Patriot 5 Star looking for most patriotic dog in America

The innovators of All-American Pet Nutrition at Simplicity Pet Care are debuting their newest brand, Patriot 5 Star – a first-of-its-kind brand dedicated to philanthropy, the advancement of America and the canines protecting America. Patriot 5 Star’s Long Lasting Dental Chews are now available in mint and cinnamon flavors, and with the launch of the dental chews is a contest called #PatrioticPup: The Search for the Most Patriotic Dog in America.
Patriot 5 Star’s Long Lasting Dental Chews are designed to naturally clean a dog’s teeth and gums, while also freshening breath and preventing tartar buildup. The grain-free formula is made with the highest quality, 100% American-sourced ingredients. The products are made in the US, and a percentage of all sales support US charities.
“Simplicity Pet Care’s mission is to provide every pet across the country with access to amazing products that not only taste great, but are also great for them,” said Simplicity founder and CEO Elliott Haverlack. “We wanted to make the safest, most nutritional products available, and that’s what we’re doing with Patriot. We use the highest quality ingredients there are, and sell them at the most affordable price, period.”
Coinciding with the brand’s debut, Patriot 5 Star is launching the #PatrioticPup Competition: The Search for the Most Patriotic Dog in America.
As a continuation of Patriot’s “Pay it Forward” platform, this unique competition is designed to let consumers help decide which charities Patriot donates to throughout the year. In 2016, the company will focus on charities supporting American pets, veterans and active military.
Pet owners can enter their dogs’ photos and information via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the chance to win money for their favorite charity as well as prizes of American made treats and toys for their dog. Each month, Patriot 5 Star will award a $1,000 donation to the charitable organization of the winning pet parent’s choice along with a basket of goodies for the month’s winning patriotic pup. At the end of the year, one of the 12 four-legged finalists will be named “The Most Patriotic Pup in America,” and awarded $100,000 for a charity of their choice.

Merrick, Drew Brees team up for dogs’ Best Day Ever

Every dog deserves the Best Day Ever. From the ultimate game of fetch to an unending belly rub, dogs should be rewarded for their undeniable loyalty and unconditional love. That’s why Merrick Pet Care, a leader in all-natural pet food, wants to reward the Best Dog Ever with the Best Day Ever.
The company launched their Best Day Ever campaign in August with an end-of-summer splash day where they treated shelter dogs to the Best Pool Party Ever at Colorado’s Water World – plus the chance to be adopted – for their Best Day Ever.
“We believe not only that the best dog ever deserves the best food ever, but also that dogs should be able to enjoy the best day ever – everyday,” said Mark Sapir, vice president of marketing for Merrick Pet Care. “We’re continuously inspired by the stories we hear from our pet parents about the love they have for their dogs, and one of the most exciting things about our Best Day Ever campaign is that it celebrates the true stories of our best friends – our dogs. They make every day great for us and deserve nothing less than the ultimate reward for being the Best Dog Ever.”
With the Best Day Ever, Merrick Pet Care will continue to surprise pet parents nationwide with the campaign into 2016. In fact, now through December 3, 2015, Merrick is inviting pet parents across the country to share why their dog is the Best Dog Ever for a chance to win the Best Game of Fetch Ever with star football quarterback Drew Brees. Entrants can submit their photo and a brief narrative about why their dog deserves to win on Merrick’s Facebook page.
“Dogs give the best kind of love – unconditional – whether you have a good or a bad day,” said Brees. “All dogs deserve the Best Day Ever.”

Purina searching for men who love cats

Purina Pro Plan is shredding perceptions of traditional cat food and who typically loves cats by launching the Purina Pro Plan #MenAndCatsContest to celebrate the new Savor Shredded Blend.
Purina Pro Plan is working to change the perception of dry cat food by introducing the new Savor Shredded Blend, an all-new mealtime experience that combines crunchy kibble and tender meaty shreds to provide extraordinary nutrition and exceptional taste.
In order to change how people think of who typically loves cats, Purina Pro Plan is partnering with proud cat guy and "Devious Maids" actor Gilles Marini to search for extraordinary men who own and love cats. We are asking that people nominate the cat guys in their lives or that those extraordinary cat guys out there enter themselves by sharing a photo of them with their cat on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #MenAndCatsContest and tagging @ProPlanCat from August 31-September 14. Those men could be featured in the 2016 Purina Pro Plan Extraordinary Men and Cats Calendar and win a year's supply of Savor Shredded Blend.
"I'm a man who loves cats and I'm proud of it. I am extremely honored to work with Purina Pro Plan to launch Savor Shredded Blend and show the world that there are lots of guys out there who love their cats," Marini said. "Since the first day we brought her home, our cat Penelope has become a very important member of our family and I can't wait for everyone to see all of the amazing pictures of my fellow cat guys and their cats."
The 2016 Purina Pro Plan Extraordinary Men and Cats Calendar will be donated to Purina Pro Plan Rally to Rescue, a network supporting hundreds of small rescue groups nationwide. Group members will be able to sell the calendars at rescue events to raise money for their organizations and promote pet adoptions.
"We're very excited to introduce Savor Shredded Blend as a whole new way to look at dry cat food, and to celebrate that, Purina Pro Plan wants to change the way people look at who typically loves cats, too," said Aaron Williams, brand manager for Purina Pro Plan. "We've seen so many fun photos of Gilles with his cat Penelope and having a proud cat ambassador like him on our team is the perfect opening for men to not only change the perception of who cat lovers are, but to also help rescue organizations across the country find loving, permanent homes for cats just like theirs."
The Purina Pro Plan #MenAndCatsContest kicks off on August 31, 2015, and ends September 14, 2015. Judging will be based on the following criteria:

• 50% relevance (image captures the unique relationship between man and cat)
• 25% composition (image layout is composed and cropped with balance)
• 25% originality (image content is unique and creative)

 For entry details and eligibility requirements and to learn more about Savor Shredded Blend, visit Men who love cats No purchase necessary.

Freshpet announces #FreshDance pet challenge

Freshpet, a company that makes fresh, refrigerated dog and cat food, has announced the #FreshDance Challenge, asking pet parents to show their and their pets’ dance moves before, during or after any meal. Then, pet parents can share a photo, video or text of the #FreshDance experience, helping to highlight movement as part of health and wellness for pets and people.
Enter the #FreshDance Challenge by visiting Freshpet.com/Dance or Facebook.com/Freshpet. Participants can also submit on Twitter, Instagram or Vine using the hashtag #FreshDance. The contest runs from Nov. 3 through Nov. 21, 2014.
Winners will be chosen by the team at Freshpet to receive the following prizes:

• 1 Grand Prize winner will receive US$500, a custom Freshpet refrigerator and Freshpet food and treats.
• 5 Runner-up Prizes will receive a FreshDance gift pack filled with Freshpet goodies and a Whistle Activity Monitor.
• First 100 entries will receive a US$2.00 off coupon.
Along with each entry, Freshpet will make a donation to Vanderbilt University’s Pet Therapy Research Program. The program is specialized for children undergoing cancer treatment, and funds ongoing visits with therapy dogs. Their goal is to prove the positive effect therapy pets can have on wellness, especially during treatments. 

Dr. Tim, Dr. Tim's Pet Food, nominated for America's favorite vet

Dr. Tim Hunt, DVM, of Dr. Tim's Pet Food, has been nominated as one of the 20 finalists for the annual "America's Favorite Veterinarian" contest put on by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF).

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America’s Favorite Veterinarian is a nationwide contest created by the AVMF to identify and celebrate extraordinary veterinary professionals practicing in all areas of veterinary medicine from private practice to public health, agriculture to academia. This contest honors and recognizes those entrusted to preserve and protect the health and well-being of animals and to celebrate the special relationships pet owners share with their veterinarians.
Anyone can vote on the final 20 once a day through August 30, 2014.

Meow Mix invites cat lovers to vote for next great invention

Meow Mix cat food is looking to create a project that will solidify that special bond between cats and their owners. With the launch of Meow Mix Catstarter, an interactive site that brings to life an idea cats will love, cat fans can select an invention they would like to see created by the Meow Mix brand team.

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Through April 11, 2014, there will be three projects to choose from at www.meowmix.com/catstarter. The project that receives the most votes at the end of the voting period will be produced and distributed to randomly selected fans who have entered for a chance to win. 
"It's no secret that mealtime is the perfect opportunity for cats and their pet parents to bond, which is why Meow Mix wants to help foster and enrich the mealtime experience with Meow Mix Catstarter," said Kimberly Rom, senior brand manager, Meow Mix cat food. "For the first time, pet parents are in the driver's seat to select the next product that will make mealtime more memorable or playtime more playful."
With insight into the dynamic bond between cats and pet parents, the Meow Mix brand team saw an opportunity to build a device that will change the way cats eat, play or live for the better. With three inventive projects from which to choose, pet parents will be able to back Twister Dish, a unique food bowl designed so cats can get to the very last bite; #MealMachine, a technologically advanced mealtime tool that feeds their hungry cat with a single tweet; or Hot Keys, a miniature keyboard bed that helps you bond with your furry best friend as it attaches to the computer and warms as the cat parent types away.

Purina ONE, GOOD name winner of Hero Pets challenge

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Wally, a Retriver, was voted as winner of the Hero Pets challenge.
Purina ONE and GOOD named the winner of the Hero Pets GOOD Maker challenge, which celebrated the amazing impact pets can make in a person's life. Kathy Howard and her Retriever, Wally, were selected among 15 finalists by the GOOD community.

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Howard and her dog won coupons for a year's supply of Purina ONE dog food and a donation of US$5,000 will be made to Support Dogs Inc.
Wally graduated from the Touch Therapy program at Support Dogs in 2007. For the past six years, the dog has been a comforting pal at a local high school and hospital. Every two weeks during the school year, Wally visits Northview, a special education high school just outside St. Louis, Missouri, USA. When not visiting with the high school students, Wally spends time with Howard at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, visiting with children in the oncology unit.
"I am a nurse and have always believed in the power of animal therapy," says Howard. Another motivating reason for Howard to train Wally to become a therapy dog came from her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. "She could not remember my name, but she would speak fondly of the cats and dogs that the pet lady brought to her nursing home."

Iams selects therapy dog as Love Tails contest winner

Petfood maker Iams selected a therapy dog from Augusta, Georgia, USA, as the grand-prize winner of the Love Tails contest. Brooks, a 2-year-old Golden Retriever, is a trained therapy dog who visits local assisted living facilities with owner, Derek Underwood.
The Love Tails contest received story submissions from more than 500 pet owners from February 14-March 3. Of these, 11 finalists were selected to have their stories presented in videos on Iams' Facebook page, where fans voted for the winner. A national ad campaign for Iams will feature Underwood and Brooks. 
To create his winning video entry, Underwood, a local filmmaker, teamed up with another local filmmaker, Hodges Usry, in an effort to show the genuine reactions of people who encountered the therapy dog for the first time. Underwood worked with a local facility, Morningside Assisted Living, which Brooks had never visited before, to film the dog's interactions with residents. 
"My mother decided to get her certified (as a therapy dog) so we could volunteer with her," Underwood said. "It's always a really positive experience whenever you're visiting. You see the way they light up," he said.

Meow Mix contest to award free cat food to grand-prize winner

Meow Mix cat food brand is looking for cat owners to enter the “Meow for Mealtime” contest, in which pet owners can create their own version of the Meow Mix jingle with their cat for the chance to win US$10,000 plus a lifetime supply of Meow Mix cat food. 
Cat owners can enter the contest on the company’s Facebook page or website through June 9. Cat owners should upload a picture of their cat, select a background and pick a signing voice, letting cat owners produce a customized video and share it via social media. Winners will be chosen daily, and the grand-prize winner will be selected at the end of the promotion. 

Sheba cat food brand launches 'Feed your passion' campaign

Mars PetCare's Sheba cat food brand launched the "Sheba. Feed your passion." campaign featuring actress and cat lover, Eva Longoria.
The campaign introduces the cat food brand to the US marketplace, featuring Longoria in TV, print and digital advertising; in-store and consumer promotions; public relations; and social media channels.
Along with the launch of the "Feed your passion" campaign, the cat food brand is launching a contest, in which cat owners can enter to be one of three winners of up to US$5,000. Cat owners should enter online by sharing a picture of their cat and a caption that shares how they would celebrate their ultimate passion in a big way.
“I am excited to partner with Sheba for the launch of the ‘feed your passion’ campaign and help celebrate the many passions of cat lovers,” said Eva Longoria. “My fans know that I am passionate about things like acting, charitable giving, cooking and dancing, but taking part in this campaign has helped me showcase my passion for pets – especially cats.”

Iams pet food brand launches Unconditional Love Tails contest

Iams pet food brand has launched its Unconditional Love Tails contest, which asks pet lovers to tell the story of the unique bond shared with their pets for the chance to win a cash prize, free Iams pet food and more.
Now through March 3, consumers can go to Iams' Facebook page to enter the contest and submit a story and photo about the unique bond they share with their dogs and cats.
Iams will select 10 finalists to win a cash prize and a year's supply of pet food. A grand-prize winner will also be chosen among the finalists by Facebook fans to appear with their pet in a national advertisement for Iams.