When pandemic shutdowns began across the globe, Humane Society International (HSI) immediately started planning their emergency response, knowing that the consequences of lockdowns would quickly become an existential threat to companion animals, both owned and homeless, who depend on humans to survive.
At Mars, we believe in creating a Better World for Pets™ and that's what drove our partnership with HSI, delivering a $1 million grant, which enabled teams all around the world to provide desperately needed food, medical care and other support to more than 280,000 animals.
As a result, HSI and our partners were able to:
- Provide food and medical care to street dogs and cats who lost their source of food.
- Help shelters and rescue groups struggling to cope with increased numbers of pet surrenders and abandonments.
- Support pet owners hit by financial or health crises with pet food and veterinary care so they could keep their companion animals rather than surrender them to shelters or abandon them on the streets.
Read HSI's full impact report here to see the enormous impact our COVID relief grant had around the world in 2020-21 for animals and pet owners in need.