Dog Owner and Actress Elisabeth Rohm Joins Purina(R) Chef Michael's(TM) To Celebrate 'Doggie Valentines'

Valentine's Day traditions take a furry twist in 2010: Dogs become the new "valentines"

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Feb 01, 2010, 02:03 ET

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Elisabeth Rohm, dog owner and current star of the hit TV show "Heroes," has teamed up with Purina® Chef Michael's™ to celebrate the winner of a nationwide search for the most unforgettable "Doggie Valentine" at the first ever Chef Michael's Be My Valentine Doggie Dinner Party in New York City on Feb. 10, 2010. Taking place at Gotham Hall, one of the City's most prominent and prestigious social event venues, the festivities will include an evening to remember for dogs and owners alike with a thoughtfully prepared dining experience for the dogs, live entertainment, and doggie gifts.

"I couldn't imagine life without my golden retriever Homer," said Rohm. "He is a huge part of my family so naturally, I'm looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day with him too! And, I can't wait to meet the most unforgettable 'Doggie Valentine' at the Chef Michael's Be My Valentine Doggie Dinner Party in New York."

Dogs captured our hearts long ago, and now they have made their way into our holiday traditions. Dogs are not just considered pets anymore; they are our best friends, our true partners, and this Valentine's Day, dog owners are proclaiming the four-legged loves of their lives their "Doggie Valentines."

From January 6 to January 25 dog owners across the country were invited to enter the "My Doggie Valentine" contest by submitting a color photo of their dog along with a caption describing why their dog is their "Valentine." The entries were judged on the "unforgettable face" in the photo, the originality of the caption and the entry's appropriateness to the loving theme of the contest. For every valid entry, Chef Michael's donated $10 to Adopt-a-Pet.com (up to $7,500) to support its mission to find forever homes for homeless dogs who also deserve to feel loved this Valentine's Day.

The winner of the "My Doggie Valentine" contest receives a trip for two, plus up to 2 qualifying dogs, to New York City to join Elizabeth Rohm to the Chef Michael's Be My Valentine Doggie Dinner Party, $1,000 cash and a one-year supply of Purina Chef Michael's canine creations dry dinners, so that they can treat their favorite pooch with a thoughtfully prepared meal beyond Valentine's Day.

While this will be the first ever Chef Michael's Be My Valentine Doggie Dinner Party, dogs have been a large part of Americans' hearts for some time. According to a Purina survey, more than 60 percent of dog owners plan to include their dogs in their Valentine's Day celebrations and 56 percent of them like to show their love with a special meal topped off with their favorite treat.

This isn't especially surprising when you consider that of the dog owners surveyed, 26 percent say "I love you" once everyday to their dogs and that's the same percentage who say "I love you" once everyday to their spouses or significant others.

For additional information and updates on the "My Doggie Valentine" contest winner visit, www.doggievalentine.com.

About the Purina Survey

The survey interviewed 1000 adults, ages 18 and over, living in the United States during a one-week period in early December 2006. Phone interviews were conducted via Ipsos U.S Express, a leader in market and opinion research. Most results have a margin of error of +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level for comparable data between the populations of pet owners.

About Nestle Purina PetCare

Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A., the world's largest food company.

About Adopt-a-Pet.com

Adopt-a-Pet.com (formerly 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com) is North America's largest non-profit pet adoption website with over 7,000 public and private animal shelters and humane societies posting their pets for adoption. Over 1,500,000 unique visitors a month search by zip code and other preferences to see photos and descriptions of pets for adoption in their area.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare