• by Tanya Gazdik , March 30, 2010

Pedigree brand dog food has enlisted country singer Carrie Underwood in its sixth annual Adoption Drive, which highlights the plight of homeless dogs.

The program focuses on helping dogs in need through a variety of efforts that help generate awareness, food and funding. Pedigree is sponsoring Underwood's "Play On Tour," which hits 54 cities across North America from March through June.

Underwood, in turn, appears on Pedigree's Web site accompanied by her Chihuahua, Ace, who she adopted three years ago. "He seems like one in a million, but unfortunately he's not," Underwood says in a video on the site. "Four million other great dogs like him end up in shelters and breed rescues every year."

The country singer asks visitors to become a fan of Pedigree's Adoption Drive Facebook page. For every new fan now through Dec. 31, Franklin, Tenn.-based Pedigree donates a bowl of food to help shelter dogs.

While on the Facebook page, dog lovers can also show their support by donating money to help find dogs loving homes, a portion of which will be matched by the Brand up to $500,000. All donations go to The Pedigree Foundation, a non-profit organization benefiting animal shelters and breed rescues nationwide.

Since launching the Adoption Drive in mid-February, the brand is proud to have generated donations of more than 750,000 bowls of food and $600,000 to animal shelters and breed rescues, says John Anton, Pedigree marketing director at Mars Petcare US. The brand has agreed to donate up to $2 million.

The Web site also details other ways that visitors can support homeless animals including volunteering at a shelter or donating to a shelter. Consumers can also prompt Pedigree to donate by sending Pedigree e-cards to dog lovers, shopping for Dogs Rule gear on the Pedigree Web site, and buying Pedigree dog food.

Pedigree also is trying to educate the public that adopting a pet is a decision that should not be taken lightly. The brand's Web site includes a special dog adoption area that provides information about dogs, how the adoption process works, training tips and guidelines for everyday care and nutrition. A downloadable Adoption Guide is also available.