Ad Campaign Leaves Viewers Hoping for a Happy Ending

NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- There is good news for all those who have seen -- and even shed a tear over -- The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive advertising campaign. Each of the 12 homeless dogs featured in the emotionally-charged ads have been adopted into happy homes. The newest installment in the campaign -- an ad titled, "Resolution" -- begins airing today and shows Echo, the Border collie mix we last saw sitting sadly in the shelter, happily enjoying her new home.

February 2008 marked the start of the fourth annual PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive and a series of call-to action ads, which began appearing in January, showcasing loveable but lonely-looking shelter dogs. The ads struck a cord with dog lovers everywhere, particularly one heart-wrenching commercial that featured Echo being sadly passed up for adoption. Caring viewers have flooded the PEDIGREE(R) Brand with phone calls asking about her fate.

"We've received so many touching calls about these ads, especially regarding Echo. The response has been overwhelming -- everyone wants to know if they can adopt her," said John Anton, Director Pedigree Brand Marketing, the makers of PEDIGREE(R) Food for Dogs. "It's heartwarming to know that Americans share our immense love for dogs, and we are delighted to let them know each of the dogs appearing in our campaign, including Echo, have been adopted into loving homes."

No one understands the public's concern for Echo better than the PEDIGREE(R) Brand. The minute they laid eyes on her, they knew her story had to be told.

The Story of Echo and the Others

When the PEDIGREE(R) Brand first met Echo at a Los Angeles shelter, she was confused but there was hope in her eyes. Every time someone walked by her cage, it was as if she ran up to audition. She smiled, her ears perked up and she came in close for a belly rub -- leaving everyone wondering how a dog like this, or any dog for that matter, could end up in a shelter.

Fortunately, Echo, now 1-year-old, is thriving in a beautiful home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Palos Verdes Estates, California. Echo's new family has provided her with a life that consists of long walks on nature trails, a large backyard and plenty of siblings -- one dog, one bird, two cats and a dozen exotic fish. It's a wonderfully-far cry from the shelter.

As for the other dogs featured in the ads, here is how their new beginnings began:

    -- Bailey -- When energetic Bailey, a 3-year old American staff, went for
       her daily walk it was hard to get her back in her cage. Then one day
       someone with just as much energy adopted her, and Bailey's tail has not
       stopped wagging since.
    -- King -- A 2-year-old German shepherd found the shelter confusing and
       spent most days staring off into the distance. During the filming of
       the television commercials, one of the crew members fell in love with
       King and adopted him. Now King is a movie star.
    -- Mary Grace -- Beautiful terrier mix Mary Grace had a hard time
       adjusting to shelter life and would try to escape by squeezing through
       the bars on her cage. Today she lives in a nice home with nice people
       who call her Sophie.
    -- Otis -- Otis is a small pug with enormous eyes. When he was in the
       shelter he would lie on the cement and stare. He did not bark or move,
       but his eyes said it all. Otis, now 1-year-old, was adopted very
       quickly.
    -- Pauley -- At first, Pauley, an Australian cattle mix, was shy but the
       more the shelter workers spent time with him, the more he came out of
       his shell -- he even had a shiny "most improved" ribbon on his cage.
       Then one day a young woman came by and took Pauley home. She calls him
       Cruiser.
    -- Star -- 11-month-old Star spent most of her time in the shelter looking
       around and wondering where she was. Fortunately, she was adopted and
       has been living up to her name ever since.
    -- Princess -- A Princess doesn't belong behind bars, so it was hard to
       understand how this beautiful poodle mix got there. Before long, her
       wagging tail got this Princess noticed. At 4-years-old, she now has a
       big yard over which to rule.
    -- Ginger -- Ginger is a sweet, affectionate and kind 10-month-old Cairn
       terrier mix, but the shelter made her miserable. However, when people
       came past her cage she came to life and would give them a big smile.
       Lucky for her it was a pretty smile, and someone took her home.
    -- Velma -- 11-month-old Velma is a friendly German shepherd mix who
       walked up to visitors and offered her paw. With manners like that, it
       is no surprise she found a loving new home.
    -- Frankie -- When this 1 1/2-year-old Chihuahua-corgi mix was at the
       shelter he would greet people by standing on his back legs and looking
       them in the eye. His new owner took him home and named him Harley.
    -- Charley -- A shelter is no place for a boxer of Charley's stature, but
       he waited patiently and greeted everyone kindly. Lucky for him, someone
       came along to adopt him, and they call him Bruno.
    -- Fred -- Fred, a 7-year-old shepherd mix, is quiet, restrained and wise
       with huge black ears. Fred spent most of his life outside the shelter
       so being inside was tough. Luckily it wasn't long before someone took
       him home, and his ears have been flapping in the wind ever since.
    -- Oliver -- Oliver, Oli for short, has been adopted for more than a year
       now and couldn't be happier. This 1 1/2-year-old Parson Russell terrier
       mix is full of energy and now has a warm place to sit, relax and
       nap -- for the rest of his life.

Getting Involved

While the PEDIGREE(R) Brand is thrilled these particular dogs have been adopted, the sad truth is that more than four million dogs, just like the ones appearing in these ads, end up in shelters and breed rescues every year. Even more heartbreaking, nearly half of those canines never find a place to call home. To help reverse this trend, four years ago PEDIGREE(R) Food for Dogs created The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive, an awareness and fundraising campaign, to help shine a spotlight on the plight of homeless dogs.

This year in addition to the ad campaign, the PEDIGREE(R) Brand put out the call-to-action to dog lovers to help them raise more than one million dollars for the cause of dog adoption, and to date, nearly $750,000 has been donated. Those who still want to show their support for the cause can make a donation over the course of the year by logging onto Dogsrule.com. All contributions are tax-deductible and benefit The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation, a new non-profit organization that provides funding to select animal shelters and breed rescues nationwide.

"As the brand that loves dogs, we want to ensure we're maximizing our efforts to help these four-legged friends in need, and creating The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive Foundation seemed like the natural next step," said Anton. "We know there are people out there who love dogs but may not be ready to care for one full-time. This foundation gives them an easy way to get involved and help us help dogs."

In addition to making a direct donation to the foundation, there are several other ways dog lovers can take part in The PEDIGREE(R) Adoption Drive:

    -- Purchase merchandise from the Dogs rule.(R) line, a collection of
       merchandise for dog lovers available on Dogsrule.com. Proceeds from the
       sale of Dogs rule.(R) items benefit the foundation.

    -- Dog owners can purchase PEDIGREE(R) products.* Donations from product
       sales will benefit the foundation.

    -- Those who adopt a dog from a local shelter or breed rescue anytime
       during 2008 are eligible for a FREE, one-month supply of food as a
       thank you from PEDIGREE(R) Brand.

To learn more about adoption, view the ads and find a shelter near you, visit http://www.Dogsrule.com. PEDIGREE(R) Brand products are available at grocery, pet specialty and mass merchandise outlets nationwide. For more news about PEDIGREE(R) Brand, log onto http://www.marsnewsroom.com.

About PEDIGREE(R) Brand

PEDIGREE(R) 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, PEDIGREE(R) Brand is at the forefront of pet nutrition and understands pet owner needs by providing a range of innovative products and resources.

About Mars Petcare US

Mars Petcare U.S. is the U.S. pet care operations of Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's leading food manufacturers. Headquartered in Franklin, TN, Mars Petcare U.S. employs more than 3,000 associates in the United States, with 29 facilities nationwide and owns some of the world's favorite pet care brands, including PEDIGREE(R) Brand Food for Dogs, CESAR(R) Canine Cuisine, WHISKAS(R) Brand Food for Cats, SHEBA(R) Brand Food for Cats and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE(R) Brand. In addition, Mars, Incorporated owns the portfolio of brands produced by ROYAL CANIN USA Inc., NUTRO Products, Inc. and GREENIES(R).

    (R)/(TM) Trademarks (C) Mars, Incorporated 2008

    * Total donations from PEDIGREE(R) Consumer and Trade programs to local
      shelters in 2008:  Minimum of $250,000 up to $1,000,000.