The idea is grand but the logistics are just as grand. It takes a team of people from all walks of life and all types of experience to pull something like this off. We invite and welcome others to join the effort.

What started as a community outreach program ('Paws for a Cause') for for the St. Joseph Elementary School in Hammonton, NJ, has now grown into a passionate organization led by Karen LaSasso and Lisa Adinolfi, consisting of moms and students focused on improving animal welfare. The Georgia Puppy Caravan is Karen's brainchild and she is putting countless hours into its organization. For more information about The M.O.M.S. (Making of Miracle Stories) Rescue, visit www.themomsrescue.com.

Animal Rescue Flights promotes, plans, and performs the transportation of animals from overcrowded shelters where they face certain death to other parts of the country where qualified families are waiting to adopt them. ARF was created by pilots who believe in the benefit of volunteering. Over 350 pilots across the nation are members of ARF and volunteer their time, skill and resources to helping save animals. There is never a fee of any kind, either to the sender or receiver of an animal flying with ARF. Julia Ryan, co-founder of ARF, is organizing all flight-related resources for the Caravan. For more information about ARF and how you can help, visit www.animalrescueflights.org.

The Freedom Train is a mode of free, volunteer-based transportation designed to rescue animals from high kill shelters and abusive/neglectful situations, and transport them to screened and approved rescues and forever homes. This system is successful thanks to a large network of people who volunteer their time, gas money, and hearts in order to see the animals reach their safe havens. Rhonda Sims, founder of The Freedom Train and highly experienced ground transport coordinator, is overseeing the ground-based transportation of the shelter animals including ensuring that all drivers are properly screened and trained for animal transport. For more information about the Freedom Train, visit www.freedomtraintransports.com.

Barking Hound Village offers doggie daycare, luxury dog boarding, dog grooming and training. A pioneer in the industry, Barking Hound Village sets today's standard for doggie daycare and boarding and is the most award-winning institution in Atlanta to-date. In this leadership role, founder David York created the Barking Hound Village Foundation (BHVF) to work with rescue groups such as Atlanta Pet Rescue, Atlanta Humane Society, Adopt-a-Golden, New Leash on Life and Fulton County Animal Services (which BHVF began operating in March, 2008). The BHVF is dedicated to improving the lives of homeless companion animals through these organizations. David York is providing the facility and staff for up to 100 shelter dogs to receive boarding and care during any necessary quarantine period prior to the dogs transport to their new rescue homes. He is also organizing the Rescue Ink Premier Party that will be a fabulous celebration event for the Caravan once it arrives to Atlanta. For more information about the Barking Hound Village, please visit www.barkinghoundvillage.com.

SOS Club is a non profit, tax exempt organization. It was founded by Tom Wargo in 1997. The main mission was to help the community by helping the people and their pets. One of the biggest needs we were concerned with was people caring for their pets and keeping their pets. We have been distributing pet food for 12 years. In 2007, we started Daffy's Pet Soup Kitchen. In August, 2008, we got our first warehouse. We now have over 50 locations across the country. We are serving over 35 counties in Georgia alone but are open to anyone who needs our help. We were the first pet soup kitchen in Georgia and we are the largest. We are also one of the largest in the country. We distribute between 20,000 and 40,000 every month from our Georgia Locations alone. In 2009, we started delivering pet food to some Animal Controls and rescues in special needed areas across the state. We are in contact with the Georgia Dept. of Agriculture to assist us in these matters. We are also working on our branches to take on the same across the country. If anyone needs assistance in starting a pet soup kitchen or how to assist in your community, please visit www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com.

In LIndenwold, NJ, this organization is registered as FOCAS (Friends of Camden Animal Shelter). The group formed in 1990 to try to do something about the animal problem in Camden County. When the old SPCA shelter in Lindenwold became available, FOCAS pooled their resources and opened the Animal Adoption Center in July, 1991. This year over 1250 cats and dogs, puppies and kittens are now loved and safe at home with their families, thanks to Animal Adoption Center. Their van will be part of the Caravan trekking to Atlanta from New Jersey, and will bring back 25 dogs for eventual adoption. For more information about the Animal Adoption Center, visit www.animaladoption.com.

A non-profit organization based in Suwanee, GA, with a mission to reduce the number of healthy animals euthanized in Georgia by implementing successful adoption programs and aggressive spay/neuter programs and by promoting responsible pet ownership. Joan Sammond, Executive Director and founder of the Georgia SPCA, is providing vaccinations and vet resources to prepare the shelter dogs for transport by the Caravan. Three of the Michael Vick dogs were awarded to the Georgia SPCA and according to the shelter's Director, Joan Sammond, 'So far they've been doing great.' One of the dogs, Chuck, will be an honorary guest of the Caravan, attending a few functions. For more information about how you can get involved with the Georgia SPCA, visit www.http://georgiaspca.org.

Driven by a deep passion for animals, Jodie Richers founded Dogs on Death Row in 2007. Having worked in the nonprofit arena for many years as a director for One Child At A Time, an international aid and adoption organization, and also as a board member for Children's Charities of America, Jodie posesses a skill set ideal for leveraging dollars into the most efficient action possible to save the greatest number of dogs. She splits her time between California and Georgia, fighting for dogs on death row in both states. For more information aobut DODR, visit www.dodr.org.

More than 1,700 pounds of muscle. Over 80 tattoos. And one unlikely mission: To rescue helpless, abandoned and abused animals. Featured on "Ellen" and in the New York Times, the group, which will stop at nothing within the bounds of the law to protect animals at risk, has a large following in the New York City metropolitan area. They are now taking their brand of animal welfare national to a new television series, Rescue Ink unleashed, set to premiere on NGC-US September 25, 2009, and around the world on NGC in 164 countries to over 305 million households in 34 languages. The group's first book, also titled 'Rescue Ink,' will be released by Viking September 21, 2009. The world premier of this new television series will be in conjunction with the Georgia Puppy Caravan! For more information about Rescue Ink, visit www.rescueink.org.

Alarmed by a local news report about owners who were deserting their pets because they could no longer afford the cost of food, Ann King, who owns Blooming Cookies and Paws Fifth Avenue Pet Gifts, immediately began to organize a pet food relief network. The purpose is to lend a helping hand to owners in need as well as to support shelters and foster families, who are taking in a record number of dogs, cats and even horses. By rallying Atlanta's pet community, animal shelters, rescue groups, and pet businesses, King and her team have already established over 20 pet food donation sites in Fulton County. For more information about Save Our Pets Foodbank, visit www.saveourpetsfoodbank.org.

The Chattooga animal shelter is small by Georgia standards, and in a rural area hard hit by the economy. The shelter has become the first resort for animal owners there who simply can't afford to pay their vet bill. With 19 runs, there isn't a lot of space and animals often must be doubled up in the runs. Over 2000 animals enter the Chattooga shelter annually. Suzanne Royal is a landscape and portrait artist based in Summerville, Georgia, who spends an incredible amount of time as a volunteer at the Chattooga shelter, working to save as many animals as possible alongside shelter director, Felicia Walker, and her assistant Selena Powell. These ladies are instrumental in making this Caravan successful. To see the animals in the Chattooga shelter this week, visit www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA316.html.

Ningun Films was established in 2001 by David Von Roehm alongside a group of entertainment professionals with various talents, creating a company specializing in the area of feature film development and production. In addition to developing films that have been entered in film festivals such as Sundance, Ningun Films has also worked on popular TV shows such as "It Takes A Thief." For more information about Ningun Films, visit www.ningunfilms.com.

Jason Wasley is a freelance filmmaker specializing in all areas of production. He works regularly on feature films, and short films, some of which have been official selections in film festivals and have been internationally released in theatres. He has worked on TV shows for Comedy Central, TLC and A&E. He has shot music concerts/videos for such artists as Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and others. For more information about Bodhi Grove Productions, see www.jwasley.com.

OFG Productions was incorporated by two friends, Guerly Jean~Felix and Jon Douglas Rainey, for the purpose of empowering themselves to create literary, visual and audio works of art. Jon wrote & co-wrote multiple songs on Jennifer Dixon's debut album, "JELLICO", to be released in Fall of 2009. Also this year, JDR was cast in M. Night Shaymalan's upcoming film, "The Last Airbender" which started shooting in April. In television, JDR hosted 80 episodes of "It Takes A Thief", worked on shows like "Sex & The City" & "Rescue Me", & has acted in many Indie films. Guerly, referred to as Sean in America, is a native of Haiti and has worked in the modeling, television and film industries. Some of his credits include a Powerade commercial, a short Indie flick, and over a dozen episodes on Discovery Channels "It Takes A Thief". For more information about OFG Productions, visit www.myspace.com/ofgproductions.

For more information about the 'Georgia Puppy Caravan', please call Karen LaSasso
at 609-665-1224 or email her at mailto:kat12242003@yahoo.com.