Fort Wayne, IN – The City of Fort Wayne has received the official BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification, as part of the Mars Petcare BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, showcasing its commitment to creating a pet-friendly community. More people than ever view pets as members of the family, and with 85 million pet-households in the United States, Fort Wayne is on the forefront of creating a vibrant community where pets are not only welcome, but thrive.

The City of Fort Wayne received high marks for its Community Cat Program, partner organizations working together to reduce pet homelessness, and Humane Education programs that ensure future generations of responsible pet owners. Signage around the city and in recreational areas was also spotlighted.

“We are honored to receive the BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification to showcase the great work we’ve done to allow more people to enjoy the benefits of life with their pets. With the help and support of our passionate local residents, we’ve seen the community come together to reduce pet homelessness and take steps to encourage responsible pet ownership,” Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control Director Amy-Jo Sites said.

In January, Mars Petcare launched the BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification, an extension of the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program which works with local government, businesses and non-profits to help communities make four-legged friends welcome.

“We understand that part of attracting and retaining top talent falls on making our city a better place for their pets too. Being certified as a BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ city highlights the wonderful work our city, businesses and residents are doing to improve the lives of pets in Fort Wayne. We continue to look at new, innovative ways to keep our city pet-friendly and welcoming to all of its four-legged residents,” Mayor Tom Henry said.

 The certification, created in partnership with urban-planning organization, Civic Design Center, evaluates cities based on 12 traits of pet-friendly cities across four categories: businesses, parks, shelters and homes. Applicants that received a certification demonstrated their commitment to creating a pet-friendly community and fostering the well-being of all citizens and pet companions.

“We established the BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification to celebrate cities that are creating positive and welcoming environments for people and their pets, and encourage more cities to recognize the benefits of our four-legged friends,” Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Mars Petcare Jam Stewart said. “We’re excited to announce the inaugural group of certified cities and look forward to continuing this progress with The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS program.”

The full list of BETTER CITY FOR PETS™ certification recipients is available here. To learn more about how to get involved in this initiative, please visit www.bettercitiesforpets.com.

About BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™

The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program was created by Mars Petcare US, the world’s leading pet nutrition and health care business, to help communities become more pet-friendly by bringing the voice of pets and their owners to places of influence and advocating for fewer pets in shelters, more pet-friendly places, and happier, healthier lives for both people and pets. Mars Petcare works with key partners, businesses and local governments to better understand how to improve communities by: providing safe and welcoming shelters that lead to forever homes; encouraging pet-friendly, responsible homes for pets; welcoming more pets into local businesses, and giving pets plenty of park space to play. For more information about Mars Petcare and the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, visit BetterCitiesForPets.com.