Sports Illustrated writer, Michael Vick dog turned therapy pooch, at national No More Homeless Pets® Conference this week in Vegas

Grassroots solutions shared to solve issues of abandoned, forgotten pets 

LAS VEGAS (October 13, 2010) ─ This year's national No More Homeless Pets Conference  will feature both the serious and the silly side of animal welfare, all aimed at empowering people to help solve one of America's most chronic societal problems: the killing of millions of dogs and cats in shelters every year.

Sponsored by the national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society®, the conference will be held in Las Vegas at the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, 3700 West Flamingo, from Friday, Oct. 15, to Sunday, Oct. 17.

The event, held in Las Vegas for the third consecutive year, brings together from across the country more than 1,000 representatives of local animal shelters, individual volunteers and leading experts to share innovative programs and proven approaches to tackling the main reasons for homeless pets.

Appearing Friday will be Sports Illustrated editor Jim Gorant, author of the new book Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption.

Hector, a canine featured in the book, will be at the conference, courtesy of Animal Farm Foundation, where his adopter, Andrew "Roo" Yori, now works as the head of training. Once a victim of animal cruelty, Hector has become a cherished family pet and certified therapy dog, visiting schoolchildren and community organizations to teach the importance of kindness to animals.

This year's conference has already broken the record for attendance by 300, as more than 1,000 people have registered for this year's event. The annual conference includes informational sessions provided by national animal welfare experts to provide animal rescue groups with the tools and inspiration they need to help bring the country closer to a time of No More Homeless Pets®. The conference spreads the message to even the smallest animal rescue groups that they are not alone in their mission to save animals and allows them to connect with others who share their passion for animal rescue.

About Best Friends Animal Society®

Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization building no-kill programs and partnerships that will bring about a day when there are No More Homeless Pets®. The society's leading initiatives in animal care and community programs are coordinated from its Kanab, Utah, headquarters, the country's largest no-kill sanctuary. This work is made possible by the personal and financial support of a grassroots network of supporters and community partners across the nation.

To become a fan of Best Friends Animal Society on Facebook: //www.facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety

Follow Best Friends on Twitter: //twitter.com/bestfriends

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