ANIMAL PLANET ANSWERS THE AGE-OLD QUESTION

Special to Settle the Score in Head-to-Head Battle for Pet Superiority

(Silver Spring, MD) - For centuries dogs and cats have inhabited our homes and captivated our hearts. Sleeping at the foot of our beds, awaiting our arrival home from work and comforting us when we are feeling down, these loveable creatures have become a part of our families and, in some cases, our best friends. Yet when we discuss our furry companions the conversation often turns to the age-old question: Are you a dog person or a cat person? And why? While we all have our own thoughts and opinions about what the correct answer should be, no one has been able to solve the mystery, until now!

On Saturday, July 24, at 8 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet will take on the task of settling this grudge match 5,000 years in the making with the new special DOGS VS. CATS. With seven rounds of varying events used to settle the score, DOGS VS. CATS will get to the root of pet lovers' obsessions and preferences for each species by posing poignant questions to pet owners about each species and by matching up actual cats and dogs in head-to-head competitions to gauge friendship, athleticism, cuteness, history, cleanliness, intelligence and cost. The first species to capture four rounds will be crowned the superior pet.

"I confess to being a dog person. But my best friend is a cat person - or actually a two-cat person," says Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager of Animal Planet Media. "Whether you consider yourself on Team Dog or Team Cat, we guarantee this special will provide everyone with something to cheer for and maybe even some closure and bragging rights."

Throughout the special, viewers will be treated to fun facts about each species, learn their histories, witness unscripted, raw interviews with everyday Americans and see the hilarious and often destructive antics of kittens and puppies. They will also watch an array of groups, from bar patrons to preschoolers, weigh in on the subject. No questions are too off-the-wall, and no contests are off limits in this no-holds barred match to determine a winner in the ultimate battle of the species.

To learn more about DOGS VS. CATS and to cast your vote for your favorite of the two species in our online poll, visit Animalplanet.com/dogsvscats. Voting will begin on July 17 and will continue until 30 minutes remain in the July 24 special, when the online poll winner will be announced live during the special.

DOGS VS. CATS is produced for Animal Planet by Powderhouse Productions. Sean Baker Carter is the executive producer for Powderhouse. Melinda Toporoff is the executive producer for Animal Planet.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 96 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.