Dog Lovers Voted: Detroit/Flint, Mich. And Erie, Pa. Join The PEDIGREE® Feeding Project

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After nearly five months of evaluating nominations and tallying votes, PEDIGREE^® Brand is announcing today the two newest communities that will become part of the PEDIGREE^® Feeding Project: Detroit/Flint, Mich. and Erie, Pa.  Select shelters in these communities will join Nashville, Tenn. and Chicago, Ill. in the program that supplies shelters with 100 percent of their core dog food needs, at absolutely no cost.  Participating shelters include:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130516/CG15109)

• Detroit/Flint, Mich.
  • Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter
  • Genesee County Animal Control
  • Michigan Animal Rescue League

• Erie, Pa.
  • Humane Society of Northwest PA
  • The ANNA Shelter

"It's so inspiring to see residents of these five communities – and beyond – rally behind the shelters and everyday heroes providing invaluable support to shelter dogs in their hometowns," said Miranda Lambert. "I am proud to partner with PEDIGREE to recognize these communities and provide them with resources that allow them to further the work they do for shelter dogs."

Because of the dedication from dog lovers throughout the program, shelters in Detroit/Flint, Mich. and Erie, Pa. will now be able to focus on what matters most - helping more dogs in need find loving homes. Upon learning that their shelters were selected to be part of the PEDIGREE Feeding Project, they shared:

"Not only is it great food, but the dogs love it. The resources we will save from the PEDIGREE Feeding Project will allow us to accommodate the other increasing needs of neglected animals in our community. This helps us expand our outreach programs to keep more animals from becoming homeless." - Elaine Greene from Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter

"With a consistent diet of PEDIGREE, our dogs will not only have full bellies, but less digestive problems and nutrient loss caused by the stress of constant diet changes and other factors that arise while in a shelter. Our fundraising can continue with a stronger focus on the special-needs of the animals." - Elicia Pace from Humane Society of Northwest Pennsylvania

"We are on a tight budget. Having the PEDIGREE Feeding Project will help us provide better food to the dogs in our shelter and focus on adoption programs." – Walt Rodabaugh from Genesee County Animal Control

"Every penny counts here at the ANNA Shelter - not having to worry about feeding expenses while still providing high quality pet food is a dream come true for us. Our community has never let us down – we couldn't have done this without Erie's support." - Ruth Thompson Carroll of the ANNA Shelter

"Although the area is starting to recover financially, we still have financial hardship and a high unemployment rate. As the world moves on, many animals in this community have been left behind. Having PEDIGREE provide food for our dogs gives us extra dollars to continue to impact the lives of dogs in our community and give them hope. And hope is what MARL is about." - Kayla Allen of Michigan Animal Rescue League

"During the course of this effort, we loved learning about the many shelters and organizations providing important resources to support dogs in need," said Jeff Hingher, senior brand manager, PEDIGREE Brand. "We are proud to support two additional communities through the PEDIGREE Feeding Project and the great work they do every day to help dogs find loving homes."

While it's too soon to measure the exact impact of the program, shelters in Nashville and Chicago have not only seen physical benefits to the more than 15,000 homeless dogs that have had a consistent diet of professional nutrition, but have also been able to make a holistic difference to the programs they are able to support.

"Since starting the PEDIGREE Feeding Project, we have seen a number of positive effects," said Doug Brightwell, director of Williamson County Animal Control & Adoption Center. "Our dogs are now receiving a consistent and nutritious diet that is improving their health and their chances for adoption to a forever home. We're using the monies previously spent for food to provide medications and medical procedures that may not have been in the budget before the PEDIGREE Feeding Project."

The PEDIGREE brand thanks everyone who participated in the program – particularly all the residents and shelters that were nominated as finalists from Jackson, Miss., Jacksonville, Fla., and Wausau, Wis. PEDIGREE Brand knows that each and every one of these shelters works hard every day to help dogs find loving homes. To honor their work and to thank everyone in the communities who supported their local shelters, the brand will feed each shelter for one month at no cost.

For more information about the PEDIGREE Feeding Project and to follow the story of the new participating communities, visit www.Facebook.com/Pedigree.

The PEDIGREE^® Feeding Project

As the world's largest dog food brand, PEDIGREE Food for Dogs realizes it has the potential to impact more dogs' lives than any other brand. Support from PEDIGREE Brand will allow participating shelters to save up to $100,000 a year without having to worry about food for their dogs. With the money saved, shelters will be able to fund programs that focus on helping more dogs find loving homes. Already, more than 15,000 shelter dogs have received the professional nutrition they deserve through the first year of The PEDIGREE Feeding Project – started in 2012 in Nashville and Chicago, two cities with an abundance of homeless pets – and now the PEDIGREE Brand is ready to help even more shelter dogs by adding Detroit/Flint, Mich. and Erie, Pa. to the program. 

About the PEDIGREE^® Brand

The PEDIGREE^® Brand is the number one brand of dog food in the world, offering a wide variety of products for different dog life stages. As an innovative market leader, the PEDIGREE^® Brand is at the forefront of pet nutrition and understands pet owner needs by providing a range of innovative products and resources. For more information, please visit www.Pedigree.com.

About Mars Petcare US

Mars Petcare US is the U.S. operations of the world's largest petcare company at the privately-held Mars, Incorporated. Mars Petcare US produces some of the world's most beloved pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, SHEBA® Food for Cats, WHISKAS® Food for Cats, THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® Brand, and TEMPTATIONS® Treats for Cats, as well as exclusive brands products for some of the leading retailers in the U.S. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., more than 2,400 Mars Petcare US associates make, sell and distribute its high-quality pet food from 15 manufacturing facilities located in communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

^®/™ Trademarks ^© Mars, Incorporated 2013.

SOURCE PEDIGREE Brand