'Octomom' Picks PETA Over Porn in Bid to Save Home

(March 25) -- Octomom Nadya Suleman's desperate bid to save her house from foreclosure apparently has gone to the dogs -- and cats.

Suleman has signed a deal with the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to lend her name to a new ad campaign, The Associated Press reports.

PETA's latest public relations move will feature a sign in Suleman's front yard stating, "Don't Let Your Dog or Cat Become an Octomom. Always Spay and Neuter."

A little over a year after she gave birth to the world's only surviving set of octuplets, Suleman is struggling. Her father, Ed Doud, has defaulted on a $450,000 payment for a home he bought for his daughter, and told the AP he will have to file foreclosure papers in the coming days unless enough funds can be raised.

Another job offer was far more lucrative. Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment, told Suleman he would pay off her mortgage in full. All the famous mother would have to do in return is make an adult film.

"We have sent Nadya a letter offering to sit down and work out details that would be most comfortable for her," Hirsch told LA Weekly earlier this week. "We can act quickly to meet with her and her representatives to secure her home and to work with her on a movie that she can be proud of."

Suleman rejected the offer. But she's doggedly pursuing business opportunities in other ways. Her lawyer, Jeff Czech, confirmed that she has made the deal with PETA.

"When you gave birth to octuplets to bring your total number of children to 14, you grabbed headlines and got the world talking about your controversial decision. Now, will you help turn some of that attention to another important matter -- the dog and cat overpopulation crisis? Every year, 6 to 8 million animals are turned over to animal shelters, and roughly half of them are euthanized because of the lack of good homes."

Last year, the future looked somewhat brighter for the California serial mom. After Suleman gave birth, it seemed likely that a TV network would offer to turn her 15 minutes of fame into a reality show. After all, documentary-like reality shows, like TLC's "19 Kids and Counting," that follow mega-sized families are everywhere.

But then it was discovered that Suleman already had six older children when she carried eight babies to term, and earned no income of her own. Most networks steered clear of the family. In February 2009, TLC President Eileen O'Neill suggested that the octomom might not be right for the network's brand.

"We're certainly like the rest of America; we're waiting to see how this develops," O'Neill said. "TLC is not pursuing any program at this time with Nadya Suleman. We wish the family well."

Bloggers, though, were ruthless. At the time, Sassy Smith, a blogger at The Babble, a mother-focused Web site, wrote, "Not pursuing it, wonder why? Probably because America is angry at Suleman for her selfish and irresponsible decisions and no one would watch the show!"

Suleman did eventually receive a few offers. RadarOnline.com filmed the family until the California labor department ordered it to stop because the children were being filmed too many hours per day. Ultimately, every deal fell through, and the family has been left with few ways to earn enough income.