Lesbian icon Ellen DeGeneres is teaming up with fellow animal lover and former Meow Mix owner Richard Thompson to rebuild shabby animal shelters across the United States.

DeGeneres has featured Thompson on her show to talk about the campaign and the first project - a makeover of a sanctuary in Monkey Run, Ark. - is currently under way, with Thompson footing the bill, Page Six reports.

"We're halfway done now," Thompson told Page Six. "We've been redoing it for a woman named Janice Wolf, who was found by Ellen. We bulldozed the place, and we're building a new hay barn and a new barn. She's got almost 60 animals, including a zebra, some Watusi cattle and 20 dogs, some that are three-legged, blind and deaf."

DeGeneres and Thompson became friends because they are both "pet nuts," said Thompson. "She can be the celebrity. She wanted to do something good. I'm proud of her, she believes in this."

Thompson is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Meow Mix, which was sold to Del Monte for $705 million earlier this year. He now runs the animal-based Web site ZooToo.com.

Last update: 12-11-2007 19:30