FRANKLIN, Tenn., Nov. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 3 million dogs entering shelters every year across the U.S.¹, PEDIGREE Foundation is committed to supporting organizations that work to help end pet homelessness. Today PEDIGREE Foundation announced it has awarded more than $760,000 in grants to shelter and rescue programs in 2021, which will help nearly 118,000 dogs find forever homes.

PEDIGREE Foundation's 2021 grants, awarded to more than 100 shelter and rescue organizations across the country, focused primarily on supporting fostering, matching and transport programs, as well as disaster relief.  With this year's grant announcement, PEDIGREE Foundation has provided more than 5,800 grants and nearly $10 million since its inception in 2008. The Foundation anticipates additional grants may be awarded before year's end.

"Over the last two years, we have seen the positive impact extra time spent with pets can have on our lives – in fact 84% said that the time together increased their emotional bond," said Kimberly Spina, President of PEDIGREE Foundation Board of Directors. "That said, unfortunately, as many return to our daily routines, more dogs may end up in shelters again. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we remain committed to doing our part to help every dog find their forever families by continuing to support the tireless work of our partners in the animal welfare community."

The 2021 PEDIGREE Foundation grants include:

• DOGS RULE.™ grants – $100,000 over two years to develop an innovative initiative that can become a best practice for other shelters and rescues.
• Program Development grants – $5,000 to $15,000 to help shelters and rescues expand operational capacity to increase dog adoption with a focus on Transport, Foster, Behavior and Matching initiatives.
• COVID-19 grants – More than $99,000 so far in 2021 dedicated to providing relief and support to organizations struggling due to pandemic-related challenges.
• Disaster Relief grants – More than $63,000 so far in 2021 to help organizations cope with natural disasters, puppy mill seizures, and other emergency needs.
• Collaborative Partnership grants – $25,000 to $50,000 to support initiatives that address regional supply-and-demand challenges, getting more dogs to places where they have a better chance to be adopted. Recipients include Humane Society of Tulsa, Greater Good Charities, and Austin Pets Alive! through the Human Animal Supports Services program.
• Adoption grants – Funds provided to support dog adoptions during two weekend adoption events sponsored in partnership with Mars Petcare's BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program.

"Like many other shelters and rescues, dog populations are rising once again as people return to their routines," said Kristen Hassen, Director of American Pets Alive! and Human Animal Support Services. "The grant support from PEDIGREE Foundation is so critical to the work we are doing to help these dogs through our Texas Transport program."

How You Can Help

A recent study from Mars Petcare found that 90% of pet parents want to spend as much time with pets going forward as they did last year², making the holidays the perfect time to support shelter dogs nationwide, while pampering your own furry friend. PEDIGREE Foundation is encouraging dog lovers to shop at the DOGS RULE.® online store or the PEDIGREE Foundation Amazon store throughout the holiday season for gifts that give back to dogs in need. Proceeds from the store help dogs find loving homes through shelter and rescue grants.

The Foundation is also asking for support during its "Home for the Pawlidays" year-end fundraising campaign. With shelter populations returning to pre-pandemic levels, organizations will continue to need tremendous support in the new year. PEDIGREE Foundation has secured a match for up to $10,000 in donations received by December 31, and hopes to achieve that goal to help as many dogs as possible in 2022.

To read more about the 2021 grant recipients and their impact, and for information about how you can make a difference with PEDIGREE Foundation, please visit PedigreeFoundation.org

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 3.1 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and too many 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 5,800 grants and nearly $10 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 at PedigreeFoundation.org.

About Mars Petcare 
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates across 50+ countries in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™. With 85 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets – including brands PEDIGREE^®, WHISKAS^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA^®, CESAR^®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an international network of over 2,000 pet hospitals and diagnostic services including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™, Linnaeus, AniCura and Antech. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, 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, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. 

¹ ASPCA Pet Statistics https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
² KRC Research conducted online surveys of 1,003 U.S. pet parents from July 28 to August 8, 2021.

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SOURCE PEDIGREE Foundation