Iams Home 4 the Holidays Helps More Than 7 Million Pets Find Forever Homes

Over 1.2 Million Animals Adopted During 2011 Campaign - An Average of 9 Adoptions Per Minute

TORONTO, Jan. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Iams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world's largest pet adoption campaigns, announced today that 1,267,541 animals were adopted in North America in just 95 days - Oct. 1, 2011 through Jan. 3, 2012! In Canada alone, 75,633 animals found forever homes during the campaign.

Since it began 13 years ago, Iams and founding partner Helen Woodward Animal Center, along with the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies and more than 4,000 animal organizations across the globe, have helped a total of 7,034,989 pets find forever homes.

"In just three months, we've saved the lives of more than 1.2 million animals and have given them a second chance at life and love," said Mike Arms, founder of the adoption drive and president of Helen Woodward Animal Center. "Not only is this a huge victory for these pets, but for the thousands of people working in animal organizations around the world who have dedicated their lives to helping end pet homelessness."

During the campaign, Iams also met its goal to donate 5 million meals to pets in need through its annual Bags 4 Bowls* program which encouraged consumers to "paw it forward" by engaging in activities that would result in food donations to participating organizations, such as: "Like" the Iams Facebook page; download and share custom online adoption announcement, holiday cards and badges; and purchase specially-marked bags of Iams cat and dog foods.

2011 Iams Home 4 the Holidays Milestones

Following are a few key highlights:

• Dogs win by a nose -This year, more dogs were adopted, with 651,224 finding new families, compared to 595,000 cats and 21,317 other pets (including rabbits, reptiles, horses, birds and more);
• Millions of pets now have homes - Since 1999, a total of 7,034,989 animals have been adopted through the program;
• Bags 4 Bowls - 10 million bowls of pet food have been donated through the Bags 4 Bowls initiative since it began in 2010;
• Cards for a cause - More than 1,000 cards were created and shared from the Iams Facebook page, generating thousands of meals donated;

"We are incredibly encouraged by the success of the Iams Home 4 the Holidays campaign and are elated at the strides the program has made in finding loving homes for animals across the globe," said Barbara Cartwright, CEO, Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. "With the help of Iams, we will continue to promote shelter adoption as the best avenue for those looking to add a four-legged family member to their home."

Marie-Chantal Toupin, French-Canadian singer and spokesperson for the campaign said, ''It's great to see that more than 1.2 million animals have found a loving home in such a short period of time. I am encouraged by how this campaign has brought awareness to the cause of animal abandonment and I hope that people continue to visit animal shelters to adopt their pets.''

The 2012 program will begin in October. To learn how to get involved and make a difference in the life of an orphaned pet, visit http://www.facebook.com/iams.

*The size of a bowl of food was calculated based on one feeding for an average size dog or cat.

About Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH)
As one of the most successful pet adoption programs in the world, IH4TH partners with thousands of animal organizations dedicated to finding forever homes for orphaned pets. Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and supported by Iams, IH4TH began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Since it began 13 years ago, IH4TH - along with more than 4,000 pet adoption centers - has helped more than 7 million families experience the joy of pet adoption, including more than 1.2 million pet adoptions from 2011. For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/iams.

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 57,000 people and thousands of 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 and the Animal Center Education Services program, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, please visit www.animalcenter.org.

About Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
Since 1957, the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) has been working to improve conditions for animals across the country. With member humane societies and SPCAs across Canada, the CFHS is the national voice on animal welfare in Canada. It uses this voice to liaise with animal welfare organizations, government, the public, industry, the scientific community, educators and the media to end animal suffering. Find out more at www.cfhs.ca.

About P&G Pet Care
For more than 60 years, P&G Pet Care (NYSE:PG), the maker of Iams and Eukanuba, has enhanced the well-being of dogs and cats by providing world-class quality foods and pet care products. To learn more about Eukanuba^® and Iams^® Dog & Cat Foods or general pet care and nutrition information, call the Consumer Care Center at [phone]. You can also visit us on the Web at www.iams.com or www.eukanuba.com.

About Procter & Gamble
P&G touches and improves the lives of about 4.4 billion people around the world with its portfolio of trusted, quality brands. The Company's leadership brands include Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Fairy®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun®, Fusion®, Ace®, Febreze®, and Ambi Pur®. With operations in about 80 countries, P&G brands are available in more than 180 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

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