#TwoLivesChanged: Animal Kingdom Foundation and Mars Philippines partner to Change Lives
In a recent survey conducted by Mars, a leading pet care company, and CALM PAWS, a global company that provides pet health and wellness products, 83% of people worldwide said that having pets has improved their mental wellbeing and provided a positive impact in their lives. In the Philippines, while only 38% of surveyed Filipinos say that their dogs/cats are the most important thing in their lives, Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) sees this as a positive and improving figure that will drive the foundation to further reach more Filipinos in having or adopting pets for their well-being.
For more than 30 years of doing business in the Philippines, Mars has built trusted partnerships with various NGOs, veterinary communities, and opinion leaders to tackle pet homelessness. Through educational programs and donations, the company has been supporting both pets in need and the communities that care for them—driven by its unwavering belief that every pet deserves a loving home.
This year, Mars partners with AKF through a series of activities celebrating the bond between pets and pet parents while raising funds for homeless and shelter animals.
Run Fur Life 2025
On its 10th year, AKF and Mars Philippines held the Run Fur Life event last September 28 at the Bridgetowne Destination Estate in Pasig City, where more than a thousand participants, both human and canine, joined the 2025 run, inspired by AKF’s ambassadog, BB.
BB, a tripod dog rescued by AKF volunteers, is a celebrity advocate for shelter dogs in the Philippines, showcasing the benefits of shelter dogs to be adopted in their forever homes.
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Atty. Heidi Marquez-Caguioa, Program Director of Animal Kingdom Foundation |
“This year marks a decade of AKF Run Fur Life, and we are proud to celebrate it with our long-standing partner, Mars Philippines. Together, we’ve built initiatives such as www.WeR4HappyTails.com, a portal that connects future pet parents with adoptable cats and dogs from partner shelters,” shares Atty. Heidi Marquez-Caguioa, Program Director of Animal Kingdom Foundation.
This year’s Run Fur Life featured a 1 K, 3K, and 5K run for solo runners and a 1K and 3K run for those who came with pets. The event was highlighted by the presence of various pet partners who provided freebies and product discounts to all attendees, including Ezydog, Bestie & Buds, Dunsk Kuhner, ING, Philmetal, Pedigree, Top2Tail; shelter partners such as ABC Pets, Vets in Practice, TP (Teleperformance in the Philippines), Emervet, Milkbone/Meowmix, and BIPO; and care partners including The Hungry Paws, Yufiya, FEl, Pawnec, Aeternal Paws, Inovida, and Vetmate.
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6SENSE with Animal Kingdom Foundation |
Local PPop group, 6SENSE, added entertainment to the whole event, bringing in Pinoy pride and music to the venue.
“Run Fur Life celebrates the long-time partnership that we have with both public and private organizations. We are here not only to promote responsible pet ownership, but also to help families find furry companions who will change their lives forever. It’s the perfect moment to take that step and welcome a new companion and get #TwoLivesChanged”, added Atty. Marquez-Caguioa.
Mars Global Adoption Weekend
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Mars Philippines and Animal Kingdom Foundation executives with Rep. Brian Po Llamanzares |
Along with the Run Fur Life, Mars also announced the start of Mars Global Adoption Weekend, where it champions adoption by donating more than 30,000 daily pet meals to its shelter partners.
“Adopting a shelter pet changes two lives. It’s not only the pet’s life that is transformed, but the human’s as well,” shares Ms. Deng Osite, Sales Director, Mars Petcare Philippines.
This October 2025, Mars Philippines is inviting everyone to help fill the bowl of shelter pets in the Philippines with the Mars #TwoLivesChanged campaign at Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok. Mars will donate meals for shelter pets with every purchase of PEDIGREE® and WHISKAS® products in its official stores.
Although shelter adoptions in the Philippines remain in the low single digits, the impact is profound. Mars Philippines and Animal Kingdom Foundation aims to further promote that adopting a shelter pet transforms two lives: giving the animal a second chance and enriching the life of the pet parent.
The Mars Global Adoption Weekend partnership with AKF is a trend-setting example — transforming perceptions of shelter adoption and ensuring more lives, both human and animal, are changed for the better.
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