STAR POWER IGNITES GLOBAL PET ADOPTION AWARENESS CAMPAIGN - REMEMBER ME THURSDAY®

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Aug 29, 2022, 05:30 ET

2022 Spokesperson Jasmine Tookes and Nearly 100 Celebrities Unite with Animal-Lovers and Rescue Facilities to Champion Homeless Pets

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In just over three weeks, Helen Woodward Animal Center will once again unite with animal welfare proponents and organizations worldwide for the 10th Annual Remember Me Thursday^® (RMT). Honored on the fourth Thursday of September, the campaign asks pet lovers and animal rescue groups to create an unstoppable, integrated voice for homeless pets. Candle-lighting ceremonies and a global avalanche of social media buzz will shine a light on the millions of orphan animals still awaiting adoption and encourage communities to opt to adopt and reduce the over one million homeless pets euthanized each year. As in previous years, some very big names are stepping forward to lend their support to the cause including Jasmine Tookes, who has been named the 2022 Official Spokesperson for the campaign. Helen Woodward Animal Center encourages the world to join with these philanthropic celebrities and to be a part of this very special day, Thursday, September 22, 2022.

As the Remember Me Thursday® 2022 Official Spokesperson, Jasmine Tookes is an American fashion model and businesswoman. Aside from her professional career, Jasmine is a passionate animal lover and advocate. She grew up surrounded by animals including cats, rats & turtles just to name a few! In 2016, Jasmine joined forces with best friend and fellow model, Josephine to create JOJA - a community where the two share their workouts, health routines, and active lifestyles and just recently this year

2022 Remember Me Thursday® Official Spokesperson Jasmine Tookes takes time to cuddle with Helen Woodward rescue pup Chance.

As the campaign's 2022 Official Spokesperson, Jasmine Tookes is an American fashion model and businesswoman. Aside from her professional career, Jasmine is a passionate animal lover and advocate. She grew up surrounded by animals including cats, rats & turtles just to name a few! In 2016, Jasmine joined forces with best friend and fellow model, Josephine to create JOJA - a community where the two share their workouts, health routines, and active lifestyles and just recently this year began selling their own line of activewear under the same name.

Regarding her love of animals and the special day, Tookes stated: "Pet adoption is something that is near and dear to my heart, but a lot of people may not have the knowledge or information on pet adoption. Remember Me Thursday provides the perfect opportunity to learn and hopefully change people's minds who were once never open to the idea of adoption."

Tookes leads an impressive list of celebrity supporters also aligning themselves with RMT. Notable personalities, professional athletes, pet behaviorists and social media pet stars have signed on as "luminaries," committing to share their thoughts on pet adoption in videos and via their social media accounts throughout the campaign. Nearly 100 influential luminaries have joined the cause. Past and present supporters include:

Cartoonists: Greg Evans (creator of LUANN), and Patrick McDonnell (creator of MUTTS).

Professional Athletes: Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings), Bryan Bickell (Chicago Blackhawks), David Backes (Anaheim Ducks), Evan Longoria (San Francisco Giants), Jake Muzzin (Los Angeles Kings), Jeff Carter (Los Angeles Kings), Joey Logano (NASCAR), Kevin Kiermaier (Tampa Bay Rays), Liam Hendriks (Oakland A's), Logan Ryan (Tennessee Titans), Marc Rzepczynski (World Series Champion), Mark Buehrle (World Series Champion), Rodney Peete, and Ryan Newman (NASCAR).

Animal Specialty Celebrities: Dr. Marty Becker, Gabriel Feitosa, Hannah Shaw, Jack Hanna, Jill Rappaport, Larissa Wohl, Megan Rose, Tamar Geller, Victoria Stilwell, and Wendy Diamond.

Animal Celebrities: Alien Cat Matilda, Baloo, Bamboo, Belarus the Cat, Best Boy Brodie, Boogie Shoes, Chewie, Chi Chi, Chloe, Choupette Lagerfeld, Cole and Marmalade, Cooper, Fugee, Josh, Justin Fire Survivor, Kitten Faces, Lil BUB, Louie, Memphis, Mimo and Kirry, Molly Happiness, Monty Boy, Mork, Mr. Bigglesworth, My Cat Kyle, My Dear Puddin, Nala Cat, Norbert, Paddington, Piglet, Purrminators, Sauerkraut Kitty, Smush, Spencer, Stevie, Sunglass Cat, Tango, Tuna, Venus, White Coffee Cat, and Worried Cat.

RMT was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms. Moved by the staggering statistic of over one million homeless pets who lose their lives each year in the U.S., Arms put out a call to rescue organizations in an attempt to create a global awareness campaign. As creator of the International Pet Adoptathon and the International Home 4 the Holidays^® program (placing over 19 million pets in homes since 1999), he was able to send out an expansive request and the response was significant.

Now in its tenth year, RMT has been supported by 190 countries with hundreds of thousands of individuals and more than 1,000 separate animal welfare organizations around the globe holding candle-lighting ceremonies of their own, spreading the message on social media, or lighting a virtual candle. The enormous swell of celebrity support has resulted in the topic trending each year on both Facebook and Twitter, garnering more than 1 billion social media impressions since its start.

For the third year in a row, representatives from animal welfare organizations and campaign luminaries will unite on an international Zoom call to share the significance of RMT within their respective organizations and countries. This year speakers from Bulgaria, Estonia, Kazahkstan, New York, North Carolina, and Puerto Rico will share the state of animal welfare in their area and how they are commemorating the pet adoption awareness campaign. The virtual program will also include words from RMT founder and Center President and CEO Mike Arms, a reading of the official RMT poem and a heartfelt international candle lighting in remembrance of the millions of orphan pets still waiting in shelters for their own forever homes. The public is welcome to log on and watch the program which kicks off Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

The one-of-a-kind international RMT Zoom call will be available online for the animal-loving public to watch. Those who wish to register to watch can click here. The public can also get involved by tweeting, tagging, posting and sharing the beauty and life-saving significance of pet adoption using the hashtag #RememberMeThursday and #SeeTheLight and @hwac.

Animal-lovers can also win life-saving funds, toys and food for adoptable pets looking for forever families at their favorite non-profit, pet adoption organization. To enter the Remember Me Thursday Social Media Contest, simply upload your rescue pet's photo and story to the #RememberMeThursday Photo Wall for a chance to win!* (*Restrictions apply. Final selection remains at the sole discretion of Helen Woodward Animal Center).

For more information on Remember Me Thursday^® and a full list of participating celebrities and animal welfare organizations, go to www.remembermethursday.org.

About Remember Me Thursday^®

Animal lovers and organizations across the globe unite on the fourth Thursday in September to light a candle in remembrance of the millions of homeless pets who lost their lives without the benefit of a loving home and to shine a light via social media on the millions of orphan pets still waiting for their forever homes. The Remember Me Thursday^® global awareness campaign is championed by Mike Arms, President of Helen Woodward Animal Center, and creator of both the International Pet Adoptathon and successful Home 4 the Holidays program which, in partnership with national animal organizations, has placed over 19 million pets in homes since 1999. For more information, please visit www.remembermethursday.org or via hashtag #RememberMeThursday and #SeeTheLight on social media.

SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center