PEDIGREE Foundation Reaches $1 Million Milestone In Grant Funding to Animal Shelters and Rescue Organizations For 2023

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Nov 28, 2023, 09:00 ET

This Holiday Season, Up To $10,000 In Donations Will Be Matched To Help End Pet Homelessness

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Nov. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on a day of global giving, PEDIGREE Foundation announced a new set of collaborative grants that brings the Foundation annual grant total past $1 million across shelter and rescue programs in the U.S. and Canada for a second year in a row. The need for people to adopt, foster or donate is greater than ever, and PEDIGREE Foundation continues to further its commitment to helping dogs in need with these latest grants.

Finnley loves squeaky toys, treats, and playing fetch. Through Ruff Start Rescue’s transport program, supported by PEDIGREE Foundation, he found a loving home in Minnesota with dogs, cats and kids to play with. Today, he is thriving in his new home.

These collaborative grants together with our recent annual grants, will help more than 75,000 dogs in both the U.S. and Canada by supporting 76 different shelter and rescue organization programs working to find forever homes for these dogs in need.

"In celebration of Giving Tuesday, we want to continue giving back to organizations supporting dogs in need and raise awareness for dog adoption," said Kimberly Wise, President of the Board of Directors for PEDIGREE Foundation. "Now more than ever, shelter and rescues need our support and we're proud to once again reach $1 million in funds awarded to help end pet homelessness."

The full list of 2023 PEDIGREE Foundation grant recipients for the year is available on the website, which includes the most recent grant recipients helping to bring PEDIGREE Foundation to the $1 million milestone:

Austin Pets Alive! (Transport): $50k to support increased capacity for transporting animals on behalf of Texas's many at risk shelter dogs. Austin Pets Alive's! transport program has been steadily developing in the last two years and is now projected to carry nearly 4,000 pets from Texas shelters to parts of the country that lack enough adoptable shelter pets to fill demand.
Greater Good Charities (Transport): $30k to support Greater Good Charities Good Flights Maui Disaster Relief support for additional transport flights with supplies and transport of animals already living in shelters off the island. Animals were flown to receiving shelters in the Pacific northwest, thereby making room for wounded and/or displaced pets during the wildfires to receive care at Maui Humane.
Dogs Trust USA (Behavior): $50k to further develop Dogs Trust USA's Dogs School and Professional Development programs, for the benefit of thousands of shelter staff, volunteers, foster carers, dogs and their owners across the country.
Berkeley Humane (Transport): $25k to support the partnership between Berkeley Humane and the County of Hawaii Animal Control and Three Ring Ranch Animal Wildlife Sanctuary to continue lifesaving efforts to increase dog adoptions and provide resources for the Hawaii-based volunteers and staff who are working tirelessly to save more lives.
Humane Society of Tulsa (Transport): $25k to support the "hub" pet transport program. The "hub" serves as a bridge for at risk dogs from overcrowded municipal shelters, criminal seizures, natural disasters and other crisis situations in Oklahoma and beyond.
Paws Philadelphia (Foster): $50k to support the "Meeting the Moment: Reimagining Dog Fostering, from Marketing to Integrated Training & Behavioral Support" foster program. In time, PAWS will develop a multi-pronged approach to fostering in their community to increase lifesaving measures.
Mars Pet Adoption Weekend: $49k to celebrate the 15^th Mars Pet Adoption Weekend, covering dog adoption fees in 15 U.S. cities across the country such as Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix, Washington D.C. and more.
Disaster Relief; PEDIGREE Foundation contributed over $140,000 to support disaster relief efforts across the country, including at $100,000 partnership with American Humane Society to provide immediate, on-the-ground support when disasters happen. In Canada, PEDIGREE Foundation contributed $20,000 CAD to four organizations to support wildfire relief, with the goal of funding another $5k CAD before the end of the year.

Show Your Support

Dog lovers are encouraged to check out the DOGS RULE.™ online store throughout the holiday season for gifts that support dogs in need. Please note that proceeds from the store help dogs find loving homes through shelter and rescue grants like the ones listed above.

PEDIGREE Foundation also kicked off its annual end-of-year, SEASON OF GOOD DOG™ campaign, which runs through December 31. This holiday season, dogs across the country in shelters and rescues are waiting for their chance to be a beloved family pet. It's through the generosity of dog lovers that the Foundation is able to continue its important work to help dogs find loving homes. $10,000 in donations will be matched by a generous donor, so the impact is even greater! To learn more about the campaign or make your donation, visit this link.

To learn more about the 2023 grant recipients and how they're utilizing their grants to help end pet homelessness, and for information about how you can make a difference with PEDIGREE Foundation, please visit PedigreeFoundation.org.

About PEDIGREE Foundation
We believe every dog deserves a loving, forever home. PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to help end pet homelessness. Nearly 3.1 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and nearly half never find a home. The foundation was established in 2008 by Mars Petcare, maker of PEDIGREE® food for dogs, to help increase dog adoption rates. We've awarded more than 6,200 grants and more than $12 million to U.S. shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. Since launching our Canadian grant program in 2022, we have provided $200k CAD to local shelters and rescues in need across Canada, as well as $20k CAD in Disaster Relief, with the goal of funding another $5k CAD before the end of the year. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we're working toward a day when all dogs are safe, secure, cared for, fed well and loved. See how you can help at PedigreeFoundation.org.

About Mars Petcare
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates across 50+ countries in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 85 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA^®, CESAR^®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as the Waltham Petcare Science Institute which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an international network of over 2,000 pet hospitals and diagnostic services including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™, Linnaeus, AniCura and Antech. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs and cats, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.