It's Raining Cats and Dogs on weather.com(R)

It's Raining Cats and Dogs on weather.com(R)

Leading Weather Web Site Launches Pets Planner

ATLANTA, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- To help pet owners care for their precious canine or feline family members in all kinds of weather conditions, The Weather Channel(R) today announced the launch of its Pets Planner on weather.com.

Dog and cat owners can generate a pet-specific forecast by going to http://www.weather.com/pets , entering their location and providing some basic facts about their pet, such as age, size and hair length. Users are then returned a personalized "PetCast" with information on how to care for their pet in forecasted conditions, including weather-triggered alerts, an outdoor comfort index, the best time to walk their dog, flea activity and more. The unique PetCast was developed by expert meteorologists at The Weather Channel, with input from veterinarians.

A national survey conducted by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) found that 82 percent of pet owners think of their pet more than once while they are away from him or her during the day. With PetCast, pet owners can rest assured that their pets are better prepared for the day ahead. Initial feedback from users appears to confirm that the Web site has found favor with animal lovers -- and even animals, themselves. One comment noted that when hearing "Let's go check the weather," the user's Bichon Frise responded by running to the computer.

Additional features in the weather.com Pets Planner include:

* Pets Photo Gallery -- Proud pet owners can submit photos of their
animals and view other furry friends. Each day, a lucky dog and cat
will be featured as the Daily Dog/Cat Pic.

* Pet Care Guides -- From cold weather to caring for pets during
emergencies, this comprehensive catalog of articles from AAHA provides
dog and cat owners with advice on hundreds of important topics.

* Park Locator -- Tired of taking Fido to the same spot to play? Dog
owners use this feature to find local parks nearest them and get the
weekend weather forecast so they can plan ahead.

* Dog Walking Calculator -- Dogs aren't the only ones who benefit from
exercise. Users can calculate how many calories they burn walking the
dog and get tips for leading a healthy lifestyle.

* Mosquito Activity Forecasts -- Check local mosquito activity levels and
get prevention tips. Remember: it only takes one mosquito bite for
heartworm to worm its way into your pet's life, so year-round
protection is key!

* Plus: Pets Planner users can submit local pet events; talk with other
pet fanatics in message boards; access comprehensive weather maps and
more!

"We continue to strive to make weather.com a daily resource that provides useful, timely and relevant information for our users, and the Pets Planner is another example of The Weather Channel meeting the consumers' information needs," said Tom Flournoy, Vice President of Product Management for The Weather Channel Interactive. "We are happy to provide a tool to help our site visitors make informed decisions about their pets' routines, health and wellness."

BACKGROUND:

About The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel(R), a 24-hour weather network, is seen in over 88.5 million U.S. households. Its Web site, weather.com, reaches more than 25 million unique users per month and is consistently ranked #10 among all Web sites by Niellsen//Net Ratings. The Weather Channel also operates Weatherscan (R), a 24-hour, all-local weather network that is in front of over 8.5 million households. The Weather Channel Radio Network, The Weather Channel Newspaper Services, an education Web site at weatherclassroom.com, and is the leading weather information provider for emerging technologies. This includes PC applications, broadband and interactive television applications, with wireless weather products accessible through high-speed Internet services, phones, pagers, Palm Pilots, and other personal digital assistants. The Weather Channel is owned by Landmark Communications, Inc., a Norfolk VA-based, privately held media company.

Contact: Kathy Lane
770-336-2102
klane@weather.com

Source: The Weather Channel

CONTACT: Kathy Lane of The Weather Channel, +1-770-336-2102, or
klane@weather.com

Web site: http://www.weather.com/pets
http://www.weather.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information or to interview Tom Flournoy, please contact Kathy Lane, 770-226-2102.

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