Good Flights “Flying to Forever Homes” Initiative to Operate a Series of Six Flights to Save Homeless Pets in 2021

SEATTLE, Wash. (June 18, 2021) — Today, Greater Good Charities, Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation, the charitable arm of the PEDIGREE® brand, join forces to launch Good Flights “Flying to Forever Homes” initiative to airlift hundreds of shelter pets to new adoptive homes in 2021. Together, Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation have given a $100,000 grant that will help fund the transport of at-risk shelter pets and help the receiving animal shelters find them forever homes.

“We are thrilled to partner with like-minded organizations, like Mars Petcare and PEDIGREE Foundation to help pet populations in crisis that are historically underserved due to lack of resources and opportunity,” said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities. “Through a series of six flights, hundreds of at-risk shelter pets will be saved, thanks to the Good Flights “Flying to Forever Homes” initiative.”

During Father’s Day weekend, a multi-plane mission of more than 150 at-risk shelter pets will include the inaugural Good Flights “Flying to Forever Homes” airlift. The shelter pets, include harder-to-adopt large breed dogs and cats, will board the inaugural flight in Lafayette, La. in the early morning hours of June 19 and arrive Ypsilanti, Mich. later that same morning.

“Collaborating with a partner like Greater Good Charities that shares our dedication to supporting pet adoption helps us make a positive impact in the lives of hundreds of animals,” said  Deb Fair, Executive Director of PEDIGREE Foundation. “We are proud to be part of this innovative program that will serve animals in underserved communities and help find forever homes for pets in need.”

PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to finding forever homes for dogs in need. The Foundation believes that every dog deserves a loving, forever home and works tirelessly with shelter and recue partners, like Greater Good Charities, toward that goal. PEDIGREE Foundation’s mission supports Mars Petcare’s shared ambition of ending pet homelessness and its larger purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS™.

“At Mars Petcare, we are dedicated to helping end pet homelessness, and part of doing so is working with partners like the Greater Good Charities to further their programming,” said Ikdeep Singh, President of Mars Petcare North America. “Good Flights is a wonderful demonstration of how companies and various non-profits can come together for a common cause and make a real impact. We look forward to seeing hundreds of pets find loving, forever homes through this program and are honored to be a part of it.”

Good Flights, a program of Greater Good Charities, conducts life-saving airlifts and supports ground transport for at-risk pet populations with a heavy focus on harder to adopt large-breed dogs, homeless cats, asymptomatic heartworm positive shelter dogs, and disaster relief. All shelter pets transported via Good Flights will be done so in compliance with the USDA interstate regulations. Learn more at greatergood.org.

To donate and support the Good Flights “Flying to Forever Homes” initiative, please visit:  https://support.greatergood.org/collections/pets/products/transport-shelter-pets-to-safety

About Greater Good Charities
Greater Good Charities is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit organization, with a 100/100 rating on Charity Navigator, that works to amplify the good in the world to improve the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. Since 2007, Greater Good Charities has given over $300 million in cash and in-kind grants to over 5,000 charitable partners worldwide and funded projects in 121 countries. To date, Greater Good Charities has provided over $23 million in support for COVID-19 disaster-relief, including cash grants, in-kind supplies, and programmatic support. To learn more about how Greater Good Charities is amplifying the good across the globe, please visit greatergood.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or and TikTok.

About PEDIGREE Foundation
We believe every dog deserves a loving, forever home. PEDIGREE Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization working to help end pet homelessness. Nearly 3.5 million dogs end up in shelters and rescues every year, and nearly half never find a home. The foundation was established in 2008 by Mars Petcare, maker of PEDIGREE® food for dogs, to help increase dog adoption rates. We’ve awarded more than 5,700 grants and over $9 million to U.S. shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. At PEDIGREE Foundation, we’re working toward a day when all dogs are safe, secure, cared for, fed well and loved. See how you can help at PedigreeFoundation.org.

About Mars Petcare
Part of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates across 50+ countries in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 85 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world’s pets – including brands PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, ROYAL CANIN®, NUTRO™, GREENIES™, SHEBA®, CESAR®, IAMS™ and EUKANUBA™ as well as the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through an international network of over 2,000 pet hospitals and diagnostic services including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™, Linnaeus,  AniCura and Antech. We’re also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL™ genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE™ GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND™ programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in – and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.