Cesar Millan and Scooby-Doo have turned 40! The world renowned dog behavior specialist and beloved iconic cartoon character celebrated turning 40 together at their very own birthday bash today at the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys, Calif. Also sharing in the festivities were some of Cesar and Scooby’s favorite dogs available for adoption at the shelter, Los Angeles Councilman Tony Cardenas, children from Van Nuys Recreation Center’s “Off-Track Enrichment program” and the cast of the upcoming movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, a co-production of Warner Premiere and Cartoon Network.

In honor of Cesar Millan and Scooby-Doo’s 40th birthday, Cartoon Network presented a donation of $10,000 to the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation, supporting the foundation’s efforts to increase the number of dog adoptions each day. Currently, there are millions of dogs available from adoption shelters and rescue organizations across the nation hoping for a second chance and a permanent, new home.

“I’m so happy to be celebrating my 40th birthday with an icon like Scooby-Doo. And I’m thrilled to use this celebratory moment to promote the importance of giving dogs a second chance and adopting them from local shelters or rescue groups,” said Cesar Millan. “Many thanks to Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Consumer Products for contributing to the Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation and for supporting our continued efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home shelter dogs.”

“When we discovered that both Cesar and Scooby were reaching this exciting milestone around the same time, we couldn’t resist the opportunity to bring the two of them together for a celebration that would not only be fun, but also honor the great work of the Cesar and Illusion Millan Foundation,” said Stuart Snyder, President and COO, Turner Animation, Young Adults & Kids Media.

“Scooby-Doo and Cesar Millan have played vital roles in helping kids relate to animals in a compassionate, empathetic way. I am proud they have chosen to celebrate their birthdays right here in one of the city’s animal care centers and are talking to our kids about pet responsibility,” said Councilman Tony Cardenas.

On Sept. 13, Scooby-Doo will not only celebrate his 40th year on television, but also the world premiere of the new live-action movie Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins on Cartoon Network. For the first time ever, the never-before-told origin story of the Mystery Inc. gang will be revealed in the two-hour movie premiering on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. (ET, PT). Warner Home Video will also release Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins on DVD and Blu-Ray(TM) Combo Pack on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

More than 40,000 Snausages Scooby Snacks were also donated in celebration of the world’s favorite Great Dane’s birthday bash. With four flavors in each box – cheese, beef, chicken and pizza flavored – the crunchy Scooby Snacks are beloved by dogs everywhere. In addition, Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ licensees contributed an array of products for today’s festivities, including Thermos lunch kits, Ty Scooby Beanies, Scooby fruit snacks and baked graham crackers.

Dog behavior specialist Cesar Millan is best known for his hit television series Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan on National Geographic Channel. The Cesar and Ilusion Millan Foundation promotes the adoption of abused and abandoned dogs at shelters and rescue organizations. The foundation also provides direct funding for spaying and neutering programs and the humane education of children of all ages. For more information, visit MillanFoundation.org.

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