PEDIGREE Foundation, in conjunction with the PEDIGREE brand’s Essential Support Dogs program, awarded $100K in Essential Support Dogs Safety Net grants to 10 shelters and organizations nationwide for their efforts in keeping people and pets together during hardships. These grants were awarded to shelters and organizations with programs that provide immediate assistance with temporary boarding or fostering, food costs or pet-friendly housing deposits. Organizations that focus on dogs with families needing medical expense relief were also considered in the grant selection.
The PEDIGREE brand’s Essential Support Dogs program recognizes all dogs as essential and celebrates the work they’ve done to get us through tough times. As part of the program, the PEDIGREE brand committed to donating $5 per qualifying social post,[1] up to $100K, to PEDIGREE Foundation to provide assistance for dogs in need through its Essential Support Dogs Safety Net grants program. Pet parents shared their stories, and despite not yet reaching the full $100k amount through social posts, the PEDIGREE brand is committed to supporting dogs in need and has donated the full $100K.
“We know how much people have turned to their pets for unconditional love and support over the past few years and through the PEDIGREE brand’s Essential Support Dogs program and its donation to support these grants, shelters across the country can continue to keep people and pets together through challenging times,” said Kimberly Wise, president of PEDIGREE Foundation. “We’re inspired by the work shelters are doing to drive change in their communities and help deserving dogs find loving homes. Now more than ever, shelters need our support as they are at capacity and are unable to take more dogs under their care. We encourage people to adopt, foster, volunteer or donate to your local shelter to help continue to drive this change and end pet homelessness.”
Grant recipients include:
- APA! AMPA! (Austin, TX)
- Arizona Humane Society (Phoenix, AZ)
- Berkeley Humane (Berkeley, CA)
- Dallas Pets Alive! (Dallas, TX)
- Humane Indiana (Highland, IN)
- Humane Rescue Alliance (Washington, D.C.)
- Jennifer Sterling Brown Animal Rescue (Lexington, MS)
- Rockbridge Animal Alliance (Lexington, VA)
- Seattle Humane (Bellevue, WA)
- The Rescue Train (North Hollywood, CA)
In addition to the donation to support PEDIGREE Foundation Essential Support Dogs Safety Net grants, the PEDIGREE brand created a nationwide support fund to provide up to $2.5 million in nutritional and financial assistance to help ensure dogs can stay with their loving families. To celebrate how dogs support their pet parents, the PEDIGREE brand teamed up with Walmart to offer discounts in-store for PEDIGREE dry products. Pet parents across the country can receive $2 off their next purchase of PEDIGREE dry products through July 26. Those who are seeking financial assistance can sign up for the program online at EssentialSupportDogs.com to receive additional coupons for PEDIGREE dry products over the course of three months.
Built off the belief that pets make the world a better place, the Essential Support Dogs program is part of the work Mars, Incorporated and its other much loved petcare brands are doing to create a world where pets are healthy, happy and welcome. Because the world we want tomorrow is A Better World for Pets. To learn more, please visit EssentialSupportDogs.com. Those interested in donating to the cause or wanting to purchase a dog tag can check out pedigreefoundation.org or the DOGS RULE store at dogsrulestore.com.