ST. LOUIS — Nestlé Purina PetCare’s Dog Chow brand is marking its 100th anniversary with a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and a social media campaign to raise money for organizations that provide service dogs to veterans.
The Salute to Service Dogs float will appear in the parade’s 100th march on November 26, linking the brand’s centennial marketing effort with its Service Dog Salute program, which highlights the role of service dogs in helping veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Founded in 1926, Dog Chow first appeared in the Macy’s parade in 1983. Its return gives the pet food brand a national platform to celebrate its history while highlighting its support for veterans and their families.
“For 100 years, Dog Chow has helped build the bond between people and dogs, and there is no bigger stage to honor that connection than Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Brent Gleckler, chief marketing officer at Purina. “As Dog Chow begins its second century, we’re proud to spotlight the life-changing impact of service dogs for veterans and their families while celebrating the countless ways dogs bring companionship, comfort and joy to our lives.”
The float will depict a service dog graduation, marking the completion of training and the dog’s pairing with a veteran. Its design includes giant dog sculptures with wagging tails and three larger-than-life dog puppets.
Navy veteran Andy Canning of Collinsville, Ill., and his service dog, Arkum, will ride on the float. The pair were matched through Got Your Six Support Dogs, a nonprofit based in Maryville, Ill.
The campaign also encourages consumers to share photos or videos showing how their dogs are part of the family. For each eligible post using #DogChowThanksgiving and tagging @dogchow from October 26 through Thanksgiving Day, the brand will donate $1, up to a total of $30,000, to six Service Dog Salute partner organizations.
The donations will be divided equally among Got Your Six Support Dogs; K9s for Warriors in Ponte Vedra, Fla.; Northwest Battle Buddies in Vancouver, Wash.; Semper K9s in Catlett, Va.; Dog Tag Buddies in Billings, Mont.; and Operation Freedom Paws in San Martin, Calif.
“As we celebrate our centennial march, we’re proud to welcome Dog Chow as a partner and bring its Salute to Service Dogs float to the Parade, honoring the extraordinary dogs who bring comfort, companionship, and support to veterans and families every day,” said Jordan Dabby, the parade’s producer.
The parade will air on NBC and Peacock on November 26, starting at 8:30 a.m. across all time zones.
