• by Tanya Gazdik , January 28, 2013

Grammy award-winner Miranda Lambert is teaming with Pedigree to launch a search for the next communities to benefit from an initiative that supplies participating shelters with all of their core dog food needs for free.

The Pedigree Feeding Project started last year in Nashville and Chicago. Pedigree chose to focus on where it can make the biggest immediate difference -- cities with an abundance of homeless pets. Already, more than 4,000 shelter dogs are receiving the professional nutrition through the initiative. 

"When shelters don't need to worry about how they are going to be able to feed their dogs or pay for the food, resources become available to expand and promote adoption programs," said Jeff Hingher, senior brand manager, Pedigree Brand, in a release.

The shelters in Chicago and Nashville were able to save anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 a year, which allowed them to participate in activities such as off-site adoption events, expanding the audience of potential adopters; as well as update their facilities to provide a more homelike environment for the dogs, which helps the dogs transition more easily into their new loving home.

Lambert, who is mom to six adopted dogs, officially opened The Pedigree Feeding Project "Choose the Next Community" nomination period last week at The Americana at Brand in Los Angeles, Calif. She unveiled her latest video project that showcases her love of dogs and why this initiative is important to shelter dogs. 

To nominate a community, consumers visit Facebook.com/Pedigree and click on the "Choose the Next Community" tab. They then watch Miranda Lambert's video on why the project is so important to her and then they can nominate a community, submit stories of special dogs in their life and share photos and videos. Users can also share Miranda's video with friends and encourage them to nominate their community, too.

In March, Miranda and the Pedigree will announce the names of the five communities that have been selected as finalists in the search. America will then vote to determine the next communities to participate in the project. The winning communities will be announced mid-2013.