The City of Mission has received the official BETTER CITIES 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, the City of Mission is on the forefront of creating a vibrant community where pets are not only welcome, but thrive.

“This is a big deal, it’s a national recognition and in the whole state of Texas, there are only a handful of other cities that have received this designation,” Mayor Dr. Armando O’Caña said. “The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program recognized us for our unique partnerships with rescue organizations. We create real change for animals in need through rescue and re-homing. We’re making every effort to find homes for our homeless pets with the help and support of our passionate residents.”

Mars Petcare launched the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ city certification program in 2019 as 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. 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 CITIES 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,” said Jam Stewart, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Mars Petcare. “We look forward to continuing to support cities as we work toward our purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.”