On Friday, November 4, Katherine Heigl attended the press conference to launch the Los Angeles Animal Alliance's Fall 5000 Campaign where the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation announced the Pets To Patriots initiative, a program which will provide no-cost adoptions for veterans at participating shelters in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Katherine Heigl Poses With LA Animal Care Staff At The Fall 5000 Press Conference Katherine Heigl Poses With LA Animal Care Staff At The Fall 5000 Press Conference

She was joined at the event, held at the East Valley Shelter in Van Nuys, by her mother Nancy, sister Meg and the executive director of the Foundation, Kathy Davis.

The Pets To Patriots program honors and enhances the lives of our veterans with companion animals in recognition and celebration of their service, while simultaneously seeking to serve animal shelters and the homeless cats and dogs who are in need of forever homes.

Lindsay Taub, Katherine Heigl & Kim Sill Lindsay Taub, Katherine Heigl & Kim Sill
Katherine Heigl Poses With LA Animal Care Staff At The Fall 5000 Press Conference Katherine Heigl Poses With LA Animal Care Staff At The Fall 5000 Press Conference

The Heigl Foundation has provided the Los Angeles Animal Alliance with a grant of a $30,000 to fund the Pets To Patriots initative, which is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Commander Frederick John Debus. "It is a small token of our appreciation to the legion of heroes who have given so much," Katherine explained.

Pets To Patriots is a key component of the Fall 5000, an unprecedented adoption campaign that spans 5 counties and 20 shelters with the goal of finding forever homes for 5000 animals during the month of November.

Katherine Heigl & Trick-or-Treat Hero Award Winners Katherine Heigl & Trick-or-Treat Hero Award Winners

Please visit the Los Angeles Animal Alliance web site for more information and encourage anyone who is looking to get a pet to visit their local shelter and adopt.

Shane Lachtman, Paul Koretz, Nancy Heigl & Katherine Heigl Shane Lachtman, Paul Koretz, Nancy Heigl & Katherine Heigl
Katherine Heigl & The Fall 5000 Campaign Poster Katherine Heigl & The Fall 5000 Campaign Poster
Katherine Heigl, Allisyn Ashley Arm, Trick-or-Treat Hero Award Winner & Brandon Tyler Russell Katherine Heigl, Allisyn Ashley Arm, Trick-or-Treat Hero Award Winner & Brandon Tyler Russell

To see more images from the event check out the official web site Gallery.

Also at the launch were Dog News Daily, who caught up with Katherine to chat about the work of the Heigl Foundation.