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Even before the much-anticipated movie "Cats & Dogs" opens on Wednesday, July 4, there's no doubt about who's really top dog.

In the perennial battle between dogs and cats for their owners' affection, man's best friend is leading the pack, according to a recent survey of PETsMART associates.

Seventy percent said "dogs rule," while only 30 percent put felines in "furrst" place. Even a majority of associates with fish, birds, rabbits, horses and other pets said the world was going to the dogs.

But PETsMART cat lovers say the survey was far from "purrfect" and vowed to fight the results with tooth and claw. "When it comes to intelligence, it's time for dogs to get smart," says Marcia Meyer, senior vice president of marketing. "Every cat owner knows who really runs the family."

PETsMART is a promotional partner with Warner Bros. Pictures in the "Cats & Dogs" comedy, in which Mr. Tinkles, a power-mad Persian cat unleashes a worldwide attack on dogs. The movie stars Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins with numerous celebrity animated voices.

In conjunction with the movie, PETsMART is sponsoring a "Cats & Dogs" themed sweepstakes with store display opportunities. The campaign involves the PETsMART charity program, United for the Paws, which raises funds and awareness for the plight of homeless animals.

The informal "Cats & Dogs" survey of PETsMART associates also showed:

-- About 60 percent of PETsMART associates are pet enthusiasts, (affectionately
known as Pet Parents) compared with about 22 percent of people nationwide.

-- Nearly 60 percent of PETsMART associates purchase birthday gifts for their
pets, compared with 19 percent of pet owners nationwide.

-- About 65 percent of PETsMART associates say their pet sleeps in their bed,
compared to 43 percent nationwide.

PETsMART, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company operates more than 560 pet stores in the United States and Canada, as well as a large pet supply catalog business, and is the major, controlling investor in the Internet's leading online provider of pet products and information (www.petsmart.com). PETsMART provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and supplies, and offers complete pet training, grooming, and adoption services. Since 1994, PETsMART Charities has donated more than $15 million to animal welfare programs and, through its in-store adoption programs, has saved the lives of more than a million pets.

# posted by Medical Information : 2:52 AM