From Aug. 17 to Nov. 16, every favorite to a pet’s profile, adopter profile created, and adoption inquiry form submitted on Petfinder.com helps fill a bowl for an adoptable pet

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Petfinder, the online pet adoption platform that began with a simple wish to connect more pets with more people, is celebrating its 30th anniversary by making a wish come true for shelter pets nationwide. In partnership with Greater Good Charities, Petfinder is marking this milestone year with a new initiative that grants shelter pets three wishes: a full bowl, a flight to a better chance at adoption, and a home of their own. From Aug. 17 to Nov. 16, 2026, digital actions taken on Petfinder.com will count toward a donation of up to 6 million meals (roughly 1.5 million pounds of pet food)*, while also funding two rescue flights to relocate more than 100 pets from high-intake shelters to adoption-ready communities.

Together, the initiatives reflect the wish at the heart of this milestone year: that celebrating 30 years of forever homes means showing up for the pets still waiting for theirs. The public can help grant that wish directly on Petfinder.com, with digital actions that spark a contribution toward the meal total, turning a few clicks into millions of full bowls for pets who haven’t yet found their people:

• Favoriting a pet’s profile provides one meal for a shelter pet
• Creating an adopter profile provides one meal for a shelter pet
• Submitting an adoption inquiry form provides a full day of meals

Petfinder’s 30^th anniversary campaign provides meals to shelter pets and vital support to animal welfare communities across the country, creating a cycle where browsing on Petfinder.com for your next best friend turns small actions into millions of full bowls for pets waiting for their forever homes.

“Thirty years ago, Petfinder had a simple idea: make it easier for pets and people to find each other. Over three decades Petfinder helped turn that idea into a movement, reshaping the entire companion animal landscape, turning countless hopeful searches into wagging tails, happy homecomings, and a new standard for how people find their next best friend,” said Kristen Beckerle, Brand Director for Petfinder. “As Petfinder celebrates 30 years of happy tails, we wanted to take the opportunity to give back to the pets still waiting, not just celebrate the ones who’ve already found their way home.”

Runway to Forever: Petfinder and Greater Good Charities Fund Two Rescue Flights

Petfinder’s “Runway to Forever” initiative, funded in partnership with Greater Good Charities, is relocating more than 100 pets from overcrowded, high-intake shelters to communities where they have a greater chance of adoption. Through two rescue flights, the initiative eases pressure on shelters while connecting pets with new opportunities to find loving homes. Paired with Petfinder’s digital adoption search, these flights help turn hope into action and move pets closer to the forever homes they deserve.

“At Greater Good Charities, we know small actions add up to real change. Through this 30-Year Celebration with Petfinder, every meal funded and every mile flown helps vulnerable, harder-to-place pets who need it most, and that’s exactly the kind of collective effort that fuels our mission to amplify the good for communities globally,” said Jeremy Colborn, Director of Transport for Greater Good Charities. “We’re so happy to partner with them in this campaign to provide millions of meals and lifesaving flights to animals nationwide.” 

30 Years of Petfinder: Pet Adoption by the Numbers

Since 1996, Petfinder’s wish has grown into 40 million adoptions facilitated across more than 12,000 shelters and rescue groups nationwide, becoming the connective tissue transforming how American families find and adopt pets. This milestone year builds on that legacy, showing that Petfinder’s mission has never been just about adoption — it’s about making sure every pet, whether newly adopted or still waiting, is fed, supported, and given the best shot at a forever home.

Visit Petfinder.com for the chance to adopt one of the shelter pets featured in Petfinder’s 30th anniversary campaign and help feed the shelter pets still waiting for their forever home.

*Donated meals vary based on product availability. Meal size is based on feeding recommendations for a medium-sized dog and average cat.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations.

Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Dog Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Friskies and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. Nearly 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.

Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive.

Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.

About Greater Good Charities
Greater Good Charities is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit organization that works to help people, animals, and the environment by mobilizing in response to need and amplifying the good. Greater Good Charities, with a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal on GuideStar, has invested more than $1.1 billion in impact, including cash grants, in-kind supplies, and programmatic support to charitable partners in 121 countries since 2006. To learn more about how Greater Good Charities is amplifying the good across the globe, please visit greatergood.org.

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SOURCE Petfinder