TAMPA, Fla., April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Halo, Purely for Pets has teamed up with the Olate Dogs, arguably the world's most famous rescue dogs, to change perceptions and combat stereotypes about shelter pets.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140425/78388

In 2012 the Olate Dogs shot to stardom when they won the America's Got Talent grand prize. These sweet, funny, talented dogs and their entertaining owners/handlers captured hearts across America. Audiences are thrilled to learn that many of the Olate Dogs are rescue dogs.

Halo, co-owned by Ellen DeGeneres, is known for its efforts to promote rescue and adoption and debunk myths about shelter pets.

In the spirit of this philanthropic collaboration, the Halo and Olate Dogs launched their partnership with the creation of a short, six-minute film, "Le Sauvetage" (The Rescue), directed by Peter McEvilley (The House Bunny, Last Vegas, Alias) and starring the Olate Dogs.

The short film has been lauded in the media and the film community alike. Le Sauvetage opened the Sonoma Film Festival on April 2, 2014 to great response and will appear at the Court Metrage, Festival de Cannes in France in May.

At the Sonoma Film Festival, the movie captivated audiences. And, in partnership with Freekibble.com, Halo donated 10,000 meals of Halo Spot's Stew to the local Sonoma shelter, Pets Lifeline.

An unexpected bonus at the Sonoma event was that one of the Pets Lifeline dogs, a sweet young mixed breed, caught the Olates' attention and they fell in love with him. The family adopted him and named him Max.

The pup will soon begin training to join the act, but if he doesn't show an affinity for the stage, Max will remain with the Olates as a beloved family member and companion, just as all of their performing and non-performing dogs do.

The Olates have a long history of adopting dogs into their family. Ten of the Olate dogs are rescue dogs. Family patriarch, Richard Olate, developed his act on the streets of his native Chile when he was a poor boy of just 12. He began rescuing stray dogs from the street and training them to be part of his amateur show.  He worked for years towards his dream of becoming a professional dog act. Today, Richard and his wife, Rebecca, and son, Nicholas, continue to save dogs from shelters and train them to become part of their professional troupe.

Halo has a history of supporting efforts to promote how incredible shelter and rescue pets are. The company is the proud sponsor of Shelter Me, a PBS series that highlights shelter pets and stories of how they change our lives in amazing ways. Halo has also sponsored K9's for Warriors, a program that adopts shelter dogs and trains them to become service dogs for U.S. veterans, and the Humane Society of the United States' "Meet My Shelter Pet," campaign, a series of videos featuring celebrities and their adopted pets.  Even the late Uncle ChiChi – who lived to become the world's oldest dog – was adopted from a shelter.

Through Halo's partnership with Freekibble.com, the company regularly promotes stories of shelter pets doing great things for humans and the world.

"There's a perception that shelter pets aren't as trainable, healthy or loving as other pets," says David Yaskulka, Halo's vice president of marketing communications. "In fact, it's the opposite. Shelter pets in every community completely defy those stereotypes. The Olate Dogs show how amazing shelter  and rescue pets can be. If shelter dogs can become Olate dogs or search and rescue dogs or therapy dogs, they can certainly become great pets!"

Nicholas Olate agrees. "People are amazed that many our dogs are either rescue dogs or offspring of our rescue dogs," he says. "We're looking forward to working with Halo to spread this important message to our audiences."

Throughout the year, the Olate Dogs and Halo will be touring the continent, performing and spreading the message that shelter pets are talented, lovable and extraordinary.   

For information about where to see the Olate Dogs perform, click here: http://www.halopets.com/olate

ABOUT HALO, PURELY FOR PETS
For over 25 years, Halo, Purely for Pets® has created holistic pet products of uncompromising quality. Halo believes nutrition is the single most important factor in the quality of a pet's life. Ellen DeGeneres – a long time Halo customer – became part-owner in 2008. In 2010, Halo donated 1 million meals to shelter pets for the U.S. Postal Service Adopt a Shelter Pet Stamp Program. Halo now donates over 1.5 million meals to shelter pets annually in partnership with Freekibble.com, and sponsors the acclaimed PBS series "Shelter Me." Halo's natural dog food, natural cat food, treats, supplements and grooming products are available at Petco, Whole Foods Market, and other fine pet specialty and natural food stores. Learn more at www.halopets.com.

ABOUT THE OLATE DOGS
In 2012 the Olate Dogs shot to stardom when they won the America's Got Talent grand prize. These sweet, funny, talented dogs and their entertaining owners/handlers have been capturing hearts across the world ever since Richard Olate developed his act on the streets of his native Chile when he was 12. He began rescuing stray dogs from the street and training them to be part of his amateur show. Today, Richard and his wife, Rebecca and son, Nicholas, continue to rescue dogs from  shelters and homes and train them to become part of their professional troupe.  The Olate Dogs travel across the continent, amazing audiences with their talents. For more information, please visit www.olatedogs.tv

Contact: Caroline Golon
614-580-2445
caroline@highpaw.com

SOURCE Halo, Purely for Pets