Chelsea Kane Teams Up With Pedigree for: Every Dog Deserves Leading Nutrition.

Dancing with the Stars' Chelsea Kane Teams up With PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs to Deliver More Than 100,000 Pounds of Food to Shelters Across the Country

Every Dog Deserves Campaign Celebrates Launch of PEDIGREE® Brand's Best Recipe Ever

Dancing with the Stars* finalist and Disney star Chelsea Kane has made shelter dogs and their need for leading nutrition a top priority by helping the PEDIGREE® Brand launch its Every Dog Deserves campaign. The campaign will provide more than 100,000 pounds of PEDIGREE® new dry food– its best recipe ever – to dogs in shelters across the country patiently waiting for a loving home.

Chelsea Kane poured the ceremonial first bowl at The Amanda Foundation in Los Angeles today, symbolic of the 10,000 pound food donation the PEDIGREE® Brand is making to the shelter and the 100,000 pounds of food that will be donated to feed shelter dogs across the U.S. From pure-breds to mixed breeds, show dogs to shelter dogs, Every Dog Deserves Leading Nutrition.

Dog adoption is a cause close to Kane's heart. "I'm so thrilled to be working with PEDIGREE," says Kane. "As a lifelong dog lover, I'm committed to doing everything I can to provide my dog everything she deserves. Being able to represent a program that shares my enthusiasm and strives to make a difference in the lives of dogs that need it most is so humbling."

SPREAD THE WORD, HELP A DOG

Throughout the month of June, dog lovers around the nation can unite to help feed shelter dogs by visiting Facebook (Facebook.com/pedigree) or Twitter (@PedigreeUS) to tell us what they think Every Dog Deserves. A loving home? Belly rubs? Great nutrition? In return, the PEDIGREE® Brand will donate a pound of its best recipe ever to shelter dogs, up to 100,000 pounds of food. Whether it's a Facebook status update, a tweet, an @reply, a re-tweet, a photo upload of their four-legged friend, a status "like," or wall post – any social media engagement directed at the PEDIGREE® Brand will help feed dogs in need.

"At PEDIGREE, our love for dogs is our driving passion. We feel an instant connection with everyone who shares our commitment, which is why we're so pleased to have Chelsea's support and star-power rallying for our cause," remarked Lisa Campbell, senior brand manager, PEDIGREE® Brand. "We believe Every Dog Deserves Leading Nutrition, and we know how important nutrition is for shelter dogs, helping them look and feel their best while they wait for a home," said Campbell. "The Every Dog Deserves campaign connects all dog lovers – famous or otherwise – and gives each one a voice to make a difference in the life of a shelter dog."

FULFILLING IMMEDIATE NEEDS

In specific response to the urgent need in Joplin, Mo., and surrounding areas, caused by the recent violent tornado, Mars Petcare US, the makers of PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, has made an immediate donation of approximately 200,000 pounds of food to help feed those pets who have lost their homes. This food is in addition to the 100,000 pound commitment made with the Every Dog Deserves campaign. The ASPCA has set up a temporary shelter at the Humane Society of Joplin to tend to the needs of homeless and displaced pets. With all the challenges of rebuilding a community, the hope is that this food will provide comfort and nutrition to the distressed pets in their time of need.

THE 4 UNIVERSAL NEEDS OF DOGS

The researchers at The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, a leading scientific authority in pet nutrition, have identified an important breakthrough in canine nutrition, the 4 Universal Needs of Dogs. These needs are Skin & Coat, Oral Care, Digestion and Immunity, and are requirements for all dogs, at all stages in its life, whether a puppy, adult, senior, small or large breed. The new PEDIGREE® dry dog food addresses the 4 Universal Needs with the following innovations:

* Skin & Coat - Nourish a dog's first line of defense – its skin and coat – with leading levels of Linoleic Acid and optimum levels of Zinc.
* Oral Care - Look for the patented x-shaped kibble**. The kibble provides oral care benefits through its crunch, which helps reduce tartar build-up, a contributor to gum disease – the number one health issue for dogs today.
* Digestion - An improved blend of fiber to support healthy digestion and optimum stool quality.
* Immunity - Leading levels of Vitamin E and Vitamin C – to help support a dog's immune system.


For more information log onto www.pedigree.com or www.facebook.com/pedigree.

*Mars, Incorporated is not affiliated with ABC or Dancing with the Stars
**Not all recipes include the oral care kibble. Please go to Dogsrule.com for more information.

About the PEDIGREE® Brand

The PEDIGREE® Brand is the number one brand of dog food in the world, offering a wide variety of products for different dog life stages. As an innovative market leader, the PEDIGREE® Brand is at the forefront of pet nutrition and understands pet owner needs by providing a range of innovative products and resources. For more information, please visit www.Pedigree.com.

About Mars Petcare US

Mars Petcare US is the U.S. operations of the world's largest petcare company at the privately-held, family-owned Mars, Incorporated. Mars Petcare US produces some of the world's most beloved pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, WHISKAS® Food for Cats, and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® Brand. Headquartered in Franklin, Tenn., more than 2,700 Mars Petcare US associates make, sell and distribute its high-quality pet food from 16 manufacturing facilities located in communities across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mars.com.

About The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition

The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition is a leading scientific authority in pet nutrition and wellbeing and has been advancing the frontiers of scientific research into the nutrition and health of companion animals for nearly 50 years. Located in Leicestershire, England, the renowned state-of-the-art science institute focuses on the nutritional and behavioural needs of companion animals and their benefits to humans, enabling the development of innovative products which meet these needs in a practical way. The Waltham Centre has pioneered many important breakthroughs in pet nutrition, and in collaboration with world leading scientific institutes, supports leading Mars brands such as WHISKAS®, PEDIGREE®, NUTRO®, TRILL®, CESAR®, SHEBA®, KITEKAT®, AQUARIAN®, WINERGY® and the ROYAL CANIN brand. For more information, visit www.waltham.com.

About The Amanda Foundation

In Latin the name "Amanda" means worthy of love, so our charity is named not for a person but for our philosophy towards our dog and cat companions. The Amanda Foundation was founded in 1976, and has since placed thousands of homeless animals. It is a nonprofit organization that rescues dogs and cats who, through no fault of their own, are spending their last days at City and County Shelters.

®/™ Trademarks © Mars, Incorporated 2011. US Pat. No. D492,836.

SOURCE Mars Petcare US