The holiday season is a time to spend at home with your family. The Iams Home 4 the Holidays program is hoping more than 350,000 families welcome furry friends into their hearts during this year's annual adoption drive.

Entering its eighth season, the Iams Home 4 the Holidays international pet adoption drive has placed more than one million animals with families. In December 2005, the one millionth pet was adopted -- a cat in Milton, Fla.

Helen Woodward Animal Center started the Home 4 the Holidays adoption drive back in 1999 with 14 animal shelters in San Diego County. Since that time, it has grown to include shelters and rescue groups from around the globe, with 1,941 shelters participating last year.

Several local shelters are participating in this program.

This year, Helen Woodward Animal Center will team with more than 2,000 animal shelters; Academy Award-winner Diane Keaton; Kristen Bell, star of the hit TV show "Veronica Mars," and Iams to encourage prospective pet parents to take a shelter pet home for the holidays. This year's adoption drive began Nov. 6 and continues through Jan. 2.

"I'm honored to be a part of such an enormous life-saving effort," said Bell. "I applaud all the shelter and rescue groups who have made this program the success that it is. I encourage everyone to consider pet adoption, as I hope it will enhance your life as much as it has mine."

Bell is an adoptive pet parent herself to three dogs, including a black Labrador who survived Hurricane Katrina.

Thanks to its record of success, Helen Woodward Animal Center and Iams were recognized this past year with the Gold Halo Award for Best Environmental/ Wildlife Campaign from the Cause Marketing Forum. The Gold Halo Award recognizes programs that provide resources for nonprofit partners, move consumers to act out of a desire to do good, and enrich lives. The Iams Home 4 the Holidays program delivers all of these by providing resources for participating shelters, asking consumers to consider pet adoption, and finding homes for more than a million orphaned pets.

"As a partner in the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign, we are proud to play a part in finding lifelong homes for so many deserving pets," says Amy Newkirk, Iams external relations. "The human-pet bond is enhanced by taking the time to consider which animal best suits your wants and needs, and then provide them with loving environment with appropriate training, a proper diet and exercise."

During this year's adoption drive, each new adopting family will receive an Iams adoption kit containing food samples, coupons and important tips on pet care, behavior, training and nutrition.

"This program improves the lives of orphaned pets and may provide your family with its most loyal member. There are millions of dogs and cats of every size, shape, color and age ready to become part of your family," says Mike Arms, president of Helen Woodward Animal Center and founder of Iams Home 4 the Holidays.

Prospective pet parents can learn more about the Iams Home 4 the Holidays adoption drive by calling 800-421-6456 or visiting www.home4theholidays.com.