Mars Brand Set to Cover $100,000 in Pet Adoption Fees for U.S. Dogs & Cats in Need

Dogs and cats bring so much joy to our lives, and adopting a pet from a shelter not only provides you with a lifelong companion but also creates space for another animal in need. Shelters are overcrowded and understaffed, and there are so many wonderful animals in need of a forever home. Every adoption can help alleviate the burden on shelters and make room for more animals in need.

If you're considering adding a cat or dog to your home, now is a wonderful time to do it. October is Adopt-a-Dog month, but for you cat fans out there, there are plenty of beautiful cats and kittens looking for their own human to love.

For 16 years, Mars and its family of pet care and veterinary health brands including PEDIGREE®, IAMS™, ROYAL CANIN®, with additional support from PEDIGREE Foundation, 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, this year, Mars is making the 16th Annual Mars Pet Adoption Weekend the biggest yet and is going global with countries like Canada, England, Malaysia, India, Brazil, Mexico, and others joining the U.S in finding shelter pets loving homes.

Related: Royal Canin Offering a Year of Free Dog Food to Help Precious 2-Legged Dog Find Happiness

This year’s Mars Pet Adoption Weekend is supported by the first-ever Mars Pet Parent Study, a survey with insights across 20,000 global pet owners, showing the significant influence of pets in our lives. It found most pet owners in the US welcome puppies or kittens that are younger than 3 months – 66% percent of dogs and 70% of cats are acquired when they are 3 months or younger.

Through Mars Pet Adoption Weekend and the Mars Pet Parent Study, Mars is turning insights into action — celebrating and encouraging compatible pet adoptions around the world.

What does Mars Pet Adoption Weekend include?

• In the United States, between October 11-13, Mars will cover more than $100,000 in cat and dog adoption fees at 18 partner shelter locations in 14 U.S. cities. In addition, to bolster support of homeless dogs, PEDIGREE Foundation will also cover an additional $35,000 in dog adoption fees across U.S. shelters.

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

• Consumers considering to adopting a pet, can visit BetterCitiesforPets.com see if a shelter near them is participating.

If now isn't the perfect time for you to adopt, please consider making a monetary donation to your local animal shelter, breed specific rescue or Humane Society, fostering an animal or volunteering at a shelter in your area.