Nature's Variety® Instinct® Pet Food Launches Long Live Pets Campaign to Support the Mission of Best Friends Animal Society

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Three to four million healthy and adoptable pets are killed in America's animal shelters each year simply because they don't have a place to call home. To help increase awareness of and save the pets available for adoption, Nature's Variety, makers of the Instinct® brand and newly named Official Pet Food Partner of Best Friends Animal Society, is launching Long Live Pets.

Adopters of shelter and rescue pets across the nation are being invited to submit photos of their pets to be the potential stars of what will be a groundbreaking, crowd-sourced film that showcases the happiness of adopted dogs in their new lives. The short film, which will premiere on national TV later this spring on the Nat Geo WILD network, will also help promote the mission of Best Friends to end the killing of animals in America's shelters.

"Our company purpose – something we live every day – is 'empowering people to transform the lives of pets,'" said Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature's Variety. "Best Friends Animal Society is a natural partner in this mission because they have been transforming – and saving – the lives of pets for more than 30 years."

According to Best Friends, an estimated 9,000 adoptable pets are killed in America's shelters each day. In recognition of Best Friends' goal of reducing this number to zero, the campaign strives to receive at least 9,000 photo submissions.

To participate in the campaign, consumers can go directly to LongLivePets.com or submit their photos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #LongLivePets.

About the Partnership

As Best Friends Animal Society's Official Pet Food Partner of 2015, Nature's Variety will supply its Instinct brand dog and cat food to Best Friends' Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah to help feed the 1,000 dogs and cats being cared for on the sanctuary grounds. Additionally, to help bring more awareness to pets available for adoption and to inspire others to act, Nature's Variety is giving a cash donation and investing in the cutting-edge Long Live Pets film, which any shelter or pet lover will be able to use to help encourage pet adoption.

"This represents the biggest cause marketing partnership to date for our organization," said Gregory Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society.  "We are thrilled to call this mission-aligned company our partner. The food, funds and the program they are launching will help us further our mission to end the killing of adoptable pets in America's shelters."

About Nature's Variety

Nature's Variety is an independent company producing premium, natural pet foods, with headquarters in St. Louis and manufacturing operations in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nature's Variety produces pet food through two brands – Instinct®, the leader in raw pet food; and Prairie®, a balanced holistic line of food. The Instinct® brand includes Pride by Instinct®, Instinct® Raw Boost®, Instinct® Limited Ingredient Diets, Instinct® Healthy Weight and Instinct® Ultimate Protein™. Nature's Variety products are sold at local pet specialty retailers, Petco, PetSmart, veterinarian offices, and through online retailers, including Amazon.com, Wag.com, Chewy.com and Petflow.com. For more information about Nature's Variety, visit www.naturesvariety.com. For more information on Instinct®, visit www.instinctpetfood.com.

Facebook: Facebook.com/Instinct

Twitter: @NaturesVariety

Instagram: instinctpetfood 

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is the only national animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. A leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends runs the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, as well as lifesaving programs in partnership with rescue groups and shelters across the country. Since its founding in 1984, Best Friends has helped reduce the number of animals killed in American shelters from 17 million per year to about 4 million. By continuing to build effective initiatives that reduce the number of animals entering shelters and increase the number who find homes, Best Friends and its nationwide network of members and partners are working to Save Them All®.

Facebook: Facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety

Twitter: @bestfriends

Instagram: bestfriendsanimalsociety

MEDIA CONTACT  
Erica Kirsch   
(618) 316-3917   
(314) 991-4641 ext. 114   
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150217/176180

Video - http://youtu.be/dKWMFn8nHfI

SOURCE Nature's Variety