THE HOLIDAYS COME EARLY FOR ORPHAN PETS-IN-NEED!

For 7^th Year, Blue Buffalo Kicks Off Annual Home 4 the Holidays Campaign with Food Donation from Coast-to-Coast

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif., Oct. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- October officially marks the kick-off of the Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays campaign. Now in its 26th year, the program seeks to encourage families to adopt their new four-legged family members from a shelter this holiday season, rather than shop for them at a pet store or breeder. For the seventh year in a row, Blue Buffalo is providing a very special holiday gift to animal rescue organizations and shelters on both coasts of the country by donating over 50,000 pounds of pet food and treats in San Diego and New York City. (Since 2018 Blue has donated a total of 628,862 pounds of food for the Home 4 the Holidays Food Drop!) At the same time, Naturally Fresh will also provide free pallets of their premium kitten litter to West Coast shelters. The media is invited to attend THIS MORNING, Tuesday, Oct. 8, as representatives from West and East Coast animal groups pick up the high-quality food and litter for shelter pets in their care.

Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center in 1999, the Home 4 the Holidays campaign has helped place more than 21 million pets (in partnership with more than 4,000 participating global rescue groups) into loving homes. Blue Buffalo has supported Helen Woodward Animal Center's holiday campaign since 2013. Last year, Home 4 the Holidays resulted in nearly 1 million dogs and cats united with loving families.

The decision to kick off the holiday program with a giant coast-to-coast Blue Buffalo food donation is an important way the pet food company is helping shelters keep their focus on matching pets with loving families and less time worrying about the bottom line. The 2024 donation comes during a crucial time in the world of animal welfare. 

In a concerning trend that began in 2023, pet relinquishment numbers are up, and adoption numbers are down. Many animal welfare organizations are struggling with overcrowded shelters, limited funding and hungry mouths to feed, while juggling strained budgets with increased supply costs and medical expenses. Blue Buffalo is delivering several truckloads of food and treats to Helen Woodward Animal Center and the Center's partner, Paws Crossed Animal Rescue in New York. The much-needed holiday meals will be distributed to pet rescues and shelters within those regions. 

"Blue Buffalo's mission is to love, feed and treat all pets like family," said Haley Perry, Senior Manager of Brand Experience at Blue Buffalo. "We believe every dog and cat deserves a loving, forever home where they are truly embraced as family. This holiday season, we hope people visit their local rescue centers and consider the love they can give to shelter pets." 

"Blue Buffalo has an incredible heart for pet parenting and animal rescue," said Helen Woodward Animal Center VP of Development Renee Resko. "It's hard to put into words how much we appreciate their support for Home 4 The Holidays and their ongoing efforts to share the beauty of pet adoption with the public. The annual gift of pet food couldn't come at a better time for shelters-in-need and we're honored to facilitate this amazing holiday delivery."

"The Home 4 the Holidays food donation is one of our favorite times of the year," said Jennifer Angelucci, CEO of Paws Crossed Animal Rescue Inc. "We are deeply grateful to Blue Buffalo and to Helen Woodward for including us in part of such an incredible network of people who go above and beyond to help rescues and shelters across the country. This year, the need is greater than ever, as our partners along the East Coast eagerly await their food deliveries in the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastation. Not only is this wonderful gift a lifeline for so many, but it is an opportunity to bring rescues together for a common cause!" 

Helen Woodward Animal Center wants to continue to encourage rescue organizations to increase their adoption efforts during the holiday season, when more families opt to bring home a new pet. For the sixth year, the Center is offering $25,000 to the rescue organization that develops the most creative Home 4 the Holidays promotion to increase adoptions.

There are many ways to get involved in the Blue Buffalo Home 4 the Holidays campaign including adopting and encouraging friends to adopt and then showing the world your newly adopted best friend by posting a photo on the contest page or sharing on Instagram with #IChoseToRescue and tagging @hwac and @bluebuffalo. For more information about the campaign or to find participating local shelters and rescues groups, go to animalcenter.org/home-4-the-holidays. 

For information on Helen Woodward Animal Center, call 858-756-4117, visit www.animalcenter.org or stop by at 6461 El Apajo Road, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067.

About Home 4 the Holidays (H4TH)
As one of the most successful pet adoption programs in the world, H4TH partners with thousands of animal organizations dedicated to finding forever homes for orphan pets. Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and in partnership with Blue Buffalo this year, the program began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Since it began 26 years ago, partner organizations in the Home 4 the Holidays campaign have helped more than 21 million families experience the joy of pet adoption, including close to 1 million pet adoptions last year alone. For more information, please visit www.home4theholidays.org.

About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where "people help animals and animals help people." Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: www.animalcenter.org.

About Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo, the country's most loved and trusted natural pet food, started with a promise made to a lovable Airedale named Blue who struggled with cancer, the #1 disease-related killer of dogs and cats. His family, the Bishops, wanted to feed him the best food possible, so they searched for food with high-quality ingredients, but decided to create something even better – natural pet food for dogs and cats with nutritious ingredients, real meat first, and some of the highest standards in the industry. Since Day 1, BLUE's team of veterinarians and animal nutritionists have carefully selected high-quality, natural ingredients and upheld its True BLUE Promise to dog and cat pet parents – real meat as the first ingredient with NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, NO corn, wheat or soy, and NO artificial flavors or preservatives. The result is a portfolio of high-quality, natural food and treats that both dogs and cats love. This simple idea: "Love them like family. Feed them like family." lives on today in every Blue Buffalo recipe. Visit BlueBuffalo.com to learn more. 

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SOURCE Helen Woodward Animal Center