DAYTON, Ohio - October is Adopt-a-Dog month, and the Humane Society of Greater Dayton has a new ally to help man's best friend - KeyBank.

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton (HSGD) announced today that KeyBank will serve as its official bank and will lend a hand in raising money to help local animals. Key initiated its support with a $20,000 contribution. Moreover, Key is offering a new pet-themed checking account, for which it will donate $25 to the HSGD for every new account opened, and give clients their first 150 pet-themed checks for free.

Brian Weltge, executive director of the HSGD, said the donations from KeyBank will provide a boost to several HSGD programs, including the Animal Investigations Unit, which fights cruelty and neglect to animals.

"This sponsorship is a tremendous benefit to us and will go toward helping all animals in the Greater Dayton area," said Weltge. "We are excited about working with Key on some innovative new promotions to show our community how important it is to protect these animals."

One such promotion is the KeyBank Adopt-a-Pet Tour that will visit all KeyCenters (branches). This week, the tour stops in at the Arbor KeyCenter at 4401 Far Hills Ave. in Kettering on Saturday, October 28. The HSGD will give new dog owners a care package containing IAMS dog food and pet information from KeyBank. To find out more about the dates and locations for the KeyBank Adopt-a-Pet Tour, visit http://www.humanesocietydayton.org/keybankadoptiontour.

Dan Fischer, KeyBank Dayton District president and a dog owner himself, is a strong believer in the well-being of animals and thinks the outreach and appeal to animal lovers is vital to the success of the HSGD.

"It would be difficult to overstate the impact of pets on American families," said Fischer. "More than half of all U.S. families care for a pet."

"Pets are more than just cute, furry friends," said Weltge. "The Centers of Disease Control (CDC) has found that pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Pets have also been shown to increase opportunities for healthy activities, such as exercise, outdoor activities and socialization."

"The heart attack study of 1980 was the first objective measure that found the survival rate one year after a heart attack was 94 percent among pet owners but 72 percent for those who did not own pets," said Alan Beck, head of Purdue's Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the School of Veterinarian Medicine and a leader in the study of how the relationship between people and animals influences the psychological and physiological state of each other.

"Many of our employees are pet owners." said Fischer, "We know how much a pet can mean, and we want to convey that to our clients." He went on to say that KeyBank will offer dog biscuits to pet owners visiting bank's drive throughs with their canines.

In May, more than 100 KeyBank employees - the largest contingent of any company - walked in the Furry Skurry to raise money for the HSGD. Key employees will also be out in force at Pet Afflaire, the HSGD's formal dinner for pets and their owners, on November 1.

About KeyCorp

Cleveland-based KeyCorp is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $95 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally.

Visit the KeyCorp page on Corporate Social Responsibility Wire at http://www.csrwire.com/companyprofile?id=993 for a compilation of news releases about the company relative to philanthropic investment, diversity, community development, corporate governance, environment, business ethics, human rights, and workplace issues.

KeyBank

KeyBank

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $176.2 billion at March 31, 2021. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,100 branches and more than 1,400 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. 

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