Kentucky football Cats... And Dogs at the Lexington Humane Society

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Lexington Humane Society often picks a theme for naming animals that come to the shelter without a name. Since it's football season in the Bluegrass, it was an easy choice to name these furry friends after the Wildcats. Yes, even the dogs.

“We obviously love the Cats... but we wanted to bring attention to the dogs as well,” Katy Stoess, Lexington Humane Society Special Events Manager, said.  “Especially some of the bigger ones... Who don’t get as much attention.” 

Stoess points out one pup, named after Kentucky football senior linebacker D’Eryk Jackson. She describes him as a shy yet playful one-year-old pit bull, who was initially adopted but later abandoned on campus. Now, the Humane Society is hoping his name helps bring engagement - and a potential new home - into Jackson's life.

“We’ve had a lot of fun engagement with social media, in particular. People are requesting certain players, and then even some of the players themselves have been interacting with us, so it’s been a lot of fun," Stoess adds.

Lexington Humane Society's No. 1 mission is for people to adopt, but if you aren’t ready for that commitment, the Check Me Out Program is another option. Anyone in the community is welcome to check out a dog for the day, and the humane society will provide you with a list of dog-friendly places to visit, along with bowls, doggy bags, leashes and harnesses — anything you could possibly need for the day.

Stoess mentions this is popular among collegiate athletes and students.

“It’s a great way to get the dogs out of the shelter, get some energy out, get some socialization and it’s great for people who maybe not be able to adopt or foster an animal.”

“It’s wonderful to see that. I think it definitely helps promote our mission of adopt don’t shop, to rescue. You don’t need to go to a breeder; you don’t need to spend $6,000 on a dog. We have amazing animals here, so when people as prominent as the UK football players in our community jump on that trend, it’s very helpful.” 

You can see D'Eryk (if he's not adopted) and his friends in the Big Blue tailgate zone at the Auburn game on Saturday, October 26.

Watch the full story on Wednesday evening's edition of BBN Tonight to meet Jackson's "teammates," including Brock Vandagriff, Barion Brown, Zion Childress, and Deone Walker.

BBN Tonight

Join us weeknights at 7:30 p.m. for BBN Tonight on the official station for UK Athletics, LEX 18, and on BBNTonight.com

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