be found at either www.Pets911.com or www.houstonspca.org.

As animals are rescued and lost animal reports come in to the Emergency Hotline (713-435-2990) being staffed by HSPCA, information is entered into the PetPoint Animal Management system. Every 15 minutes this data is then uploaded to www.Pets911.com. Owners who recognize a lost pet on the website can call the hotline and their information will be immediately attached to the animal at the shelter, expediting reunification.

"The loss of a beloved family pet only adds to the anguish of those who have already suffered so much," said Mark Warren, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pethealth. "The Disaster Response Pet Portal will help ease the suffering of those who have lost their pets and it will assist those who are trying to rescue them."

The HSPCA is overseeing animal welfare initiatives in the area including an emergency shelter in Galveston, a community severely affected by the Hurricane. HSPCA is one of 995 animal welfare organizations in North America which have licensed PetPoint.

"Our staff and volunteers are working around-the-clock to rescue pets and reunite them with their families," said Patricia Mercer, President of the Houston SPCA. "The online database portal created by Pethealth will make it easier for us ready to care for the thousands of pets which are being rescued in the aftermath and ensure they find their way home as soon as possible."

"We must remember the animal victims of Ike," said Corey Lambrecht, Managing Partner, Global Alerts LLC, parent company of Pets911.com, "and support the efforts of the Houston SPCA to come to their rescue and return them to their families."

Based in Oakville, Ontario, Pethealth provides management software to shelters and animal welfare organizations using a Software as a Service ("SaaS") model. Based in Phoenix, Pets911 promotes pet adoption, health and well-being.

"The Disaster Response Pet Portal is about using the Internet to leverage the dedication, expertise and technology available to help in this crisis," said Steve Zeidman, Chief Technology Officer at Pethealth.

About Houston SPCA

The Houston SPCA was founded in 1924 and remains Houston's oldest and largest Animal Protection Organization. Completely privately funded, it is proud to serve more than 100,000 animals annually.

About Pets911.com

Since1998, Pets911.com has brought together the nation's premiere animal welfare organizations, local government animal control agencies, and animal service providers to create one of the most comprehensive resources for pet health and well-being on the web.

At any given time, Pets911.com includes listings for more than 60,000 adoptable pets at nearly 8,000 animal shelters, contact information for more than 6,000 veterinarians, and postings of more than 8,000 lost or found pets. For more information, go to Pets911.com. Pets911.com is a division of Global Alerts, LLC. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Global Alerts has been a leading cause media company since 1991.

About Pethealth

Founded in 1998, Pethealth is the second largest provider of pet insurance to pet owners in North America, and the leading provider of pet related database management services to the North American companion animal industry. Pethealth offers a unique range of products and services for veterinarians, shelters and pet owners through a number of wholly owned subsidiaries using a range of brand names, including PetCare, ShelterCare, QuickCare, 24PetWatch, PetPoint, and PawsConnect. The Company is also a leading provider of pet health insurance in the United Kingdom through its Pet Protect and petPals brands. Pethealth currently insures over 240,000 dogs and cats.

Pethealth is based in Oakville, Ontario. To find out more about Pethealth, visit the website at www.pethealthinc.com.

     Contacts:
     Pethealth Inc.
     Mark Warren
     President and Chief Executive Officer
     (905) 842-2615
      
     Pethealth Inc.
     Steve Zeidman
     Chief Technology Officer
     (905) 842-2615
     Website: http://www.pethealthinc.com