American Humane Association To Present "Legacy Award" To Philanthropist Lois Pope

National humanitarian organization to honor Mrs. Pope for her tireless dedication to aiding America's children, animals, and wounded veterans

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Humane Association, the first national humanitarian organization, will honor distinguished philanthropist Lois Pope with its Legacy Award at the third annual American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards™ on Saturday October 5^th. Mrs. Pope is being recognized for her tireless dedication to helping animals, children, and wounded veterans and for embodying the spirit of what it means to be humane.

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She is a current member of the American Humane Association board of directors and her generous philanthropic contributions to the organization have touched a number of key program areas, most notably the world-renowned Red Star™ rescue program and American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards, for which her Lois Pope LIFE Foundation has served as the show's presenting sponsor the past two years.

Mrs. Pope's love of animals knows no bounds, but she is particularly fond of dogs. She loves dogs so much that she once remarked, "Given the choice between a dog or husband I would choose a dog every time because they do not snore, are always willing to give you a kiss and do not ignore you during football season."

A native of Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, Mrs. Pope learned from an early age the importance of looking out for not only her brothers and sisters, but animals as well. She recognizes the importance of saving animals during times of natural and manmade disasters, and has graciously donated the funds for two brand new, fully-equipped Lois Pope Red Star Vehicles. The first truck debuted earlier this year, and though it maintains a base in Palm Beach, Florida, it played a pivotal role in American Humane Association's deployment to Moore, Oklahoma in the wake of the deadly EF-5 tornado earlier this summer. The second truck is slated to be delivered this fall and will serve the Northeastern United States from its base in New Jersey. This new vehicle will serve the same area which was hit so heavily by Hurricane Sandy nearly a year ago.

"I was so amazed when I heard the story of Red Star," said Mrs. Pope. "For almost 100 years Red Star has been on the front lines of every major disaster relief effort and has saved countless lives. Just as important is that in this way, the Red Star program helps save human lives. There are many people who will not evacuate their homes if they have to leave their animals behind. Red Star gives these families the peace of mind of knowing that their animals will be given loving care until the time they can be reunited."

In addition to her gifts to American Humane Association's Red Star team, Mrs. Pope has also created the LIFE Humane Heroes Club, a humane education prototype developed in partnership with American Humane Association, designed to teach the nation's children the vital value of the living creatures who share our world. Built on the pillars of character, compassion, and respect, this pioneering project is an innovative new extension of the century-old, tremendously successful humane education program, "Be Kind to Animals Week®," which taught generations of American children the importance of all living things.

It is estimated there are currently some 3 million disabled veterans living in  this country, and soon they will have a special memorial in Washington, D.C. thanks to the charitable work of Mrs. Pope. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial – slated to be dedicated  next year – will honor and celebrate those men and women who may be broken in body or in mind, but never in spirit.  It will be the nation's first permanent public tribute to disabled veterans.

"We are honored to count Mrs. Lois Pope as a true friend to American Humane Association because of her unyielding passion for helping our most precious treasures, our children and animals," said Dr. Robin Ganzert, American Humane Association president and CEO. "We know our work is never done, but because of Mrs. Pope's grace and generosity, we will be able to continue our 136-year old mission for many generations to come. Indeed, she is a true humanitarian in every sense of the word."

The third annual American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards,  the organization's tribute to eight extraordinary canines competing for the honor of America's top dog, presented by the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation and produced by Emmy® award-winning MRB Productions, will take place October 5 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Hollywood, and will air as a 90-minute special on Hallmark Channel October 30 as part of Hallmark Channel's Pet Project, the network's cross-platform advocacy campaign designed to celebrate the joy and enrichment animals bring to our lives, while addressing the country's epidemic of pet homelessness.

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 Lois Pope, The Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, Inc., and LIFE (Leaders in Furthering Education)
Lois Pope is one of America's leading philanthropists and humanitarians. Through her various charitable mechanisms, including the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, Inc., she is devoted to saving lives, helping people help themselves, improving the quality of life for families in need and encouraging young Americans to become leaders by helping others. Her foundations also provide awards for medical research, college scholarships, humanitarian relief, the performing arts, and animal welfare. Among the many organizations that benefit from her leadership are American Humane Association; the Disabled Veterans' LIFE Memorial Foundation, which she founded to spearhead the development of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, the nation's first and only permanent public tribute to the three million living disabled American veterans and the thousands who have died; the University of Miami, where her major contribution endowed the Lois Pope LIFE Center, the top catastrophic neurological research facility in the world and home to the renowned Miami Project to Cure Paralysis; Leaders in Furthering Education, which has provided a summer camp experience for more than 15,000 disadvantaged and special needs children, as well as college scholarship support to dozens of disadvantaged high school students who aspire to careers as physicians/researchers; Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's Red Cross, for new ambulances; and the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League for a new mobile pet adoption unit. A mother and a grandmother, Lois has trained for and completed five New York City Marathons. For more information about LIFE visit www.life-edu.org.

SOURCE American Humane Association