Melissa's Pro Plan Pointer:

There may come a time when the only way to travel with your pet is to fly. Many dogs are small enough to fly in the cabin, but some are not.

For those who are not, here's what you need to bring:

• Purchase an airline approved plastic crate. (make sure crate is properly assembled)
• Bedding to put inside the crate. (newspaper, towels, etc.)
• Water container

Before taking off, it is essential to take your pet to the vet for a check up. Here they will provide you with a certificate for your pet to fly. Also, make sure your loved one has eaten no less than two hours before the flight.

Follow these tips and you'll be on your way...and up in the air in no time.

Bring the sunscreen.

The rally continues in sunny California where we're working on our tan, and more importantly...saving pets. We're set up in San Diego for the always fun, always exciting Pacific Beach Festival - right next to the ocean!

Talk about fun in the sun. Folks, the city is beautiful and we couldn't be more excited to be here. The weekend was great! A multitude of money raised and numerous adoptions made it a success. The crowds came out in full swing to help find our furry companions a new family. As always, our local ambassadors made us feel right at home, and made our time in the Golden State that much more enjoyable.

"All things pet" was the theme for this event. Rally Across America made waves for pet rescue. Dogs, cats, the Pacific Ocean...what more could you want? This is truly a pet lovers town. Thank you San Diego for making our day at the beach absolutely amazing.

Utah promotes pet rescue…happiness ensues.

Pet Super Adoption Weekend has come to a spectacular close with more adoption than you could throw a bone at. Pets were finding new homes all weekend long thanks to the incredible rescue groups – or heroes, as we like to call them.

We came, we saw, we rescued pets. The grand total for this event: 350 adoptions! Way to rally around some rescue. Our stats weren’t too shabby either. Great voting turnout followed by 14 hours and 30 minutes walked made this weekend a success. That’s $870.00 raised for our local ambassadors! Viola continues her reign as “top dog” of the tour. People flock to see her. Our Pro Plan trainer, Melissa Heeter, played an important role too. She helped multitudes of those interested in adopting choose the right pet for their family.

Ah, people helping pets…it a beautiful thing. This weekend was phenomenal. Congrats to all of the pet rescue groups who graced us with their presence this weekend. We applaud you. Words cannot express the impact you have made, the lives you’ve touched and the love you’ve shared. Thank you.

Melissa’s Pro Plan Pointer:

Owning a pet is privilege indeed. Owning two…even better.

There are certain steps to take when introducing a second pet into your home. If you’ve decided to welcome a new dog:

• Take the new pet to meet your original pet on neutral ground.
• Let them pass by each other once or twice. Be sure to watch carefully in case of a negative reaction. Each dog should be on a leash. Proceed to let them sniff and greet each other.
• Once in the house, make sure each dog has their own individual space.
• Spend individual time with each dog.
• After all of these steps have been taken, let them start to play with each other.

If you’ve decided to welcome a new cat:

• Pair social cats with other social cats, dominant cats with independent cats and shy cats with shy cats. (see our personality profiles)
• Have independent litter boxes in separate areas of the house. Have separate feeding areas too.
• Be sure to give each cat one-on-one time.
• After these steps have been carried out, feel free to incorporate interactive toys.

Total number of adoptions this weekend, thus far: 265! Folks, it's only just getting started.

Salt Lake City has put the "super" in Pet Super Adoption Weekend. The beautiful weather here continues, as do the good times. Here, the dedication of the pet rescue groups is second to none. The 21 groups who have come out to do what they do best have truly humbled us. Do we need to say it again? 265 pets have found new homes! Amazing.

The crowds also know how to spread the love. People have been coming out by the hundreds to show their support. Strong voting and participation in our virtual walk have added to our event's festivities. This is turning out to be a great weekend for pet rescue.

Join us tommorrow. Our goal: no more homeless pets in Utah.

We're here in Salt Lake City, Utah the Petsmart Super Adoption Event. Turns out the folks here take their pet rescue seriously! There are 21 local groups working to find these animals a new home. How exciting! This weekend is gonna be huge for the cause. We'll be set up at Petsmart, September 14-16. Come on down and experience the festivities first-hand. The goal this weekend: every pet finds a home!

Nashville has been nothing short of extraordinary. The rain keeps falling, but we’ve never let a little water get in our way, have we?

Talk about southern hospitality! The folks here had a fun-loving, laid back attitude that went along great with pet rescue. Here’s how it turned out: 13 hours and 25 minutes walked for a total of $805.00 for our local ambassadors. Not to mention strong t-shirt and collar / wristband sales. Record high voting and potential adoptions made this event a huge success. Viola had the crowds hooked on Rally Across America. This weekend, she truly was “the next Nashville star”.

Tennessee proved that you can take the pet out of the country…but you can’t take the country out of the pet. We’d like to thank Nashville and our local ambassadors for a great weekend as Rally Across America rides off into the sunset.

Melissa’s Pro Plan Pointer:

Well, it’s that time. School is back in session. Many would describe this time as, well…BUSY!

During this hectic time of the year, it may be hard to give your pet the time and attention they deserve. Don’t forget to set aside time to spend with your loved one. Here are a few suggestions:

• Set aside at least 15-20 minutes of play time. This could include grooming, brushing, walking, etc.
• Perform monthly “pet checks”. This includes examining your dog or cat from head to paw for anything out of the ordinary that would otherwise be unhealthy.
• Fall is a great time to take your pet out and about. This could mean going for a run in the park or even going to the ball game.
• Daylight Savings Time is a prime opportunity to schedule a pet’s annual check-ups and vaccinations.

Remember, it’s up to you and yours to make it a priority to spend quality time with your family friend.

“We love Rally to Rescue. This event is great for us. Thanks for everything you do.”

And that ladies and gentleman, is why it’s worth it. It’s why we do this. Besides, giving these animals an opportunity to find a new home is the least we can do.

So, we’ve kicked off the weekend with a bang. It rained fairly hard early this afternoon, but it couldn’t keep the crowds away for some good ol’ country pet rescue - Nashville style. Steady voting, walking and donations have given the weekend its great start. Viola has been up to her usual antics too. The people can’t get enough! Turns out the music capital of the U.S.A. has a passion for pets we didn’t know about…and we couldn’t be happier.

Join us tomorrow as we rally on at the Tennessee State Fair! (Check out the pig races too. It’s unusually funny

Pigs, mules, cows...dogs and cats? That's right. Rally Across America has made its way to the great state of Tennessee. We're here in Nashville at the Tennessee State Fair. We'll be set up near the family fun area during the evening of September 7th, and from 10am-6pm on September 8th-9th with pets for adoption.

So, mozy on down to the state fair for some pet rescue and experience all the cow milking, pig racing and mule pulling you can handle! See ya there!

The special today is pet rescue with a side order of generosity and caring. Sounds good doesn’t it?

Well, it was a great weekend and anyway you looked at it, everything served here went well with Pro Plan. Here’s what was on the menu:

• A healthy portion of voting and product sales
• 13 hours and 15 minutes walked
• An assortment of potential adoptions

Viola continues to draw the crowd’s attention and raise funds. This weekend she truly was the “dog de jour” as we raised money for homeless pets.

Beautiful weather, great people and most importantly, pet rescue. What more could you want?

Melissa’s Pro Plan Pointer:
During the holidays, people travel. It's great, if the oppurtunity is there, to take you pet on vacation with you and your family. When traveling:

1. Take plenty of water and food.
2. Make sure to walk your pet at designated areas and always make sure you clean up after them.
3. Bring your animal's crate, leash, collar and chew toys.
4. Bring your animal's vaccination records.
5. Never leave your pet in a hotel room or car alone.
6. Make sure to locate a pet-friendly hotel before you start your journey and try to keep to the same routines your animal is used to.

Also, most importantly, look up vets in the area of your final destination in case of an emergency. Follow these few guidelines for a safe and happy vacation with your pet.

Cleveland rocks!

The beautiful weather continues here in Cleveland where everything tastes great. The food at the Taste of Cleveland is delicious, but, as it turns out, Rally Across America is giving Cleveland a taste of what it's like to rescue. It's only the second day of the event and things are looking unbelievable.

The local ambassadors are something special too.

Their passion and courage continue to impress us. Heaven Can Wait, a local pet rescue group, saves dogs from the pound the day before they are euthanized. WOW! It truly is a beautiful thing to be able to give an animal a new "leash on life."

Join us tomorrow as we continue to dish out large orders of pet rescue.