PEDIGREE Foundation Surpasses $1 Million in Grants Awarded to North American Animal Shelter and Rescues

Grant funding will help increase adoption rates for the 1.5 million dogs in the U.S. alone that have
entered shelters and rescues in the first half of this year

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, PEDIGREE Foundation announced that it has awarded more than $1.2M in grants throughout 2024, including its annual grants, collaborative grants and disaster relief grants. These grants were awarded to 96 animal shelters and rescue organizations across the U.S. and Canada, helping more than 77,000 dogs.

PEDIGREE Foundation remains committed to finding a solution to the millions of homeless dogs by providing grants to support foster, behavior and transport programs. In the first half of 2024 alone, 1.5 million dogs entered shelters and rescues in the U.S., according to Shelter Animals Count's 2024 Mid-Year Report.

"The same report showed that this year we are seeing the length of stay continue to increase for many dogs in shelters across the country," said Lisa Campbell, President of the Board of Directors for PEDIGREE Foundation. "Our grants fund critical programs like fostering, behavioral training, transport and safety net initiatives that help reduce the length of stay and increase adoption overall, allowing shelters and rescues to create the program changes needed to help more homeless dogs in their communities."

Since its inception in 2008, PEDIGREE Foundation has awarded over $14 million and helped nearly 900,000 dogs through its annual grant program and additional funding initiatives to cement its support of the animal welfare community across North America. The complete list of the 2024 PEDIGREE Foundation grant recipients is available on the website. A few of this year's grants include:

• DOGS RULE.™ Grants – $100,000 over two years to develop an initiative that can be replicated as a best practice for other shelters and rescues to help increase dog adoption rates.
  • Dallas Pets Alive! (DPA, Dallas, TX): This grant will enable the Foster+ program to encourage new foster parents by making the process more efficient and accessible. This includes introducing benefits like a GoodPup training scholarship, streamlined supply access via delivery services, transportation assistance for vet visits through the Snyft program, and grooming coverage, all aimed at reducing barriers and costs for fosters. By enhancing support and resources, DPA saw a substantial increase in dog adoptions and foster engagement, highlighting the program's efficacy in meeting current community needs and driving organizational success. The organization plans to implement its Foster+ program across 40 shelters and rescues in the next two years, leveraging community partnerships with behaviorists, shelters, and businesses.
  • Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA, Washington D.C): Humane Rescue Alliance was awarded its second half of the DOGS RULE.™ grant this year to support its WayStation Transport Program. The program aims to transport animals from overcrowded shelters to locations where adoption rates are higher.
• Program Development Grants – These grants enable the U.S. animal welfare community to expand operational capacity through strategic programming to increase dog adoption with a focus on transport, foster and behavior initiatives.
  • In 2024, PEDIGREE Foundation awarded more than $500,000 for program development funding to 35 shelters and rescues across 21 states around the country.
• Canadian Grants – In its third year, $100,000 CAD was awarded to animal shelters and rescue organizations for implementing behavior, transport and safety net programs.
  • In 2024, 10 Canadian shelters and rescue organizations were awarded these grants, supporting 5,400 dogs in need.

Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in the U.S., more than $270K in disaster relief grants have been awarded to provide shelters and rescues with the resources needed in their communities to keep animals safe.

Now through the end of the year, PEDIGREE Foundation is accepting donations for its SEASON OF GOOD DOG™ campaign to support dogs across the country in shelters and rescues that are waiting to find a loving home. Additionally, $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.

For more information about the 2024 grant recipients and their commitment to help end pet homelessness, and to learn more about how you can make a difference with PEDIGREE Foundation, please visit PedigreeFoundation.org and follow PEDIGREE Foundation on social media (Facebook and Instagram).

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 6,300 grants and over $14 million to U.S. shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. Since launching our Canadian grant program in 2022, we have provided $345k CAD to local shelters and rescues in need across Canada, as well as $20k CAD in Disaster Relief. 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.

 Contact:
Jonathan E. Bayless
PEDIGREE Foundation
(704) 241-6021
[email protected] 

Madeleine Cramer
Weber Shandwick
(952) 346-6061
[email protected]  

SOURCE PEDIGREE Foundation