Adoption Weekend kicks off the first episode of the new Unleashed season with Katie Couric with a special adoption story from participating shelter.

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Sept. 26, 2023 – In celebration of 15 years of finding deserving shelter pets furever homes, Mars will host its biggest-ever Annual Mars Pet Adoption Weekend, starting Friday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 1. Mars and its family of Petcare brands including ROYAL CANIN® and Camp Bow Wow®, will cover up to a maximum of $100,000 in cat and dog adoption fees at partner shelter locations in 15 cities to help drive adoptions and further its global ambition to end pet homelessness. PEDIGREE Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping dogs in need find forever homes, will also cover up to a maximum of $50,000 in dog adoption fees in select Adoption Weekend markets. Mars Pet Adoption Weekend kicks off with the first episode in the new season of Unleashed with Katie Couric, a new pet-focused video series featuring Katie Couric and friends.

Adoption Weekend comes as animal shelters across the country continue to struggle with overcrowding and resource constraints. Despite a growing awareness of the many benefits pets bring, from companionship to increased well-being, more than six million pets enter U.S. shelters each year.¹ Even as interest in pet adoption has risen, the number of stray pets arriving at shelters has increased 26% since 2021.²

“The sad fact is more pets entered shelters than left them in the first half of 2023.² That’s a heartbreaking trend we want to help change in the second half,” says Lisa Campbell, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Mars Petcare. “Our purpose at Mars Petcare is A Better World for Pets and that starts with working towards our ambition to end pet homelessness and giving as much support as we can to shelters that work tirelessly to care for pets in need. We’re thrilled that this year we can make our annual Adoption Weekend our biggest event yet, when the need for support is greater than ever.”

Unleashed with Katie Couric partners with Mars Petcare in Fight to End Pet Homelessness

Mars is proud to partner with Katie Couric for a special presentation of Unleashed, the digital series where Katie interviews celebrity friends about their cuddly companions and pet adoption experience. In the Mars Pet Adoption Weekend episode, Katie takes viewers behind the scenes for a heartwarming look at the adoption journey of Chief, an adorable three-legged dog.

“Pets have brought so much joy to my family over the years,” said Katie Couric. “As a lifelong pet lover, I am excited to support Mars Pet Adoption Weekend and help get these loving animals out of overcrowded shelters and into the forever homes they deserve.”

2023 Mars Pet Adoption Weekend Participating Shelters

For 15 years, Mars and its family of pet care and veterinary health brands including PEDIGREE®, IAMS™, ROYAL CANIN®, Camp Bow Wow®, Banfield Pet Hospital® and VCA Animals Hospitals, along with its snacking and food brands, have come together for Mars Pet Adoption Weekend to support animal shelters and raise awareness for pet adoption. Shelters participating in this year’s Adoption Weekend represent the many communities across the country where Mars Associates live and work, cities certified by the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program and cities home to important Mars brand initiatives. Seventeen shelters are participating in the 15^th Annual Mars Pet Adoption Weekend, located in 15 cities:

• Bentonville, AR
  • Best Friends Pet Resource Center in NW Arkansas
• Chicago
  • PAWS Chicago
• Denver
  • MaxFund Animal Adoption Center
• Honolulu
  • Hawaiian Humane
• Kansas City, MO
  • KC Pet Project
• Las Vegas
  • The Animal Foundation
• Los Angeles
  • Los Angeles Animal Services
• McLean, VA
  • Wolf Trap Animal Rescue
• Nashville, TN
  • Metro Animal Care and Control
  • Nashville Humane Association
  • Williamson County Animal Center
• Newark, NJ
  • St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center
• Phoenix
  • Arizona Humane Society
• St. Louis
  • City of St. Charles Animal Shelter
• Tampa, FL
  • Humane Society of Tampa Bay
• Vancouver, WA
  • Humane Society for Southwest Washington
• Washington, DC
  • Humane Rescue Alliance

Helping Pet Parents Get Started on the Right Paw

To help pets and pet parents start off on the right paw, each adopted pet will go home with a robust welcome kit including a variety of Mars Petcare and Royal Canin food and treats to try, veterinary and accessory coupons and toys to play with together to help build a strong bond.

The welcome kits will include products such as:

• PEDIGREE^® dog food
• IAMS™ cat food
• ROYAL CANIN^® kitten and puppy food
• DENTASTIX™ CHEWY CHUNX™ dog treats
• TEMPTATIONS™ cat treats
• A complimentary health exam and limited 14-day health care coverage from VCA Animal Hospitals with proof of adoption paperwork³
• A free first office visit coupon from Banfield Pet Hospital^®
• A free day of day care from Camp Bow Wow^® after successful completion of dog’s interview day
• Coupons and swag from Camp Bow Wow^®, VCA Animal Hospitals, WISDOM PANEL™ DNA Test, WHISTLE™ and the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program

Supporters and aspiring pet parents can learn more about the 15^th Annual Mars Pet Adoption Weekend or find the nearest participating shelter at BetterCitiesforPets.com. While Mars Petcare encourages communities to participate in the 15^th Annual Mars Pet Adoption Weekend, supporting pets is a year-round need. Please consider volunteering, adopting, or fostering at a shelter near you.

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. We’re also dedicated to providing a safe and fun place for dogs to stay and socialize at over 200 Camp Bow Wow® doggy day care and boarding facilities. 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.

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a global, family-owned business, Mars is transforming, innovating, and evolving to make a positive impact on the world.

Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of quality confectionery, food, and pet care products and services, we employ 140,000+ dedicated Associates. With more than $47 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including Ben’s Original™, CESAR^®, Cocoavia^®, DOVE^®, EXTRA^®, KIND^®, M&M’S^®, SNICKERS^®, PEDIGREE^®, ROYAL CANIN^®, and WHISKAS^®. We are creating a better world for pets through our global network of pet hospitals and diagnostic services – including AniCura, BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, Linnaeus and VCA™ – using cutting edge technology to develop breakthrough programs in genetic health screening and DNA testing. 

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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 3.1 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 6,100 grants and $11.6 million to U.S. shelters and rescues that help dogs in need. In 2022, we introduced our first program expansion outside the U.S. with the launch of our Canadian grant program, providing $100k CAD to local shelters and rescues in need across Canada. 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.

1. ASPCA Shelter Intake and Surrender
2. Shelter Animals Count
3. Offer only available at participating locations. Emergency and Specialty services at any VCA location are not included in the complimentary health exam and 14-day follow-up care. See certificate for full terms and conditions.