On Friday, July 14, Austin FC, Austin Pets Alive!, and the City of Austin proudly celebrated the adoption of the 50th shelter dog as a result of the Austin FC Honorary Mascot program.
During Austin FC’s first season in 2021, 17 Honorary Mascots were adopted including dogs who are incontinent and dogs who had been hit by cars and senior dogs. During Austin FC’s second season, very special dogs were adopted from the nonprofit animal shelter, including Rose, a dog who was shot in her spine when she was a puppy and Marla, a distemper survivor dog. At the end of the season, four parvovirus survivor puppies named Listo, Verde, Wolffpack and Alright, Alright, Alright were immediately adopted, bringing the total number of adopted Honorary Mascots to 37. Now, in Austin FC’s third season of this partnership, 13 Honorary Mascots have been adopted.
“Thanks to the genius idea by Austin FC, Austin Pets Alive! is helping to maintain the City of Austin’s 95% No-Kill rate,” said Dr. Ellen Jefferson, President and CEO of Austin Pets Alive! “For all the MLS teams that have heard about this Honorary Mascot program, I have a challenge for you: We hope you will reach out to your local animal shelter and create your own honorary mascot program so your fans can foster and adopt animals. To our friends at MLS, we are here to connect you to animal shelters across the U.S.”
Austin FC is proud to support the shelter’s mission of ending needless euthanasia of companion animals. Adopters for former Austin FC Honorary Mascots also shared photos and video of the dogs in their forever homes.
“When we created the Honorary Mascot program with APA, we hoped to increase awareness of dogs in need of finding their forever home,” said Austin FC President Andy Loughnane. “There is a deep sense across our organization to know that our partnership with APA has resulted in 50 dogs finding a new home, and we look forward to helping play a role in allowing more dogs and their human companions discover the happiness of pet adoption.”
Joe Cascino, Assistant to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson read a special proclamation on behalf of the City of Austin naming July 14, 2023 “Austin FC Honorary Mascot Day”.
