Purina Europe has announced the three winners of its BetterWithPets Prize, awarding up to €200,000 in two-year grants to organisations using the pet-human bond to support people in vulnerable situations. The beneficiaries for 2025 are 100% Life Dniprov Region in Ukraine, Wag & Company in the UK, and Acadia in France.
The BetterWithPets Prize, which is currently in its fourth iteration, honours organisations and social entrepreneurs whose work enhances health and wellbeing through interactions between people and animals. The program backs Purina Europe’s pledge to improve the lives of one million vulnerable individuals by 2030.
List of Winners
- Wag & Co. The only visiting dog charity in the UK, North East Friendship Dogs aims to make friends with senior citizens in their homes while also offering consolation in care facilities, hospitals, and medical facilities throughout North Yorkshire and North East England. Since its founding in 2016, the charity has made over 200,000 visits, using its network of volunteers and visiting dogs to fight loneliness among senior dog enthusiasts.
- The first and only organisation in France devoted to training support dogs for young people with insulin-dependent diabetes is called Acadia, and it was established in 2015. After completing a year-long training program, the dogs can use their enhanced sense of smell to identify hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and notify kids and families before things get dangerous, enhancing safety and quality of life.
- 100% Life, A Ukrainian nonprofit organisation was founded in 2005 and offers humanitarian medical care while including animal-assisted therapy into its initiatives. The organisation aids children and adults impacted by conflict by utilising animal-assisted therapy to foster healing, resilience, and emotional wellbeing in collaboration with licensed canine therapists and dog trainers.
Each charity will receive strategic grant funding of up to €200,000 spread over two years through the BetterWithPets Prize to assist in expanding their operations. Additionally, Purina’s network of social entrepreneurs, specialised training opportunities, and best practices that promote long-term social impact will be made available to winners.
According to Rafael Lopez, CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe, the initiative emphasises the significant contribution pets can make to resolving social issues. He pointed out that the 2025 winners show how the human-pet link may bring about significant change for vulnerable individuals throughout Europe.