Humane Society of Utah Earns 2015 Tournament of Tails Bid

    SALT LAKE CITY, UT, March 20, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Humane Society of Utah has just announced its selection to the second annual Tournament of Tails and is calling on the local community to help it win a share of more than $10,000. HSU will be among 32 shelters, rescues and humane societies from around the country competing in the online tourney, which is hosted by pet insurance provider Petplan.

The Humane Society of Utah is the only shelter in Utah chosen to participate as 32 adoptable shelter pets will play in friendly "one-on-one" matchups, each representing their respective shelter throughout the single-elimination tournament. Fans can view the furry contenders' pictures and stories before voting to decide which advance to the next round.

Every pet is a winner, scoring a donation for their shelter based on where their tournament run ends -- $100 for "Terrific 32" finalists, $200 for the "Spirited 16," $300 for the "Eager 8" and $500 for the "Final Fur."

The Humane Society of Utah has pawed 2-year-old Chocolate Lab mix "Wyler" as its champion for the tournament. The "Most Valuable Pet" will tip off in first-round action March 19. But Wyler is hoping for a chance to compete in the championship matchup Monday, April 6, to earn a cool $5,000 for his shelter!

Petplan expanded this year's tournament under its corporate philanthropic initiative, Petplanthropy, adding more shelters, more donations and its own dedicated webpage.

"Every spring the nation gets swept up in men's collegiate basketball. Tournament of Tails leverages the spirit of 'bracketology' to raise awareness for shelter pets, while having a bit of fun," says Natasha Ashton, co-founder and co-CEO of Petplan. "Giving back to pets has always been close to our hearts, and we feel this is a wonderful way to celebrate the compassionate work that organizations like the Humane Society of Utah do on behalf of our four-legged friends."

The Humane Society of Utah is a private nonprofit organization which depends solely on the donations and support of its community. Opportunities to participate in this event are extremely helpful in continuing to provide the best possible care and services to our animals.

HSU encourages pet lovers to visit the Tournament of Tails website at http://www.gopetplan.com/tournament-of-tails to learn more about Wyler's amazing story and to cast their vote.

About the Humane Society of Utah
The Humane Society of Utah is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. Since 1960, the HSU has been sheltering abandoned animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and creating an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals across our state. HSU is an open-admissions shelter, meaning that our doors are always open for any animal that we can legally accept. We work hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters our facility will be placed into a loving home. The Humane Society of Utah is a 501(c)(3) private nonprofit organization. We receive no tax dollars or government funding. HSU is funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations. Read more about the HSU online at utahhumane.org.

About Petplan
Petplan is more than a pet insurance company. We're dedicated to providing pet parents with the support, resources and tools they need to keep their pets not just surviving--but thriving--into their old age. Simply put, we aim to be the kind of company that will make our pets proud. For the third consecutive year, Petplan was listed among Forbes' annual ranking of America's Most Promising Companies - a list of 100 privately held, high-growth companies with bright futures. Petplan is the only pet insurance company to have been included on Inc. Magazine's list of 500 fastest-growing, privately held companies in America.

Petplan's fully customizable cat and dog insurance policies provide comprehensive coverage for all hereditary and chronic conditions for the life of the pet as standard. Petplan policies are underwritten by AGCS Marine Insurance Company in the U.S. and by Allianz Global Risks US Insurance Company in Canada. The Allianz Group was rated A+ by A.M. Best in 2014. For more information about Petplan pet insurance, visit http://www.gopetplan.com or call 1-866-467-3875.

About Petplantrhopy
Petplanthropy is the official corporate philanthropic initiative of pet insurance provider Petplan. The initiative fulfills its mission of "pawing it forward" by encouraging Petplan employees, policyholders and the general public to lend paws-on support for two- and four-legged friends alike. Petplanthropy facilitates annual Petplan-sponsored charity events, paid time off for employee volunteerism and the donation of employees' time and talent to charitable endeavors. The initiative also fundraises for the Petplan Fund, from which it donates money to causes that support vulnerable pets and their families. The Petplan Fund is a component fund of The Philadelphia Foundation, a community foundation 501(c)(3) organization.

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