Mars Petcare will host its 13th Annual BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ Adoption Weekend Friday, October 22, through Sunday, October 24 and, in partnership with PEDIGREE Foundation, will cover up to $100,000 in adoption fees for cats and dogs across participating shelters in Nashville and Kansas City. The event coincides with the match-up between the Tennessee Titans and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, October 24, bringing the rivals on the field together for a good cause in their communities.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill and local, adoptable puppy, Franklin, teamed up with Mars Petcare ahead of the 13th Annual BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ Adoption Weekend, taking place Oct. 22-24 at participating shelters in Nashville and Kansas City to help pets in need find forever homes.
"Our Annual Mars Petcare Adoption Weekend is a great way to rally our communities, brands and Associates around our ambition to end pet homelessness," said Ikdeep Singh, Regional President, Mars Petcare North America. "For the thirteenth year, we will focus efforts in our hometown of Nashville, and this year we're excited to expand to Kansas City, home to one of our manufacturing sites and a team of passionate Associates who proudly make GREENIES™."
Mars Petcare is also partnering with Titans quarterback and pet parent, Ryan Tannehill, to share the importance of pet adoption. Tannehill spent some time with a local adoptable dog, Franklin, after practice last week, giving fans a glimpse at the adorable pets available for adoption this weekend. He's encouraging fans of both teams to head to one of the five participating shelters for a chance to meet their future, forever pets.
"Having grown up with rescue pets – including our first family dog, Freckles – pet adoption is a cause that's close to my heart," said Tannehill. "I'm excited to support Mars Petcare's 13th Annual BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ Adoption Weekend, because I believe every pet deserves a loving home."
Shelters participating in Adoption Weekend include Nashville Humane Association, Williamson County Animal Center and Metro Animal Care and Control in Nashville; and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City and KC Pet Project in Greater Kansas City, MO. Mars Petcare Associates in both Nashville and Kansas City will participate in volunteer events leading up to Adoption Weekend to help the participating shelters get ready for the weekend. To adopt a pet, residents of both communities can visit or contact one of the five participating shelters for details on the adoption process.
In addition to covering adoption fees at these shelters, Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation will send adopted pets home with starter kits including food from PEDIGREE®, CESAR® and IAMS™, TEMPTATIONS™ cat treats, and coupons and swag from BANFIELD™ Pet Hospital, Camp Bow Wow®, IAMS™ NOSEiD, VCA Animal Hospitals, WISDOM PANEL™, PEDIGREE Foundation and the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program.
For more information about Adoption Weekend, including hours and information for participating shelters, please visit bettercitiesforpets.com/adopt2021. To learn more about the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, and Mars Petcare's work with cities and governments to educate people on the benefits of pet ownership by advocating for pet-friendly spaces, visit www.bettercitiesforpets.com.
About BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™
*The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program was created by Mars Petcare US, the world's leading pet nutrition and health care business, to help communities become more pet-friendly by bringing the voice of pets and their owners to places of influence and advocating for fewer pets in shelters, more pet-friendly places, and happier, healthier lives for both people and pets. Mars Petcare works with key partners, businesses and local governments to better understand how to improve communities by: providing safe and welcoming shelters that lead to forever homes; encouraging pet-friendly, responsible homes for pets; welcoming more pets into local businesses, and giving pets plenty of park space to play. In 2019 the company launched the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ certification which recognizes and celebrates cities that are putting programs and policies into place to make life better for people and pets. For more information about the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program and the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS certification, visit BetterCitiesForPets.com.
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 5,700 grants and over $9 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 our Purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.
