Shortly after launching in May 2009, Petango reached the top last week.  Ok, maybe not the top of the adoptable search web space but certainly the top of Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak.   Projected to hit 600,000 unique visitors this month, Petango has already surpassed Adopt-a-Pet.com to take the #2 spot in this category of websites, indicating such other summits aren't too far away either.

Seen here enthusiastically holding the Petango bandana is Andrei Cornienco, Director of I.T. for Pethealth.  Andrei and his team of developers are responsible for creating synergies between PetPoint and Petango.com, the only real-time listing of adoptable pets.  If it was up to me, Andrei would have made the gruelling hike/climb with 44lbs of Petango display booth strapped to his back.  Unfortunately, his wife Svetlana opposed.

Andrei's "nothing is impossible" attitude goes beyond his climbing exploits.  When asked to create an application form that linked potential adopters on Petango.com directly to shelters running PetPoint, he nonchalantly answered: "When do you need it by?" - Deployed last month, the feature has already saved PetPoint users hundreds of data-entry hours.  "If we continue to build the functionality, more and more people will want to use it." said Andrei.  A simple enough strategy, last week his team launched their first Facebook App, potentially exposing more than 250 million people to Petango.

Andrei has yet to choose his next peak.  Elbrus or Denali?  Perhaps, his wife will allow the extra weight of a Petango T-shirt for this one.  One thing is for certain, the climb to conquer the metaphorical mountain of the adoptable search has began.  With their eyes set on the next milestone (to exceed 1 million unique visitors per month) Andrei and his team are determined to make record time. 

 Ads are meant to get a reaction, stick in your head, and ultimately cause you to purchase something.   But why did this advertising firm for Verizon decide it was necessary to further stereotype Pitbulls?  

 Both HSUS and ASPCA have made formal statements condemning the aggressive portrayal of two pits and contacted Verizon's top brass; but when you are trying to create a reaction "bad press" is better than no press right??  Verizon had initially decided to keep this advertisement on, but after dozens of postings, stories and emails condeming the ad popped allover the net - their better judgment finally rang through...

One could argue that training your dog to bite on command like this Bud Light commercial is just as bad; so why didn't it cause such a reaction from Animal Welfare?   

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