%20Prof.%20Suman%20Jha,%20Ms.%20Kumari%20Subham,%20Ms.%20Sonali%20Jena%20and%20Ms.%20Monalisha%20Ojha%20at%20NIT%20Rourkela.jpg)
As conversations around responsible pet ownership and humane stray animal management rise following the Delhi government’s new guidelines, Mars, a global pet care, snacking, and food company with a 100+ year legacy has taken a purposeful step forward through its Mars Global Adoption Weekend 2025 — a multi-city initiative connecting homeless pets with loving families and building awareness on responsible pet parenting.
Held across 11 Indian cities, the campaign mobilized 14 NGOs, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of visitors to adopt, learn, and act. The effort is part of the Mars’ global “Two Lives Changed” initiative spanning more than 20countries, including the US, UK, Brazil, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, Australia, and India.
India faces one of the world’s most serious pet homelessness challenges, with 69.3 million cats and dogs living on the streets — nearly 19% of the world’s unhoused pet population (Mars State of Pet Homelessness Report, 2024). Mars adoption campaign seeks to address this issue by transforming empathy into sustained community engagement and by driving awareness that responsible ownership, not abandonment, is the long-term solution.
Salil Murthy, Managing Director, Mars Petcare India, said: “When you adopt a pet, you don’t just change their life — you change your own. India today has nearly 70 million homeless cats and dogs, representing one-fifth of the world’s stray population, and every adoption counts. The Mars x Calm India Survey shows that nine in ten Indian pet parents say their pets help them manage anxiety, and over three-fourths feel more calm and present because of their companionship. That’s a powerful reminder that the human–pet bond is both healing and transformative. Through the Mars Global Adoption Weekend, we’re turning empathy into action — working with NGOs, governments, and our associates to ensure every pet finds safety, love, and belonging, and every community embraces responsible pet parenting as a shared duty.”
The Mars Global Adoption Weekend underscores the company’s long-term commitment to animal welfare through its partnerships, associate volunteering, and educational initiatives for children and pet communities. By connecting policy awareness, on-ground action, and emotional storytelling, Mars continues to pave the way toward a future where no pet is left behind — one adoption, and two lives changed, at a time.