Hallmark Channel & PEDIGREE Foundation Televised Benefit Concert to Air Tonight - Monday, Oct. 21st

Country Artists Lee Brice, Hunter Hayes & Easton Corbin Performed for The Love of Dogs Benefit Concert at CMA Theater to benefit PEDIGREE Foundation

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PEDIGREE Foundation

Oct 21, 2019, 09:00 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hallmark Channel and PEDIGREE Foundation teamed up for a television special to help the millions of shelter and rescue dogs across the country find loving homes. The Love of Dogs Benefit Concert will air tonight on Hallmark Channel at 9:00 CST. The concert special will feature country artists Lee Brice, Hunter Hayes and Easton Corbin from the Country Music Hall of Fame CMA Theater and was filmed earlier this month. Rising country artist Jillian Cardarelli performed during the Sponsor Reception prior to the show taping while Hallmark Channel's own Larissa Wohl served as emcee for the evening.

L-R: Easton Corbin, Hunter Hayes, Larissa Wohl and Lee Brice

L-R: Easton Corbin, Hunter Hayes, Jillian Cardarelli and Lee Brice

The television special will help raise much needed grant funds for PEDIGREE Foundation as part of Hallmark Channel's Adoption Ever After initiative. The initiative has helped over 40,000 pets find their forever homes. With estimated totals from the two-day event, that also included a golf tournament, at $325,000, PEDIGREE Foundation and Hallmark Channel are hoping to raise even more funds through tonight's airing with the Text to Donate option. Viewers can make a donation by texting Dogs Rule to 615-392-1626 or visit their website at www.PEDIGREEFoundation.org.

Hallmark Channel's Adoption Ever After works in collaboration with the country's leading animal rescue and welfare organizations, activists, distribution and advertising partners, and celebrity influencers, Hallmark Channel's Adoption Ever After aims to dismantle common misconceptions about shelter animals, provide resources, inspire the public to adopt, and ultimately create a future where every pet has a loving home. The initiative shines a spotlight on the countless lovable pets in our nation's shelters through annual on-air programming specials like Kitten Bowl, Cat Bowl, Hero Dog Awards, and American Rescue Dog Show, as well as strategic partnerships, consumer marketing campaigns, public service announcements, and grassroots efforts.

"We were honored to partner with Hallmark Channel and these incredible country artists to do this television special that we know will bring much needed awareness to the millions of dogs that end up in shelters every year," said Deb Fair, Executive Director of PEDIGREE Foundation. "Our mission is to support shelters and rescue organizations across the nation - including those in your backyard - to make it a little easier for them to help these dogs find loving homes."

PEDIGREE Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private foundation, founded in 2008, that supports shelters and rescue organizations, as well as encouraging people to ADOPT, VOLUNTEER, and DONATE. At the close of 2018, the foundation contributed more than $7.3 million through 5,300 grants to shelters and rescues across the country over the last 10 years. The PEDIGREE Foundation grants are funded by the PEDIGREE® Brand, along with contributions from partners and dog lovers like you. The funds raised by the foundation are used to support organizations that help dogs in need to find their loving homes – with our ultimate goal of ending pet homelessness.

PEDIGREE Foundation's top sponsors for the event were Double Wood Farm, Silgan, Transcontinental Packaging and Atlantic Packaging.

About Hallmark Channel
Hallmark Channel, owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc., is Crown Media Family Networks' flagship 24-hour cable television network, distributed nationwide in high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) to 82 million homes. As the country's leading destination for quality family entertainment, Hallmark Channel delivers on the 100-year legacy of the Hallmark brand. In addition to its signature new, original movies, the network features an ambitious lineup of other new, original content, including scripted primetime series, such as "Good Witch," "When Calls the Heart" and "Chesapeake Shores"; annual specials including "Kitten Bowl" and "Hero Dog Awards"; and a daily, two-hour lifestyle show, "Home & Family." Additionally, Hallmark Channel is the exclusive home to world premiere presentations of the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame franchise. Dedicated to helping viewers celebrate life's special moments, Hallmark Channel also offers annual holiday programming franchises, including "Countdown to Christmas," "Countdown to Valentine's Day," "Summer Nights," "Fall Harvest" and "Winterfest." Rounding out the network's diverse slate are some of television's most beloved comedies and series, including "The Golden Girls" and "Frasier." For more information, please visit www.crownmediapress.com/ To visit the Adoption Ever After website, please visit https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/adoption-ever-after

About PEDIGREE Foundation
We believe every dog deserves a loving, forever home. PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to help end pet homelessness. Nearly 3.5 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and nearly half never find a home. The foundation was established in 2008 by Mars Petcare, maker of PEDIGREE® food for dogs, to help increase dog adoption rates. We've awarded more than 5,300 grants and $7.3 million to U.S. shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we're working toward a day when all dogs are safe, secure, cared for, fed well and loved. See how you can help: www.PEDIGREEFoundation.org.
© 2019 Mars or Affiliates.

About Mars Petcare
Mars Petcare is a diverse and growing business with 75,000 Associates across 50+ countries dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. With 75 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of almost half the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, ROYAL CANIN™, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA®, CESAR®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ Brands as well as The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also the world's largest veterinary health provider through a network of over 2,000 pet hospitals including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, PET PARTNERS™, and VCA™. We're also at the forefront of emerging innovation and technology for pets, pet owners and veterinarians, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND™ programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles of mutuality and freedom, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.
© 2019 Mars or Affiliates.