PetFinder.com is hoping to find forever homes for the nearly 200,000 dogs in shelters and rescues across North America by celebrating Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month in October.

PetFinder.com is urging families to help dogs in need of homes by:

• Adopting a dog or giving the gift of pet adoption with Petfinder’s Pet Promise Certificate.
• Volunteering with a local rescue or shelter
• Donating Facebook posts and Tweets to highlight adoptable dogs
• Visiting Petfinder.com for more ideas and resources

Additionally, Petfinder.com will host two Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month events near the Washington, D.C., USA and New York, USA, areas, featuring adoptable dogs, prizes and more.

The first, an Animal Planet R.O.A.R. & Petfinder Community Adoption Event will be held on Thursday, October 4, from 4-6 p.m. The event will take place at the Discovery Communications headquarters at One Discovery Place in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA.

Another Petfinder Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month Adoption Event will also be hosted at Animal Haven at 251 Centre Street in New York, New York, USA, from 12-3 p.m. on October 13.