Looking for a pet? Your new furry friend may be no further away from your computer.

Petfinder.com, a nation-wide virtual animal shelter, includes animals from local shelters and organizations, including Club Pet Adoption Inc. in Delaware Township, Pet Solutions in Mercer, Animal Appeal in Hermitage and Rebound Greyhounds in Hubbard.

The Web site, which includes more than 3,300 shelters and rescue groups in the United States and Canada, features photographs of dogs, cats and other animals in need of a good home.

To search for a pet in your area, simple enter your zip code in the space provided and hit "Go." The Web site will retrieve local shelters, starting with the ones closest to the zip code and then branching further out.

For example, entering "16146" into Petfinder.com first retrieves the above local shelters, then lists shelters in Lawrence County and Ohio.

Club Pet became a member of Petfinder.com in December. Since joining the Internet service, six dogs have been adopted by out-of-state families.

In the 2 1/2 years since Dave and Dianna Estman began a animal shelter in conjunction with their boarding kennel, 414 homeless dogs have been adopted from Club Pet.

"We're hoping Petfinder will increase our adoptions," Mrs. Estman said. "People can just pull these (pictures) up (on the computer) and will be able to view the dogs."

Two Infinity on-line employees keep the Club Pet Web site up-to-date. The Estmans take pictures of their shelter dogs with a digital camera to put on the Web site.

Although some shelters limit their adoptions within 65 to 100 miles of the town where they are located, Club Pet does not put any restrictions on adoption.

"There's no limits if they pass the application. We have to be thorough on background checks," Mrs. Estman said. "If someone's willing to travel from upstate New York to find a dog, they're going to take care of that dog."

Club Pet's adoption fees are $60, which includes all shots, spaying and neutering. The shelter will hold adoption days at the Shenango Valley Mall on March 29 and 30 and will hold a fund-raiser at from 1 to 5 p.m. April 21 at Quaker Steak and Lube, Sharon, to raise money to complete an indoor shelter for the homeless dogs.

Rebound Greyhound is another recent addition to Petfinder.com, making its first appearance on the Web site on March 5. Founded seven months ago, the organization itself is fairly new.

"We run a greyhound adoption service," said Director Debi Kilar. "We take greyhounds from the track after they retire and find qualified homes for them."

Greyhounds are normally between 2 and 5 years old when they retire from the racetracks.

Ms. Kilar volunteered with greyhound groups around the country for about 10 years before forming the organization in Hubbard. Since its inception,Rebound Greyhound has placed 30 dogs in homes.

A Rebound Greyhound volunteer had been regularly checking Petfinder.com to find greyhounds in shelters before the group became a member.

"We've had a lot of positive reaction to it too," Ms. Kilar said. "We've gotten plenty of e-mails saying, 'We didn't know you were so local.' "

Animal Appeal shelter in Hermitage has been a member of Petfinder.com since it began, when the Web site sent out notices to shelters, said Director Yvonne Ceslak. The shelter is also a member of PetSmart Charities and regularly displays pets at PetSmart stores in Boardman and Cranberry Township.

"We've been actively involved with PetSmart folks for about three years," Mrs. Ceslak said, adding the shelter has been on-line for more than a year. "One of our volunteers created our Web page."

The shelter currently has about 20 to 30 each of dogs and cats. Adoption fees start at $95 and the shelter limits its adoptions to a 65-mile radius, or about one hour of travel time.

Pet Solutions, a non-profit spaying and neutering program in Mercer, has been a member of Petfinder.com for about a year to help place animals in homes.

"We're just looking for avenues for finding homes for animals up for adoption," said Debbie Shaulis, Pet Solutions board member.

Pet Solutions spays and neuters animals for low-income families and also neuters wild cats through their barn cat and trap, neuter and release programs. A few dogs and cats housed in volunteers' homes are up for adoption, Ms. Shaulis said.

Pet Solutions' adoption fees are $60 for cats and $85 for dogs. Adoptions are limited to 100 miles outside of Mercer.

Information and contact numbers for the above shelters and groups are available at Petfinder.com.

You can e-mail Staff Writer Erin Remai at eremai@sharon-herald.com.