Purina
For over 90 years, Purina has been guided by the belief that pets and people are better together. Metro Theater Company thinks so too! We are deeply grateful to Purina for their supporting sponsorship of Go, Dog. Go! The P.D. Eastman's classic children's book came to life at The Big Top this April--celebrating the joy, love, and laughter dogs bring to our lives!
This year, Purina announced it is sponsoring a litter of puppies, all of which will be raised by company employees and trained to serve as certified Duo Dog facility, assistance, or service dogs. The new program is another step the pet care company is taking to address the mental health epidemic by harnessing the positive impact of pets.
Each of the 10 Labrador Retriever puppies will be paired with a Purina associate serving as a volunteer puppy raiser. These individuals are responsible for puppy development and socialization from eight weeks old to around 18 months old, preparing the puppies for their adult years as a working dog. After 18 months, each puppy will return to the Duo Dog Facility for Advanced Training, where they’ll complete final evaluations to determine how best to serve the community.
Purina plans to work with Duo Dogs to identify one of the 10 puppies to go on and serve as official facility dog for St. Louis CITY SC, the new Major League Soccer club. Purina is a founding partner and the official kit sponsor of the team. Plans to add a facility dog to the CITY team roster is just one step Purina is taking to make CITY SC the most pet-friendly sports club in the world.
“At Purina, we believe that pets and people are better together, and it’s humbling to watch our associates go above and beyond to find inspiring new ways to bring the power of pets to those in need,” said Purina Community Affairs Director Kim Beardslee. “These 10 puppies will go on to touch hundreds of thousands of individuals throughout their lives. This is a significant step as we continue working to find ways to put pets in the forefront of how we address mental health.”
About Purina
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations.
Purina manufactures some of the world's most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina Cat Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 8,700 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 51 million dogs and 65 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition. Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations.
Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive. Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness.
