USA Network’s second annual broadcast of the BEVERLY HILLS DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA will air on Easter Sunday, April 1, at 6/5c. The competition, which is co-hosted by legendary dog show judge David Frei and actor John O’Hurley, will also include Maria Menounos, the host of SiriusXM’s “Conversations with Maria,” and the weekly podcast of the same name, as red-carpet correspondent and Mary Carillo reporting from backstage.
Fans can tune in to see dog loving celebrities such as “American Ninja Warrior” co-host Akbar Gbajabiamila, Dr. Evan Antin (People magazine’s Pet Vet), Stella Maeve (THE MAGICIANS), Marcc Rose and Wavyy Jonez (UNSOLVED: THE MURDERS OF TUPAC AND THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.) and more on the red carpet and in the crowd as these glamorous pooches square off to win the top prize. Flynn, the 2018 best in show winner at Westminster Dog Show, will also be in attendance.
This year, Purina is encouraging pet owners to participate in the “Every Dog is a Star” program by posting photos or videos on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram showing how their dog is the true star of the family. For every original post submitted between March 26 and April 8, using the hashtag #BHDogShow and tagging @Purina, Purina will donate five dollars (up to $25,000) to Mutt-i-grees, a program run by North Shore Animal League America. Mutt-i-grees helps show children the positive impact pets can have on their lives by teaching them important life skills such as empathy, friendship and kindness through interaction with shelter dogs. The funds will be used to help expand the program to more schools around the country.
In addition to the Easter broadcast of the BEVERLY HILLS DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA, USA will present an encore on Monday, April 2 at 9 AM/8c, and NBC will air an encore on Sunday, April 8 at 1 PM/12c.
Over 1,200 dogs representing 175 eligible breeds and varieties compete in the annual BEVERLY HILLS DOG SHOW PRESENTED BY PURINA. Canine contestants walk an awards show style red carpet after group judging. Created by NBC Sports Group in a multi-year agreement with the Kennel Club of Beverly Hills and Purina, the two-hour television presentation includes special features depicting canine life in Beverly Hills, as well as the traditional dog show judging of breeds and groups. The evening culminates with the crowning of Best in Show – and also features the seven Best in Show finalists walking a fashion-show style runway while the judge decides the champion.
The AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to prevent, treat and cure disease in all dogs, will continue to invest in key canine health research initiatives thanks to a more than $35,000 donation from Purina® and thousands of pet owners across the nation.
The contribution was a result of 35,446 original posts that were shared by dog owners on social media in November about why and how they are thankful for their dogs as part of Purina’s #DogThanking campaign to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and National Dog Show Presented by Purina. For every original post using the hashtag #DogThanking and tagging @Purina, Purina donated one dollar to the AKC Canine Health Foundation to help further pet health research – for a total donation of $35,446.
“Purina’s #DogThanking program was designed to highlight peoples’ love for dogs, and CHF was honored to once again team up with Purina on this fun and engaging endeavor,” said Dr. Diane Brown, CEO of the AKC Canine Health Foundation. “This donation will help fund research to develop better treatments, more accurate diagnoses and improve understanding of the mechanisms that cause canine disease. For 2017 specifically, the donation will also aid in the research of tick-borne diseases and epilepsy.”
More than 35,000 photos and posts were submitted as part of the #DogThanking program, and some were featured in commercial breaks during the National Dog Show Presented by Purina on NBC on Thanksgiving Day.
“As a company dedicated to bettering the lives of pets, Purina is proud to continue its long-standing support of canine health and the CHF by engaging with pet owners online in a fun way that allowed them to express their gratitude for their pets,” said Daniel Henke-Cilenti, Purina brand marketing director. “Our goal is to enhance the relationship between pets and people so they can live bigger, healthier and happier lives together.”
Recently, Dr. Brown accepted the Purina Better with Pets Award during the National Dog Show Gala on November 18 in Philadelphia. The award recognizes people and organizations who have made a difference in helping create better lives for pets and people. CHF was recognized for its twenty-two years in supporting canine health research as well as the organization’s partnership with Purina through #DogThanking, which has raised more than $50,000 since 2015. In addition to #DogThanking funds, Purina also supports the CHF mission with an annual corporate gift of $150,000, and since 1997 the company has invested nearly $12 million in the health of dogs through CHF by supporting canine health research to benefit all dogs.
Since 1995, the Raleigh, NC-based AKC Canine Health Foundation has leveraged the power of science and research to improve the lives of dogs and their people. The Foundation works to prevent, treat, and cure diseases that impact all dogs, while providing professional information and resources for a new breed of dog owner. For more information, please visit: www.akcchf.org.
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