Local pet vendors as well as representatives from animal shelters and centers will be available to help educate customers and answer questions on the benefits of adopting and owning a pet.

What:
The public is invited to a special event where officials from the U.S. Postal Service and local animal shelters will unveil an image of the new Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet commemorative stamps.

Who:
David Quick, Manager, Cross Lanes Post Office
Sylvia Shafer, Board Member, Kanawha Animal Shelter
Jon Davis, Manager, Putnam Co Animal Relief Center

The following vendors will be available:
Patty Stahl, Owner, Camp Critter Creek
Donna Mallory, Owner, Whimsical Dog
Sheree Shaffer, Owner, Canine Coiffeurs

When:
Friday, April 30, 2010 10 am – 2 pm

Where:
Main Post Office Lobby 1002 Lee Street E. Charleston, WV 25301

Background:
The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet on March 17, 2010 on The Ellen DeGeneres TV Show.

Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet is the Postal Service’s 2010 social awareness stamp. Past social awareness stamps have highlighted important issues such as children’s health, literacy, breast cancer awareness, organ and tissue donation, philanthropy and Alzheimer’s awareness.

The stamps will be available at Post Offices nationwide April 30.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no direct support from taxpayers. With 36,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, the Postal Service relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $68 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 28th in the 2009 Fortune 500.