Animal Planet Announces Search for 2009 Hero of the Year

Animal Planet Announces Search for 2009 Hero of the Year

- Nominate Your Animal Hero Beginning March 9 -

SILVER SPRING, Md., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Animal Planet is once again launching its annual search for HERO OF THE YEAR, a competition now in its fourth year. In partnership with the makers of Fresh Step(R) Litter, HERO OF THE YEAR is a nationwide search and celebration of animal advocates who demonstrate extraordinary effort, talent and spirit in support of animals in their community.

Beginning March 9, 2009, the general public is encouraged to nominate candidates for HERO OF THE YEAR using the Animal Planet website (www.AnimalPlanet.com). To nominate a hero, viewers must submit an essay (250-word maximum) that describes the cause that their nominee supports, the activities and actions that demonstrate the nominee's commitment, the impact of the nominee's actions, and how the nominee has inspired others to get involved. By nominating a friend or family member for HERO OF THE YEAR, the nominator is automatically entered to win a $50 PetSmart(R) gift card, one of which will be given out daily during the nomination window. Official rules, FAQ and entry forms are located online.

The nomination process ends on June 28, 2009, at which point a panel of judges will select ten finalists for HERO OF THE YEAR. The general public will then be able to choose their favorite finalist during People's Choice voting, which will be available on AnimalPlanet.com from September 14 to September 27, 2009 and ultimately decide the winner.

The winner of HERO OF THE YEAR will be recognized on-air and will receive a trip for two to a destination that supports their animal welfare passion. Additionally, Animal Planet will donate $10,000 to the recipient's favorite animal-related charity.

The launch of this year's HERO OF THE YEAR campaign coincides with Animal Planet's on-air HEROES WEEK. HEROES WEEK will feature episodes of ANIMAL COPS: PHOENIX and ANIMAL COPS: HOUSTON every night. Tune in from March 9 through March 13 for a compelling mix of police-style investigations of animal cruelty cases and emergency medical rescues.

For more details on HERO OF THE YEAR or for additional information about how people can be animal heroes in their communities, visit www.AnimalPlanet.com.

About Animal Planet Media

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, connects humans and animals with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 95 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; PetsIncredible, a major producer and distributor of pet-training videos and includes web service PetVideo.com; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.

About Fresh Step(R) Litter

Fresh Step(R) Litter is a part of The Clorox Pet Products Company, a subsidiary of The Clorox Company, headquartered in Oakland, Calif. The Clorox Company is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer products with fiscal year 2008 revenues of $5.2 billion. With 8,300 employees worldwide, the company manufactures products in two dozen countries and markets them in more than 100 countries. For more information about Clorox, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com. For more information about Fresh Step(R) Litter, visit www.freshstep.com.

Source: Animal Planet

CONTACT: Anna Duerr, +1-240-662-6502, Anna_Duerr@discovery.com, for
Animal Planet

Web Site: http://www.animalplanet.com/

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