The contest "has been a dream come true for us," Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue, was quoted as saying in a zootoo.com press release.

A year later, though, Thompson is in the doghouse. Stray Rescue and another animal rescue group in Arkansas both accuse him of falling through on his promises.

Grim said his nonprofit has gotten no money — just lots of pressure from Thompson to beg subcontractors, suppliers and labor unions to donate their goods and services for the shelter makeover.

"I call this the 'pay and beg' contest," Grim said. "You pay and you beg for your makeover."

Thompson said he was "absolutely flabbergasted and shocked" by Grim's reaction, and that the contest rules pledged "up to $1 million in value" — including cash and donated goods and services.

Thompson said zootoo.com has provided $400,000 for the makeover so far, but Stray Rescue said most of that is in donated goods and services.

Stray Rescue isn't the only animal rescue group left angry. In late 2007, Thompson pledged on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" to build a barn and provide a year's worth of food for Rocky Ridge Refuge in Gassville, Ark.

Owner Janice Wolf said she got a scaled-down barn and some of the food, but that Thompson "pressured local businesses to donate everything."

"He played big time to the cameras, and the press," she said. "Somebody needs to stop Richard from misrepresenting what he's all about, or force him to step up and become what he says he is."

Thompson, former chief executive of Secaucus, N.J.-based Meow Mix, is wrapping up this year's contest for a shelter makeover even as last year's Stray Rescue project is at a standstill.

The contest requires shelters to get their supporters to register and earn points by being active on zootoo.com, contributing reviews of pet products and services, and sharing opinions and advice. Winners must accumulate the most points.

Grim said Stray Rescue has been doubly hurt from the contest since donations have plummeted 50 percent in the last year as donors mistakenly believed the group was awash in money.

Grim said Thompson even instructed him to wire $170,000 of Stray Rescue funds to pay some of the shelter makeover's startup costs.

Grim thought he'd be reimbursed. Thompson said some of the $170,000 was from a Pedigree Foundation grant Stray Rescue wouldn't have gotten if he hadn't won the makeover.

Thompson said Stray Rescue's vision for a shelter exceeds what can be done for $1 million. But the makeover's general contractor, Dan Green, said Thompson agreed to a $2 million budget and then solicited donated goods and services. When they didn't come through, he scaled back the project to $1.7 million.

Green said Thompson also threatened to cut suppliers and subcontractors out of the project — an assertion to which Thompson didn't respond.

"They've budgeted, bid and rebid," Green said. "We've wasted a tremendous amount of time because of (Thompson's) approach to the project."

Green dropped out last month after Thompson said $600,000 worth of electrical, plumbing and other work that had gone out to bid had to be donated.

"I'm not their donation solicitor," Green said. "I'm a general contractor. I'm not calling these guys and twisting their arms harder."