Petco Love Selects 25 Winning Love Stories Highlighting Pet Adoption

National Nonprofit, in partnership with BOBS® from Skechers®, Awards $500,000 to Winning Animal Welfare Organizations Including $100,000 for Grand Prize Story Featuring Love Story of Cat Therapy Team

SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- National nonprofit Petco Love, in partnership with BOBS® from Skechers®, awards 25 Petco Love Stories winners. A total of $500,000 is granted to winning animal shelters and rescues across the country just in time for the day of love, Valentine's Day.

The winning adopters submitted their love stories about the adoption of their best friend from their local animal welfare organization. Their inspiring stories of how their adopted pets transformed their lives for the better gave the organization they adopted from a chance to receive a winning lifesaving investment from Petco Love. Through this annual Petco Love Stories campaign, Petco Love, in partnership with BOBS® from Skechers®, celebrates the unique ways adopted pets enhance our lives, inspiring more pet adoptions and empowering animal welfare organizations to save more pet lives.

Petco Love called for submissions in August and September, receiving thousands of love stories from pet parents across the country. This year's campaign introduced new submission formats to engage even more pet lovers. Participants were able to submit their Love Story in written form and/or share a link to a public-facing social media video. Now, the winners and their pets are in their spotlight with big check celebrations being held this month from coast to coast. Winning grants range from $10,000 to $100,000. Winning adopters also receive a pair of BOBS® footwear and a Petco shopping spree.

This year's $100,000 grand prize winner is Animal Rescue League of Iowa. The winning adopter, Amy, submitted her heartwarming love story about her senior cat, Murry, who she adopted from their shelter and who is now her cat therapy team member. "Murray and I have been visiting senior centers, the local VA behavioral health facility, libraries, and a residential treatment home for kids and teens. The seniors in the memory care unit are often lonely and missing their loved ones, and Murray reminds them they are not alone. He opens doors for me and helps me create relationships with people, thus making me feel like I'm not alone and that I'm needed," said Amy.

It was only fitting to celebrate their big win along with residents and staff at senior living community, Independence Village. Animal Rescue League of Iowa was surprised with their $100,000 winning grant at the senior community where Murray continues to make people smile during their weekly, non-alcoholic "Happy Hour."

"Love Stories like Amy and Murray's are a true testament to the power of adopting a pet from a shelter and how they change our lives in unexpected ways," said Susanne Kogut, President of Petco Love. "Through Petco Love Stories, we are honored to share these exceptional bonds that happen every single day when pet parents adopt from shelters and rescues and bring unconditional love into their homes. We aim to inspire more individuals to welcome shelter pets into their lives."

"Skechers has made a difference for shelter pets across North America through our partnership with Petco Love. Since 2019, we've donated more than $8.8 million that have helped save and support more than 1.7 million animals in need," said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. "Petco Love Stories highlights the beautiful moments behind these connections between pets and their people. We're proud to be part of a movement that changes lives and impacts millions so deeply."

Since 2013, more than 25,000 adopters have shared their stories through the Petco Love Stories campaign, with $8 million in grants awarded to animal welfare organizations across the country. These stories highlight the many ways pets adopted from shelters enrich our lives and underscore the importance of pet adoption. For more, visit petcolove.org/adopt/love-stories/.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Crystal Bugary, Petco Love, [email protected]

About Petco Love
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999, we've empowered animal welfare organizations by investing nearly $410 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We've helped find loving homes for nearly 7 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us.  Join us. Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.

About Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
Skechers (NYSE: SKX), The Comfort Technology Company^® based in Southern California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company's collections are available in 180 countries and territories through department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through skechers.com and approximately 5,300 Skechers retail stores. A Fortune 500^® company, Skechers manages its international business through a network of wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint venture partners, and distributors. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

About BOBS^® from Skechers^®
BOBS from Skechers' charitable collection of shoes, apparel and accessories have improved animals' lives: over the past nine years, Skechers has contributed more than $12 million to help over 2.3 million shelter pets, including saving more than 1.8 million rescued animals in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Japan. It all started in 2011, when Skechers launched a movement to support children impacted by natural disasters and poverty—a cause that has helped the Company donate more than 16 million new pairs of shoes to kids in more than 60 countries worldwide. To learn more about BOBS from Skechers' commitment to making a difference, visit BOBSfromSkechers.com and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

SOURCE Petco Love