The email arrived at my desk a week ago from a concerned girl who had found PetRescue on the web:

Two chocolate labradors looking for a loving home - please help! About to be killed!

She had forwarded it to everyone in her address book, hoping to do her bit to save these poor doe eyed doggies from destruction.

Within half a day I had received the same email from at least 20 different sources; everyone I knew, from the most senior executives to the lowest plebs were trying to do their bit. It seems that Jaffa and Boston's plight had touched the hearts of everyone.

The outpouring of sympathy and concern was immense and even affected an old animal rescue cynic like me.

The thing is – it’s a hoax. Yep, Jaffa and Boston don’t exist, or at least, if they ever existed they certainly weren’t on the 24 hour countdown to deaths door.

Yet, these virtual puppies have managed to get more PR than any homeless dog I know (I don’t even want to think about the reasons the email was started) and while Jaffa & Boston don't need saving, the truth is there are thousands of dogs in Australia in genuine need.

Just check www.petrescue.com.au - today’s count is 1,052 homeless pets listed.

And yes there are Labradors and yes, there are spoodles and noodles and other oodles, and there are hundreds of other cross breed dogs that don’t have the benefit of a cutesy rhyming name or show dog looks; but make no mistake they are just as deserving of a new home as the virtual Jaffa and Boston.

So the next time you get the labrador email - or another one like it - sent to you, please hit "reply to all" and send everyone a link to PetRescue - www.petrescue.com.au.

Do that and you might just be saving
a real life!

Cheers,
The PetRescue Team