food

Purina Pro Plan Beefs Up Pet Rescue Effort

Purina Pro Plan/Rally to Rescue

Purina's Pro Plan brand is putting some heft behind its commitment to rescued shelter pets with an online contest in which consumers picking a shelter to receive $5,000 in Pro Plan coupons.

The contest, called "Doing More for Pets," asks consumers to pick among 10 stories of pets rescued from shelters. Among the stories are a Dalmatian rescued after being hit by a car, an abandoned puppy in St. Louis, a chronically ill Lhasa Apso given up because the family couldn't afford medical bills, and seven cats given a new home after being abandoned in New York City. More than 120 stories were submitted before the final 10 were selected.

"These 10 stories are truly moving and make you appreciate just how much life and love these pets still have to give," said Heather Gettys, brand manager for Purina Pro Plan, in a statement. "Each story is incredible, and we're proud to help shine the light on these pets and the amazing people who rescued them."

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The stories will be available for viewing at www.rallytorescue.org, through Oct. 30. Through a combination of a popular vote and a judges score, one pet (and his/her owner) will win a trip to the National Dog Show in Philadelphia this November, and the rescue organization will win $5,000 in coupons for Pro Plan dog food.

Purina has been running its Rally to Rescue program since 2005, helping more than 227,000 pets find new homes. The company has set a goal of passing 300,000 adoptions by the end of this year. To meet that goal, the company is sponsoring adoption events in eight U.S. cities where residents can learn more about pet rescue. The events will also include training sessions from Melissa Heeter and her rescue dog, Viola.

Purina isn't the only pet-oriented company to sponsor pet rescue and shelter adoption. Frontline Plus has signed on as DogTime Network's sponsor for a Facebook application that tracks actions such as fostering a dog or taking one on a walk, and donates food to RescueGroups.org. Purina competitor Pedigree, meanwhile, earlier this year used a television commercial on the Super Bowl to promote pet adoption.

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