“Shelter pet adoption is a cause near and dear to my heart. Before adopting Chance and Frankie, I had no idea the amazing impact that rescue dogs could have on my life,” said actress and Shelter Pet Project ambassador Olivia Munn. “They opened my eyes to pet adoption. There are millions of shelter pets waiting for a loving home and millions of potential pet owners who may not realize the unconditional love, joy and companionship a shelter pet can bring to their lives. I’m excited to share our story and encourage people to choose adoption.”

The new campaign also features the stories of three everyday people and their adopted shelter pets. One showcases the relationship between Ahnya, a young girl with Asperger’s syndrome, and her shelter cat Lucky. Another stars Navy veteran Brian and his shelter dog Tommy, who has helped him transition back into civilian life. A third story highlights the unbreakable bond between Renee, a student, and her shelter dog Turtle. All emphasize that shelter pets are a little bit of a lot of things—some are cuddlers, some are balls of energy, some are natural comedians—but all of them are pure love. The suite of TV and radio spots are part of the fully integrated campaign complete with print, out of home and digital assets.

“Leo and Julius bring the exact amount of goofiness and joy that I need after a hard-fought football game,” said Logan Ryan. “I adopted them thinking I was going to help them but they truly helped me more. They fill my home with unconditional love.”

“My shelter dog Wiley is a cuddly ball of energy. She brightens my day and adds meaning to my life,” said Rachel Bloom. “Shelter pets each have their own personalities and endearing quirks. There really is a shelter pet for everyone.”

The Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund^® joined the Ad Council to create the Shelter Pet Project in 2009. Since then, the campaign has positioned shelters and rescue groups as the obvious first choice for those looking to obtain a pet. The campaign ultimately seeks to increase the rate of animals adopted from shelters and rescue groups. In its lifetime, the campaign has secured $379 million in donated media, driven over 7.5 million visits to TheShelterPetProject.org and upwards of 500,000 pet searches on the site. Our research has shown that there has been a 24 percent lift in total shelter adoptions due to the campaign’s media support (vs. without any campaign media efforts).

Prospective pet owners are encouraged to visit TheShelterPetProject.org, where they can search available pets by zip code, read adoption success stories and learn valuable information about pet adoption. For daily updates, follow the Shelter Pet Project via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Individuals can also use the hashtag #AdoptPureLove to share a story about how their adopted pets changed their lives for the better.

For more information, please visit www.TheShelterPetProject.org.

About the Shelter Pet Project
The Shelter Pet Project is the first national PSA campaign created to bring together large animal welfare organizations, the Humane Society of the United States and Maddie’s Fund^®, and shelters across the country for one unified goal – to increase pet adoption. Along with the Ad Council, these partners aim to break down stereotypes associated with shelter pets and make shelters and rescue groups the overwhelmingly obvious choice for obtaining a pet.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council brings together the most creative minds in advertising and media to address the most worthy causes. Its innovative, pro bono social good campaigns raise awareness. They inspire action. They save lives. To learn more, visit www.adcouncil.org, follow the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook and Twitter, and view our the creative on YouTube.

About Maddie’s Fund^®
Maddie’s Fund^® is a family foundation created in 1994 by Workday^® co-founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl, who have endowed the Foundation with more than $300 million. Since then, the Foundation has awarded more than $225.7 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, shelter management leadership, shelter medicine education, and foster care across the U.S. The Duffields named Maddie’s Fund after their Miniature Schnauzer Maddie, who always made them laugh and gave them much joy. Maddie was with Dave and Cheryl for ten years and continues to inspire them today. Maddie’s Fund is the fulfillment of a promise to an inspirational dog, investing its resources to create a no-kill nation where every dog and cat is guaranteed a healthy home or habitat. #ThanksToMaddie. Learn more at www.maddiesfund.org.

About the Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is the most effective animal protection organization, as rated by our peers. For more than 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We and our affiliates are the nation’s largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns. Read about our more than 60 years of transformational change for animals and people. HumaneSociety.org

Press Contact:
Shirley Yeung
Ad Council
[email protected]
212-984-1963