Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation Wins Rose Parade Award

The 124th Tournament of Roses Parade rolled down Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena early Tuesday, with famed chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall serving as grand marshal.

Themed Oh, the Places You'll Go!, a nod to the famous Dr. Seuss book, the annual procession included 42 floral floats, 23 marching bands and 21 equestrian units.

Taking the Lathrop K. Leishman trophy for the most beautiful float entry from a non-commercial sponsor was Follow The Stars...Adopt A Pet! from the Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue, care and adoption of stray pets.

According to the float's designers:

Our theme, FOLLOW THE STARS – ADOPT A PET, was chosen to raise worldwide awareness and focus to the importance of pet adoption. 5,000,000 pets are euthanized each year in the United States alone simply because of lack of homes. Remember to adopt a pet when looking for your furry family members and to always spay/neuter your pets.

The float was constructed by Fiesta Parade Floats. For more information about the float, click here. 

Here are all the award-winning floats in the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade:

   -- Grand Marshal's Award: HGTV, All Paths Lead Home
   -- Governor's Award:  City of Glendale, Living The Good Life
   -- Director's Award: City of San Gabriel Centennial, Celebrating Our
Journey
   -- Fantasy Award: Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, Deep Sea Adventures
   -- Sweepstakes Award: Dole, Dreaming of Paradise
   -- Theme Award: Kaiser Permanente, Oh, The Healthy Things You Can Do
   -- President's Award:  Ministries of Tourism & Creative Economies,
Republic of Indonesia, Wonderful Indonesia
   -- National Award:  Department of Defense 60th Anniversary of the Korean
War Commemorative Committee, Freedom Is Not Free
   -- Mayor's Award: City of Los Angeles, Making Connections
   -- Founder's Award: City of South Pasadena, Sailing The Sea Of
Knowledge
   -- Lathrop K. Leishman Award: Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation, Follow The Stars...Adopt A Pet!
   -- Craftsman Award: The Nurses Float, A Healing Place
   -- Isabella Coleman Award: Sierra Madre Rose Float Association, The
Sky's The Limit
   -- Tournament Volunteers' Award: Kiwanis International, A Child's
Magic Carpet Ride
   -- Judges' Special Award: Shriners Hospitals for Children, Helping
Children Live Their Dreams
   -- Princess' Award: Odd Fellows And Rebekahs, Elevated Adventure
   -- International Award: China Airlines, Cycling Through Paradise
   -- Extraordinaire Award: Trader Joe's, Recipe For Adventure!
   -- Animation Award: La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses
Association, Dino-Soar
   -- Bob Hope Humor Award: Cal Poly Universities, Tuxedo Air
   -- Queen's Award: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, The Global Face of AIDS
   -- Past Presidents' Award: Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods,
Canines With Courage
   -- Crown City Innovation Award: Miracle-Gro, Everyone Grows
   -- Tournament Special Award: RFD-TV, Classic Tractor Fever

According to the Tournament of Roses Association, the first parade was staged in 1890 by members of Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club—former residents of the East and Midwest eager to showcase the Southland's mild winter weather.

The first procession included horse-drawn carriages decorated with brightly colored flowers, followed by foot races and jousts in the area town square. In subsequent years, the parade festivities included rodeo-type events and even ostrich races.

— City News Service contributed to this report. 

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