America to Vote to Help Select Stars of First-Ever Mighty Dog(R) Movie

America to Vote to Help Select Stars of First-Ever Mighty Dog(R) Movie

- Meet the Finalists of the 'Mighty Dog(R) Nation: The Movie' Casting Call -

ST. LOUIS, July 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Calling all dog lovers! TV personality and dog lover Maria Menounos needs your help to pick the three mighty dogs who will have starring roles in a 3-5 minute dogumentary called Mighty Dog(R) Nation: The Movie. Hundreds of dogs across the country auditioned in a national video contest that searched for mighty dogs with star potential. Ten finalists have been selected and now it is America's turn to vote to help select the three lucky pooches who will star in the short dogumentary.

In addition to the consumer vote, Menounos will be judging the finalist videos to select the three Grand Prize winners. She is the official Human Ambassador to the Mighty Dog Nation, a first-of-its-kind nation for dogs that was formed in April 2009 to recognize and celebrate mighty dogs - the "everydog" whose attitude is bigger than his size.

The 10 finalist videos feature mighty dogs, dogs who tackle each day with a bold confident attitude that makes their owner proud. From barking at cats they see on TV to grabbing the best seat on the sofa to playing games with their owners, these mighty dogs rule the roost. To view the 10 finalist videos and vote for your favorite, go to www.mightydog.com. The voting period runs from July 3 to July 17, 2009.

"We have reached an important milestone in the short history of the Mighty Dog(R) Nation," said Menounos. "I'm thrilled to help select the mightiest of the mighty to star in our dogumentary and am asking dog lovers everywhere to cast their vote with me."

Star Treatment

Each winner will receive a featured role in Mighty Dog Nation: The Movie, a film premiere party in their hometown and a one-year supply of Purina(R) Mighty Dog(R) brand dog food. They also will appear in a 30-second film trailer that will air during a commercial break on the "National Dog Show" on NBC on Thanksgiving Day 2009.

The 3-5 minute short dogumentary will chronicle the founding of the Mighty Dog(R) Nation and will debut on www.mightydog.com in early 2010.

"Dogs have often been recognized for their acts of heroism, breed excellence and celebrity. Now, the "mighty dog" - those everydogs whose attitudes are bigger than their size - finally have a Nation to call their own," said Menounos.

An independent judging panel selected the 10 finalist videos from all qualified entries based on the following judging criteria: Appropriateness to the "Mighty Dog(R) Nation: The Movie" theme (demonstrates attitudes bigger than size); Mightiness of the Moment (clear demonstration of the entry category behaviors); and Star Potential (engaging and entertaining).

The three Grand Prize winners of the video contest will be announced the week of July 27 on www.mightydog.com. Mighty Dog brand dog food is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare Company.

About Nestle Purina PetCare

The North American headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard Square in St. Louis, Missouri, where Ralston Purina was founded more than a century ago. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. One of the leading global players in the pet food industry, Nestle Purina PetCare is part of the Swiss-based Nestle S.A. - the world's largest food company.

Source: Nestle Purina PetCare

CONTACT: Andrea Clark of Publicis Consultants | PR, +1-206-270-4639,
andrea.clark@publicis-pr.com, for Nestle Purina PetCare; or Julie Kahn of
Nestle Purina PetCare Company, +1-314-982-1036, julie.kahn@purina.nestle.com

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

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