Stars Shine For Remember Me Thursday® Global Pet Adoption Awareness Campaign

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2018 Spokesperson Wynonna Judd and 70+ Celebrities Unite Animal Lovers and Rescue Facilities for Homeless Pets

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Sep 17, 2018, 17:10 ET

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., Sept. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Helen Woodward Animal Center will once again unite with animal welfare proponents and organizations worldwide for the 6^th Annual Remember Me Thursday^®. Honored on the fourth Thursday of September, the campaign asks pet lovers and animal rescue groups to create an unstoppable, integrated voice advocating for homeless pets to live in forever homes, not die waiting for them. Grassroots candle-lighting ceremonies and a global avalanche of social media buzz will shine a light on the millions of animals still awaiting adoption and encourage communities to opt to adopt and reduce the millions of homeless pets euthanized each year. As in previous years, some very big names are stepping forward to lend their support to the cause, including five-time GRAMMY winner, Wynonna Judd, who has been named the 2018 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 27^th, 2018.

2018 Remember Me Thursday(R) Official Spokesperson Wynonna Judd.

2018 Remember Me Thursday Official Spokesperson Wynonna Judd lends her voice to the cause! Please join us in sharing the message to save orphan pets on Thursday, September 27, 2018!

Remember Me Thursday is Thursday, September 27th! Please join the global movement and share your support on social media using #RememberMeThursday and @hwac. We can save orphan pets.

As the campaign's 2018 Official Spokesperson, Wynonna Judd is an American music icon, a five-time GRAMMY winner and New York Times bestselling author. A life-long philanthropist, Wynonna is always using her voice to champion causes she believes in and is a lifelong animal lover. When not on tour, Wynonna can be found hanging out with the many beloved animals on her farm. She has 34 in total — including dogs, cats, horses and buffalo. Her dog, Starlet, and the love they share can be witnessed in Wynonna's Remember Me Thursday^® public service announcement (PSA) seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ZNXQVMGJM.

Regarding her love of animals, Judd stated: "All my life I've felt a special bond with animals. I don't know what I would do without my own rescue pets and their unconditional love. Sadly, there are animals in shelters around the country still waiting anxiously to give their love to someone. On Remember Me Thursday^®, please take a moment to advocate for and remember these special animals. Speak up for pet adoption!"

Judd leads an impressive list of celebrity supporters also aligning themselves with Remember Me Thursday^®. 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. At press time, 70+ influential luminaries have joined the cause, including:

Notable Film, TV and Stage Personalities: Alexander Jean, Andie MacDowell, Ashley Bell, Ashley Roberts, Bellamy Young, Beth Stern, Bo Derek, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, Carrie Ann Inaba (2015 Official Spokesperson), Christian Siriano, Coco Austin, Courtney Lopez, David Tutera, Daymond John, Diane Keaton, Elaine Hendrix, Eric Paslay, Eric Roberts, Holly Madison, Ian Somerhalder & Nikki Reed, Katherine Heigl (2014 Official Spokesperson), Kathy Najimy, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Kristin Chenoweth (2017 Official Spokesperson), Linda Blair, Lou Wegner, Mark Steines, Pauley Perrette (2016 Official Spokesperson), Rick Springfield, Ross Mathews, Wil Wheaton, and Wynonna Judd (2018 Official Spokesperson).
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 (Boston Bruins), 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), Marc Rzepczynski (Seattle Mariners), Mark Buehrle (World Series Champion), Matt Duffy (Tampa Bay Rays) and Ryan Newman (NASCAR).
Animal Specialty Celebrities: Dr. Marty Becker, Hannah Shaw, Jack Hanna, Jackson Galaxy, Jill Rappaport, Tamar Geller, Victoria Stilwell, and Wendy Diamond.
Animal Celebrities: Alien Cat Matilda, Chewie, Chi Chi, Chloe, Choupette Lagerfeld, Cole and Marmalade, Cooper, Fugee, Justin Fire Survivor, Kitten Faces, Lil BUB, Louie, Monty Boy, My Cat Kyle, Nala Cat, Norbert, Paddington, Pumpkin the Raccoon, Purrminators, Sauerkraut Kitty, Smush, Tango, Tuna, Vito Vincent, Worried Cat, and Yeti (the 2018 Remember Me Thursday^® Rescue Pet Hero).

Remember Me Thursday^® was established in 2013 by Helen Woodward Animal Center President and CEO Mike Arms. Moved by the staggering statistic of the 2.7 million¹ 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 14 million pets in homes since 1999), he was able to send out an expansive request and the response was significant.

Now in its sixth year, Remember Me Thursday^® has been supported by 180 countries with hundreds of thousands of individuals and more than 700 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.

To be a part of the 2018 Remember Me Thursday^®campaign, individuals and animal welfare organizations are encouraged to get the entire world talking about pet adoption on Thursday, September 27^th, by tweeting, tagging, posting and sharing the beauty and life-saving significance of pet adoption using the hashtag #RememberMeThursday and @hwac. Animal-lovers can 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 #RememberTheRescue 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. For more information, contact (858) 756-4117 or animalcenter.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 14 million pets in homes since 1999. For more information, please visit remembermethursday.org or via hashtag #RememberMeThursday on social media.

¹Animal 24-7 published by Merritt Clifton approximates the number of homeless pets euthanized at 2.7 million annually.

SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center