Jesse tyler ferguson wants you to adopt a dog into your modern family

Jesse Tyler Ferguson‘s family just got bigger, and we’re not talking about the one on ABC. The _Modern Family_ actor recently welcomed a second dog, Fennel, into his home as a little brother

for his first pup, Leaf. Purina ONE and Petfinder helped pair the pet rescue advocate with his second pup, and they arranged a big public debut for Fennel. Ferguson, 39, and the

eight-month-old Maltipoo walked the red carpet together at an adoption event hosted by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles and Purina ONE’s ONE Difference

campaign. The campaign, which benefits the Petfinder Foundation, is dedicated to celebrating those who make a positive difference in the lives of shelter dogs. Ferguson has obviously

improved Fennel’s life, and he is working to help countless other rescue dogs find the same happy ending by encouraging animal lovers to adopt pets. For those who already have a furry full

house, there is the Purina ONE 28-Day Challenge, which encourages dog owners to switch to Purina pet food for one month to see the positive ways it can change their canine’s life. Like any

proud pet papa, Ferguson was happy to gush to PEOPLE about his two furry kids, including the doggie audition process Fennel went through. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BECOME A DOG DAD AGAIN? It feels

great! WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO ADOPT ANOTHER DOG? I was a first-time dog owner about four years ago, and I fell in love with being a dog owner. I really wanted to rescue and find a brother

for our dog, Leaf. So we teamed up with Purina ONE and Petfinder for the ONE Difference campaign, which is a great way to celebrate people who are looking to make a difference in the lives

of dogs. We found a great little brother from another mother for our dog Leaf. Casey Rodgers/Invision for Purina ONE/AP WHAT WORK ARE YOU DOING WITH PURINA ONE AND PETFINDER? We are trying

to bring attention to their Purina ONE 28 day challenge. We’re also looking to bring attention to the importance of pet adoption and rescue. WHY DO YOU THINK PET ADOPTION AND RESCUE IS

IMPORTANT? I think it’s a no-brainer. There are so many great dogs that need homes and have been placed in shelters because they’re with a family who can’t take care of them anymore, or

don’t have the right family who has the patience to take care of them. I think a common misconception about dogs in shelters is that there is some sort of problem with them and that’s why

they are there. That’s just not the case at all. The dogs that I met with, when we were looking for Fennel, were the most lovely, sweet dogs. They truly just want to find their forever home

and find someone who will accept the love that they are willing to give. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE LOOKING TO ADOPT A DOG FOR THE FIRST TIME? Find the dog you connect with. I fell in

love with Leaf immediately when we found him, and he’s been a part of the family ever since then. Take your time and look around to find the right match. It is all about chemistry. SPEAKING

OF CHEMISTRY, HOW ARE LEAF AND FENNEL GETTING ALONG? We had Leaf very involved in the process of choosing a new dog. We had doggie auditions. We would go out to shelters and bring Leaf with

us. A few of the dogs came over to our house, so we could see how they played with Leaf. He really made the ultimate decision. He and Fennel got along really, really well. It made the

decision very easy for us. I’VE NEVER HEARD THE PHRASE DOGGIE AUDITIONS BEFORE. Oh yeah, and there were doggie call backs as well. Casey Rodgers/Invision for Purina ONE/AP NOW THAT YOU HAVE

ADOPTED FENNEL, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? Back to filming _Modern Family;_ my summer is basically done. I had a very productive summer. I did Shakespeare in the Park with

Sam Waterston, and I did _Spamalot_ at the Hollywood Bowl, and I did an adventure with Bear Grylls earlier in the summer. It’s been a very packed few months. I am actually slowing down, now

that I am back to my day job. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ACTING WITH YOUR DOGS? No, I’ve never thought about bringing my dogs into show business. I’ll let them make that decision when they

are old enough. It’ll be their own choice. AFTER WORKING ON _MODERN FAMILY_ FOR SO LONG, IS IT NICE TO COME BACK TO FILMING WITH THE CAST? It is it nice. We miss each other during the

summer. I certainly keep in touch with a lot of the cast members during the summer, but there is nothing like being back to work. It’s a lovely group of people I get to work with. I feel so

fortunate that they are so nice, because seven years is a long time. It makes a big difference if you like the people you work with.