Voting is Open in a Contest to Warm Pet-lovers' Hearts

Nestlé Purina opens the voting on the incredible pet finalists of the Better Together Award contest—the winner of which will be honoured at the 2016 Purina Animal Hall of Fame!

TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2015 /CNW/ - From now until September 30, 2015, voting is open to Canadians on the amazing finalists in Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada's Better Together Award contest. These 20 cats and dogs from across the country exemplify Purina's belief that people and pets truly are better together. The winner of the contest will be honoured at the 2016 Purina Animal Hall of Fame.

Every year, Purina has the privilege of inducting a new group of life-saving pet heroes into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, which, currently in its 47^th year, has celebrated 168 pets, including 140 dogs, 27 cats, and one horse. In honour of the special bond that people and pets share, a new category was introduced this year in the Purina Animal Hall of Fame: the Better Together Award. Because your pet doesn't need to save your life to be your hero – they're making a difference in your life day in and day out. And that's a hero worth celebrating.

"Each year, we receive many heart-warming submissions about pets that may not have directly saved a person's life, yet have had a profound impact on their owners and families," said Dean McNeill, Public Relations Manager at Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada. "We wanted to find a way to recognize these wonderful pets as well, so we've introduced a new category to be honoured at the 2016 Purina Animal Hall of Fame: the Better Together Award."

We asked for stories from across the country*, and from all of the submissions, our panel of pet lovers carefully selected the top 20, on which Canadians now have the opportunity to vote and select a winner. The winner will have the honour of representing everyday pet heroes everywhere in the Purina Animal Hall of Fame. Votes are now being accepted** until September 30, 2015 at http://www.purinahalloffame.ca/better-together-award.

Just like the other inductees, the winner, a guest, and the pet*** will receive a trip to Toronto for the 2016 induction ceremony.  It is a great honour to be inducted into the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, where over 45 years of extraordinary pets are immortalized and celebrated.

*This contest is not available to residents of Quebec.

**For full contest rules, go to http://www.purinahalloffame.ca/official-rules.  

***All efforts will be made to accommodate your pet's presence at the ceremony. There may be situations, however, in which it may not be possible to include the pet on the trip and/or at the ceremony. (For example: the type of animal; travel and/or crowds of people would cause undue stress on the animal; etc.) At Purina, the health and well-being of pets is always our utmost concern.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada is a leading pet care company and global manufacturer of quality pet brands, including: Pro Plan, Purina ONE, Friskies, and Tidy Cats. Nestlé Purina promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement, and the positive bond between people and their pets. Our promise, "Your Pet, Our Passion", and the creation of Purina PawsWay, the permanent home of the Purina Animal Hall of Fame, reflect our commitment to pets. Purina is the proud sponsor of The Purina National. For information about Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada visit www.purina.ca.

SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare

Media contact: Dean McNeill, PR & Corporate Communications Manager, Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada, (o.) 905-287-3638 / (c.) 905-379-4418, [email protected]