Twenty-Five Pet Shelters Nationwide Benefit from Merrick Pet Care’s ‘Homeruns for Shelters’ Facebook Program

Merrick donates nearly 50,000 meals to local pet shelters for every home team homer hit on Major League Baseball’s Opening Days

Amarillo, Texas (April 17, 2015) – Now at the plate, it’s local shelters! Merrick Pet Care, a leader in all-natural grain-free nutrition for pets, is donating $25,000 in Merrick pet food – nearly 50,000 meals – to local pet shelters and animal rescues as part of its “Merrick’s Homeruns for Shelters” campaign held this spring in conjunction with the start of baseball season.

Merrick’s Homeruns for Shelters Facebook program culminates with a $1,000 donation of the company’s all-natural food to a local shelter for every homerun hit by home teams during Opening Day baseball games this month.

Merrick invited its Facebook community of pet parents to nominate and vote on their favorite local shelters to receive a $1,000 food donation. During baseball home openers this April, home teams racked up 25 total homeruns for a grand total $25,000 donation.

“Every pet deserves a healthy meal especially those pets most in need awaiting their forever home,” said Mark Sapir, vice president of marketing for Merrick Pet Care. “What better way to help them thrive than to knock it out of the park for them at the start of baseball season.”

The 25 top shelters (based on fan votes) to receive a Merrick donation include:

1. Midwest Dachshund Rescue of Highland, Ind.
2. National Mill Dog Rescue of Colorado Springs, Colo.
3. Life is Labs of Temple, Ga.
4. Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats of Los Angeles, Calif.
5. River Rouge Animal Shelter of River Rouge, Mich.
6. Protecting Paws Animal Rescue of Prior Lake, Minn.
7. Sheltie Rescue of Utah of Sandy, Utah
8. Doxiefollies Villas of Wilmington, Ohio
9. HELP Humane Society of Belton, Mo.
10. Street Paws of McDonough, Ga.
11. Houlton Humane Society of Houlton, Me.
12. Mcintosh County Animal Services of Darien, Ga.
13. Pibbles & More Animal Rescue of Queens, N.Y.
14. Western Animal Resources of Elk City, Okla.
15. Hopeful Tails Animal Rescue of Joliet, Ill.
16. Rikki’s Refuge of Rapidan, Va.
17. Cleveland Animal Care & Control of Cleveland, Ohio
18. Eleventh Hour Rescue of Rockaway, N.J.
19. Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter of Pittsfield, Mass.
20. Guardians of the Green Mile of Portage, Ind.
21. Lifeline Animal Project of Atlanta, Ga.
22. Plenty of Pit Bulls of Gainesville, Fla.
23. Magnificent Mutts Rescue of Hillside, Ill.
24. Kenosha Forgotten Friends of Kenosha, Wisc.
25. League City Animal Shelter of League City, Texas

“With more than 600 shelter nominations, more than 16,000 votes, and 25 homers leading to 25 local shelters receiving free food, we our thrilled our pet parent community came out in a big way to support their local shelters,” said Sapir.

About Merrick Pet Care

Founded in 1988, Amarillo-based Merrick Pet Care, Inc. is a leader in natural and organic pet food. With a mission to create the most nutritious and wholesome food, Merrick families take better care of their pets by cooking up nutritious real whole foods for pets. All foods are made in the USA using only the freshest ingredients grown by local farmers. The company offers a wide variety of dry and wet foods, as well as treats, that are available nationally at independent pet specialty stores, Petco, and online via select retailers. In April 2012, Merrick Pet Care Inc. acquired Castor & Pollux and its ORGANIX, Natural Ultramix and Good Buddy food and treats for pets. These brands are available at PetSmart, natural grocery, and online via select retailers. For more information, visit www.merrickpetcare.com or www.castorpolluxpet.com.

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