PEDIGREE Foundation Newsletter – January 2021

header with dog and PEDIGREE Foundation logo

Friends,

Despite 2020 being a very difficult year, October, November and December brought a lot of good news for dogs.

  • Our October Run for Rescue virtual race, Giving Tuesday and year-end fundraising brought almost $40,000 in needed support for shelter and rescue grants.
  • We funded several large transport partnerships to help as many as 1,500 pets get to areas where they’d be more likely to be adopted.
  • We took our DOGS RULE.® gear sales to the next level, with a holiday gift guide and retail partnerships to expand our reach. Remember, all proceeds from DOGS RULE.® gear help dogs get adopted!
  • Best of all, we awarded $1 million in grants to 167 shelters and rescues, meaning our total 2020 support will help more than 150,000 dogs.

There is still much more to be done, and 2021 looks like it will be another very challenging year for shelters, rescues and dogs in need. But we are blessed to have the support of our generous donors, and to work with tireless organizations saving dogs across the United States.

We ask you to continue to support PEDIGREE Foundation in 2021. Every dog deserves a loving home! Together, we’re helping more dogs find theirs.

Read on for more news from the fourth quarter…

Signature

Deb Fair,
Executive Director, PEDIGREE Foundation

What’s New at PEDIGREE Foundation

Jonny the dog looking happy

2020 Grants Help 150,000 Dogs

In 2020, PEDIGREE Foundation awarded $1 million in grants to support programs to get more dogs cared for and adopted.

The grants, awarded to 167 shelter and rescue organizations, focused primarily on supporting foster, matching and transport programs – initiatives that help significantly increase dog adoption rates.

Grants also supported disaster relief, particularly as the pandemic grew in the spring. The Foundation released funds six months earlier than usual to provide COVID-19 Relief Grants to more than 100 shelters struggling due to pandemic-related challenges.

With this year’s grants, PEDIGREE Foundation has provided more than 5,700 grants and $9 million since its inception in 2008.

Be on the lookout for our 2021 COVID-19 and annual grant application cycle, coming soon.

Learn more about our 2020 grants here.

Cover of "My Buddy is So Muddy" book

New Book Celebrates Pups

A key fundraising program for PEDIGREE Foundation is our gear store, which sells DOGS RULE.® gear and other items for dog lovers. Proceeds help dogs find loving homes.

This fall, we added a wonderful new item that dog-loving families are sure to cherish. The adorable “My Buddy is So Muddy” board book – sold exclusively at DogsRuleStore.com – tells the story of a girl and her mischievous rescue dog.

In a few short pages, and with an uplifting, positive message, this cute tale explores themes shared between many pet owners and parents: Kindness, exploration, adventure, companionship and play.

Within a week of being published in the UK, “My Buddy is So Muddy” climbed into the top 30 on Amazon in the Children’s Animal category.

We were thrilled and grateful when the author, Damien St. John, agreed to let PEDIGREE Foundation distribute it as a board book in the United States.

See the book.

Ray, our Rescue Dog of the Year

2021 Rescue Dog of the Year

Every dog deserves a loving home, and the right home can be found for every dog! Ray is proof – from being seen as “aggressive” at the shelter, he went on to become a talented and beloved part of Parkersburg Country Club. His transformation story is why we chose him as the 2021 Rescue Dog of the Year.

Says his dad, Pat, “Ray is a great dog and lives a life most people would envy. I believe he’d spent a lot of time at the shelter when I adopted him. But I can assure you he lives his best life now. He goes to work every day at the golf course and receives tons of attention and treats from golfers and employees.”

We’re so happy Ray found his forever home and we’re grateful to Humane Society of the Ohio Valley and all the shelters and rescues that help dogs like Ray.

Read Ray’s story.

flip through of gift guide

Great DOGS RULE.® Gear

Throughout the fall, we added great new gear and gift ideas for dog lovers. We were even featured in a holiday write-up by Reader’s Digest!

To promote our holiday gear, we launched our first-ever “Bark” Friday & Holiday Gift Guide, highlighting great DOGS RULE.® items for dog lovers of all ages.

While there are several holiday items in the mix, most of the gear featured is perfect for dog lovers all year long – so don’t wait to check it out!

Best of all, as always, proceeds from DOGS RULE.® gear help dogs get adopted.

See 15 gifts that give back.

Beau, a dog helped by a Foundation grant

A Success Story Worth Barking About!

Beau was one of more than 80 dogs discovered in a large-scale puppy mill seizure. A PEDIGREE Foundation disaster relief grant to Oklahoma Alliance for Animals helped them get vaccines, medication, spay/neuter and other care.

Sweet Beau needed additional, special attention. When found, he could only use two of his legs. While his unused front leg couldn’t be saved, corrective surgery gave him back the use of his back leg and he quickly regained his mobility.

Beau now walks, runs and thrives as a tripod. Best of all, his foster mom fell in love with him and gave him a forever home. We’re so happy for Beau!

Picture of "Pet of the Month" social media post

Raising Awareness with Help from Our Friends

Special thanks to our friends at Nashville Soccer Club who, in partnership with Mars Petcare, spent the fall sharing “Pet of the Month” features to spotlight dogs and the shelters that help them.

At PEDIGREE Foundation, one of our key objectives is to raise awareness about ending pet homelessness and how to help: Adopt. Volunteer. Donate.

We’re so grateful to everyone who helps spread the word and get more dogs the loving homes they deserve.

Please Help Us Help More Dogs

PEDIGREE Foundation grants help shelters and rescues care for dogs in need and find them loving homes. But we can’t do it without you.

Please help with a donation today!

If you love dogs, you can help right now.

Stay in Touch!

Thanks for your interest in PEDIGREE Foundation! We’re happy to add you to our mailing list so you’ll receive success stories, shelter best practices, DOGS RULE.® gear updates and more. If you represent a shelter or rescue, please include its name below too, thanks!


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Pedigree Foundation, 2013 Ovation Parkway, Franklin, TN, 37067, http://pedigreefoundation.org. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Pedigree Foundation, 2013 Ovation Parkway, Franklin, TN 37067, US. http://pedigreefoundation.org

You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. View Privacy Policy

Emails are serviced by Constant Contact