Rug Doctor® Announces Winners of "Rug Doctor to the Rescue" Pet Photo Contest

PLANO, Texas, July 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its year-long commitment to the ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) and to help bring people and pets together, Rug Doctor® is pleased to announce the winners of its "Rug Doctor to the Rescue" (#RDToTheRescue) online pet photo contest.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130501/DA05098LOGO)

Rug Doctor, the leading manufacturer of do-it-yourself deep cleaning rental machines and products, is committed to helping its customers, 70 percent of which are pet parents, maintain a healthy and happy home environment. The contest, which launched in May during National Pet Month and was hosted via the Rug Doctor Facebook page, invited pet parents nationwide to enter their pets and classify them as Cutest, Messiest, Rescued, Costumed or file them in the general subject category.

Following the submission process in May, the top-15 finalists were announced June 6, and Rug Doctor Facebook fans were invited to vote for their favorites to help determine the Grand Prize Winner, First Prize Winner and three Second Prize Winners.

"We are extremely pleased with the great reception our photo contest received and have really enjoyed reading the various submission stories and viewing the pets' photographs," said Walter Haug, vice president of marketing at Rug Doctor. "Ultimately, we want to continue to draw attention to the fight against animal cruelty and to recognize the pet parents out there who are providing a safe and happy home for their pets, as well as organizations such as the ASPCA who truly are making a difference for animals."

Winners and prizes of the "Rug Doctor to the Rescue" contest are as follows:

• Grand Prize Winner – Ellen Matthews from Rocky Mount, N.C.: Matthews is the recipient of the Grand Prize based on her submission and will receive $2,500 cash, an ASPCA® Collection grooming brush and toy, and a $2,500 donation in her name to Friends of Rocky Mount Animals Inc. in Rocky Mount, N.C.
• First Prize Winner – Kim Bos from Holland, Mich.: Bos is the recipient of the First Prize based on her submission and will receive $500 cash, an ASPCA® Collection grooming brush and toy, and a $500 donation in her name to Headin' Home Rescue in Holland, Mich.
• Second Prize Winners – Allison Tolar from Homewood, Ala.; Marci Palumbo from Deltona, Fla.; and Whitney Wiechmann from Jenison, Mich.: Tolar, Palumbo and Wiechmann are the recipients of the three Second Prizes based on their submissions. Tolar, Palumbo and Wiechmann will each receive a 16 GB Apple^® iPad^® Mini and an ASPCA^® Collection grooming brush and toy.
• Sweepstakes prizes were given to randomly selected winners who voted on finalists and included five 14.2 Megapixel Samsung SMART cameras and 25 Visa gift cards valued at $25 each.

As part of its Rug Doctor to the Rescue program, Rug Doctor has committed a maximum of $100,000 to the ASPCA through the sale of its pet cleaning products. Now through July 31, for each specially marked coupon redeemed by consumers for Rug Doctor's Pet Formula Carpet Cleaner or Urine Eliminator™ products, which help remove the source of pet stains and odors, Rug Doctor will donate $1 to the ASPCA.

For additional information on Rug Doctor machines and products, visit: http://rugdoctor.com. For additional information on the ASPCA, visit: http://aspca.org/.

About Rug Doctor
Rug Doctor cleaning systems have earned the prestigious Platinum Seal of Approval from the Carpet and Rug Institute. The company rents more than four million machines annually through retail outlets in the U.S.  Rug Doctor markets solutions including: Oxy-Steam® Carpet Cleaner, Pet Formula Carpet Cleaner, Hi-Traffic Pre-Treatment, Urine Eliminator, Spot & Stain Remover, Odor Remover and Oxy-Steam® Upholstery Cleaner.  For more information, please visit http://rugdoctor.com; also, look for us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

About the ASPCA
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation's leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

CONTACT:
Lindsay Stout
Edelman
[email protected]
214-443-7586

Lauren McCann
Rug Doctor
[email protected]
972-673-1400

Ashley Bryan
ASPCA
[email protected]
212-876-7700 ext. 4567

SOURCE Rug Doctor