American Humane Association Awards Prestigious National Humanitarian Medal To Crown Media Family Networks President And CEO Bill Abbott

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Oct. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, the first national humane organization and the nation's only charity dedicated to the protection of children and animals, has awarded its highest honor, the National Humanitarian Medal, to Crown Media Family Networks President and CEO and American Humane Association board member Bill Abbott for his continued efforts to make the world a better place for animals, especially those in the nation's shelters. Mr. Abbott was presented with this award on September 19 as part of the 2015 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards®, the organization's annual tribute to heroes on both ends of the leash.

A devoted advocate for pet adoption and animal welfare in both his personal and professional lives, Mr. Abbott has been a long-time supporter of and volunteers at an organization called Last Hope Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation in Wantagh, New York. He also rescues feral cats found near his home and personally socializes them so they can be prepared for adoption. But helping animals is not just hobby, as he has given his passion a national platform to help millions of animals by creating Hallmark Channel's Pet Project, an on- and off-air advocacy and awareness initiative designed to celebrate the joy pets bring to our lives, shine a spotlight on the wonderful animals in shelters across the country, and promote adoption. Through partnerships with organizations like American Humane Association, Best Friends Animal Society, and North Shore Animal League America, as well as programs like the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards and Kitten Bowl, Hallmark Channel's Pet Project strives to dismantle misconceptions about shelter animals and help them find the loving homes they so deserve.

By receiving the prestigious National Humanitarian Medal, he joins past luminaries including America's sweetheart Betty White, philanthropist Candy Spelling, lifestyle icon Martha Stewart, country music superstar Miranda Lambert, poultry producer Gus Arrendale, and Hollywood director Jon Turteltaub.

"Animal welfare is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, so this medal is especially meaningful for me," said Bill Abbott, president & CEO, Crown Media Family Networks. "Thank you to American Humane Association for this great honor and for the tireless work you do every day to create a better, safer world for animals."

"There is no person I can think of more deserving of the National Humanitarian Medal than Bill Abbott," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane Association's president and CEO, who presented the medal to him on stage at the Hero Dog Awards. "Bill's love and passion for helping our four-legged friends knows no bounds. We are proud not only to have Hallmark Channel as the broadcast sponsor for the Hero Dog Awards for the past five years, but to work with them and their Pet Project to continue to help animals in need all year long."

The American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards are presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and will be broadcast nationally on Hallmark Channel on October 30 at 8 pm ET/PT, 7 pm Central.

About American Humane Association
American Humane Association is the country's first national humane organization and the only one dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Since 1877, American Humane Association has been at the forefront of virtually every major advance in protecting our most vulnerable from cruelty, abuse and neglect. Today we're also leading the way in understanding the human-animal bond and its role in therapy, medicine and society. American Humane Association reaches millions of people every day through groundbreaking research, education, training and services that span a wide network of organizations, agencies and businesses. You can help make a difference, too. Visit American Humane Association at www.americanhumane.org today.

About Crown Media Family Networks
Crown Media Family Networks is the umbrella unit of Crown Media Holdings, Inc. housing cable's leading family friendly networks, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, as well as their corresponding digital extensions HallmarkChannel.com and HallmarkMoviesandMysteries.com. The company operates and distributes both channels in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) with Hallmark Channel available to 90 million subscribers and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries in 62 million homes in the United States. Hallmark Channel features an ambitious slate of original content, including movies; scripted series, such as Cedar Cove, When Calls the Heart, and Good Witch; annual specials like Hero Dog Awards and Kitten Bowl; world premieres of Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations, and a daily 2-hour lifestyle show, Home & Family. Hallmark Channel is also home to annual holiday franchise, Countdown to Christmas, featuring a lineup of 24/7 holiday programming. Rounding out the networks' lineup are television's most beloved sitcoms and series, including The Golden Girls, The Middle, Little House on the Prairie, and Frasier. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, recently rebranded from Hallmark Movie Channel, is a 24-hour digital cable network featuring a unique mix of original movies and acquired series focused on the lighter side of the suspense and mystery genres. The network also features its own annual holiday programming franchise, the Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas, as well as presentations from the award-winning Hallmark Hall of Fame library.

For more information, please visit www.crownmediapress.com

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SOURCE American Humane Association

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