Children and Animals Displaced by Floods in Memphis, Tennessee, and Tornado in Birmingham, Alabama, Catch a Break with "The Smurfs®"

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Families forced to evacuate their homes during last spring's floods in Memphis, Tenn., and who suffered a tornado in Birmingham, Ala., counted on American Humane Association's Red Star™ Animal Emergency Services to help their beloved pets until they could be reunited. In many cases, American Humane Association's Red Star program aided animals that became lost, disoriented, or fell into harm's way as well.

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Now, a shelter in Memphis and a shelter in Birmingham have a unique way to bring attention to the needs of "pets-to-be" that are in their care, thanks to American Humane Association and Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation. These shelters each are giving away 25 pairs of tickets to screenings of the new movie "The Smurfs®" to children who donate toys or supplies that can benefit cats in their care.  The Smurfs opens in theaters everywhere on July 29, 2011.

Children who donate a homemade cat toy to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society on 300 Snow Drive from July 20 to July 26, 2011, will be entered for a drawing to win a pair of passes to the Thursday, July 28, preview showing of The Smurfs at the Rave Patton Creek cinema at 6:00 p.m.

Children who donated kitty litter, spray bottles, soaps or other much-needed cat supplies to the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County on 935 Farm Road from July 15 through July 22, 2011, were entered in a drawing to win a pair of passes to a preview showing of The Smurfs at the Malco Cordova cinema on Tuesday, July 26, at 6:00 p.m.

The Smurfs has been awarded American Humane Association's "No Animals Were Harmed"® end-credit certification. The certification program involves the presence of American Humane Association's Certified Animal Safety Representatives™ on the set of movies, television shows and commercials to monitor animal safety during filming. It is the only officially sanctioned program to keep movie and television animal actors safe on set.

"When we learned of the hardships that families still endure after the recent floods and tornado that devastated parts of Memphis and Birmingham, we wanted to put a smile on the faces of kids there and help local shelters benefit animals at the same time," said Jone Bouman, director of communications for American Humane Association's Film and TV Unit. "We thank Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation for supporting this great cause, and we encourage everyone to support their local shelters year-round."

American Humane Association has been the nation's only voice for the protection of both children and animals since 1877, and the leader of most legislation, policy decisions, and cultural shifts that keep children and animals from harm. To learn more, visit www.americanhumane.org. To see the Red Star™ Animal Emergency Services program's efforts in Memphis, click on "Red Star."

The Smurfs make their first 3D trip to the big screen in Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation's hybrid live-action and animated family comedy, The Smurfs. When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the Smurfs out of their village, through a magical portal, and into our world, they land in the middle of New York's Central Park. Just three apples high and stuck in the Big Apple, the Smurfs must find a way to get back to their village before Gargamel tracks them down. Directed by Raja Gosnell. The producer is Jordan Kerner. The screenplay is by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss and Jay Scherick & David Ronn from a story by J. David Stem & David N. Weiss, based on the Characters and Works of Peyo.

SMURF, and all Smurfs characters ©Peyo. All Rights Reserved. "Smurf" and "The Smurfs" are registered trademarks of STUDIO PEYO.

About the Smurfs

The story of the Smurfs – a property created by Peyo – started in 1958 with the creation of comic books which were later brought to both the big and small screen. Over the years, the little blue characters haven't just limited themselves to the page and the screen. They have inspired records and CDs that have sold millions of copies, entire collections of figurines and toys, and many more products. In all, more than 3,000 derived products have been produced and leading brands and companies have spread their messages worldwide with the help of the Smurfs. A multitude of new projects appear regularly, thus making the success of the Smurfs planetary!

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Sony Pictures Animation

Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf's Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D). The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D). Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation's successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 2011. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

About Lafig Belgium S.A.

Lafig Belgium is the owner of the rights to produce audio-visual works based on the Smurf universe and of the Smurf worldwide licensing rights (together with IMPS). Lafig Belgium is controlled by the heirs of Pierre Culliford, better known under his pseudonym Peyo, the author/creator of the Smurfs. For 50 years, the Culliford family has controlled the Smurf characters and all licenses worldwide.

SOURCE American Humane Association