pet adoption.

Best Friends Animal Society has made the best Christmas video ever, featuring some gorgeous furry friends wrapping gifts, making ornaments and frosting cookies -- with extra hands thrown in, William Wegman style. In this season of giving, consider helping homeless animals. Donate to Best Friends before Dec. 31 and a group of benefactors will match your donation. This means that if animal lovers give up to $2 million between now and the end of the year, these donors will give another $2 million to Best Friends. The funds will enable the organization not only to continue to care for the 2,000 dogs, cats and other animals at its shelter in Southern Utah but also support homeless pets across ...

National Mutt Day Today is the fifth annual National Mutt Day, which celebrates and encourages the adoption of shelter dogs and provides donations to local shelters. This year's goal is to save 10,000 mutts from euthanasia or a lifetime in a shelter. National Mutt Day founder and animal behaviorist Colleen Paige spoke to Paw Nation about why she created the day and ways you can help. Paige has long invested her time in educating the public about the reality of strays, puppy mills and shelter dogs, and the idea of establishing National Mutt Day came out of her desire to do something on a grand scale. "National Mutt Day has helped save over 50,000 dogs since its inception," Paige explains. ...

superfem, Flickr Why is it that some shelter animals have dozens of people clamoring to adopt them, while others are disregarded, leaving these dogs and cats to languish in shelters, often for months at a time? "Sometimes, it's hard to distinguish one feature that makes them less adoptable or why they are perpetually passed over," Betsy Saul, co-founder of Petfinder.com, tells Paw Nation. Other times, it's obvious. Why Some Pets Are Left Behind at Shelters Adoptable pets that are blind, deaf or otherwise have "special needs" are often hard to place, states Petfinder.com. So are pets that are older, shy, have dark fur, are too large or can't live in a home with other animals. Then there is ...

Alamy Name: Bedlington Terrier Personality: A terrier without the terror! Bedlingtons are renowned for being one of the calmest, most mild-mannered types of terrier. But like all terriers, they're also fiercely loyal to their family and incredibly smart. The Bedlington Terrier Club of America says, "A Bedlington loves to play, retrieve, jog, help with chores, or share your quiet moments. They will curl up in a little ball or become your inseparable companion as you read, write, sleep, drive, or just sit." Grooming: As a hypoallergenic low-shedder with a woolly coat, the Bedlington terrier is sometimes jokingly called a "lamb on a leash." The coat can mat, however, so weekly brushing is ...

Jesse James with one of his many dogs. Bauer-Griffin Jesse James, owner of West Coast Choppers and ex-husband of Sandra Bullock, has added a new member to his family: a French bulldog named Pierre, reports Star Magazine. The dog was a gift to his daughter Chandler. James is known to be a devoted dog owner. Last year, when his pit-bull puppy named CinnaBun went missing, he offered a $5,000 reward for her return and fortunately, she was found, safe and sound. James also has another pit bull named Mr. T. James recently moved his family from California to Austin, Texas, supposedly to be closer to Bullock. We wonder what James's latest lady, Kat Von D, thinks about the move -- and the new ...

WireImage / Getty Images Celebs are going cat crazy. On Thursday, Nicole Richie introduced the newest member of the family on her website and Twitter account. Tabitha Jones Madden, as the cat is called, has actually been living with the Richie-Madden clan for about two months after being taken in from the street. Richie writes, "I couldn't resist. I fed her, and she was as happy as Benji Madden in a sorority house. Its been two months now, so I think it's safe to call her mine." We're sure her two-legged children, Harlow and Sparrow, are just as excited as their mama. Another celebrity tyke who's undoubtedly enjoying some kitty cuddles is little Levi McConaughey, son of Matthew ...