• 2015 Ford Expedition is official vehicle of FIDO Friendly magazine’s sixth annual pet adoption tour, Get Your Licks on Route 66^®

• Get Your Licks on Route 66 kicked off Sept. 12 and runs through Oct. 19, with Ford Expedition supporting various pet adoption events along the way from Los Angeles to Chicago to Kansas City

• Expedition is a full-size utility for consumers seeking capability, the latest in advanced technologies and class-leading cargo space provided by the extended-length version

The new 2015 Ford Expedition has hit the road and is barking up a storm as the official vehicle of FIDO Friendly magazine’s sixth annual pet adoption tour.

Get Your Licks on Route 66^® kicked off Sept. 12 in Los Angeles, will stop in Chicago Oct. 11 and end Oct. 19 in Kansas City, Kan. The tour is making stops at 17 animal-shelter adoption events along the 2,400-mile stretch of Route 66, one of the first cross-country routes in the United States.

The tour is following the Mother Road to raise awareness for shelter animals in need of a home. In its first five years, Get Your Licks on Route 66 helped more than 2,000 pets find homes. The official spokesperson for this year’s tour is actress, best-selling author and animal lover Danica McKellar.

Ford has sponsored the last three tours, providing FIDO Friendly with a Ford Escape small utility vehicle and Ford F-150 pickup. This year, tour leaders Susan Sims and her husband Greg are making the trip in a 2015 Ford Expedition EL, the largest Ford-brand utility vehicle, which will be a home-away-from-home for them and their dogs Jake and Junior.

“With class-leading maximum cargo space in the extended-length version, the 2015 Expedition has more than enough room for every member of the family,” said Keith Wilson, Expedition brand manager. “The new Expedition gives the Sims family plenty of performance, comfort and capability.”

Along with Jake and Junior, the Sims haul a large spinning prize wheel and numerous items that have been donated by pet product companies to give away to help raise funds for the animal shelters at stops along the tour.

“We are thrilled once again to be able to tour the Mother Road and help bring awareness to the plight of homeless pets,” said Susan Sims, who is publisher of FIDO Friendly magazine and started the tour with Greg. “With Ford providing us a new 2015 Expedition, our two rescue hounds – Jake and Junior – are along for the ride. Local doggie daycare centers host our boys while we work the event. At the end of the day, we pick up two tired and happy dogs, then start all over the next day.”

The 2015 Expedition goes on sale later this year with a new look, a 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® V6 engine also available in Ford F-150, and a quiet cabin with more technology than previous-generation models. It will be the latest Ford nameplate to offer a high-end Platinum series.

With the new powerplant, customers benefit from 365 horsepower and a best-in-class 420 lb.-ft. of standard engine torque, best-in-class maximum towing in the extended-length utilities class and up to 9,200 pounds when properly equipped.

Expedition debuted in 1996 and has seating for up to eight. The 119-inch-wheelbase Expedition has three rows of seats and up to 108.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Overall, this standard-wheelbase Expedition is about 8 inches longer than Ford Explorer. Expedition EL – with a 131-inch wheelbase – has three rows of seats and best-in-class maximum cargo space. This long-wheelbase Expedition boasts 130.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front-row seats with the second and third-row seats folded flat.

FIDO Friendly, a travel and lifestyle magazine for dog owners, is in its 14th year. The magazine features hotel and destination reviews, stories about animal adoption, health and wellness topics, and the latest trends for dog owners.

To learn more about the tour and the cities where events are being held, visit www.fidofriendly.com or www.getyourlicksonroute66.com.