The FC Zenit Story- Was there a greater way to enjoy the holiday season than by providing a permanent home for an abandoned pet? The players of a Russian professional football team took to the streets with dogs in their arms, to spread Christmas happiness and increase adoption. The sweet moment is now stealing hearts across the internet.
Zenit Saint Petersburg players strolled inside the Gazprom Arena with eleven dogs in search of a ‘forever home’ in a video that has gone popular on social media networks. On November 30, the nation will commemorate Pet Day, and the club has teamed with the Russian Kynological Foundation to launch their new community initiative, ‘Dogs are better at home!’
The men in blue were seen holding dogs of different types and displaying them to the camera, pushing spectators watching on televisions and in the stadium to adopt animals from shelters and rescue organisations.
The Zenit players took to the pitch at the Gazprom Arena this evening accompanied by dogs from local shelters looking for a new home 🐶💙pic.twitter.com/bjFTvntw3i
— FC Zenit in English✨ (@fczenit_en) December 3, 2021
The club thanked everyone for their support and added, “Now let’s find homes for these wonderful boys and girls.” The video had more than 2 million views in less than 24 hours on Twitter alone. They also called attention to the local animal shelters that were participating in the ‘pawsome initiative and from which the dogs were rescued and rehabilitated.
The goal of the initiative?
“The goal of the initiative is to promote awareness among the general public about the responsibilities and care that come with owning a pet, as well as to generate cash for local dog shelters,” the club said on its website.
Immediately before the game against Rostov, which concluded in an all-around tie of 2-2, the Zenit starting lineup was unveiled on the stadium’s television screen. Instead of playing against one other, the players were featured alongside photographs and biographies of actual canines who were seeking a home.
Netizens couldn’t stop drooling over the adorable creatures, and many speculated that the players, who ‘had fallen in love,’ may adopt them as well.
Earlier last month, Romanian players performed a similar act. Using their new campaign, “Fill the emptiness in your life,” footballers in the Romanian Football League are encouraging people to adopt rescue dogs from animal shelters.
This year, the Romanian Football Federation (FRF) is attempting to encourage the adoption of dogs that are left unattended all across the nation, and even in kennels, waiting for someone to provide them with a safe and nurturing environment in which they may thrive.
After that, players will stroll onto the field with the rescue dogs, who will be identified by their name tags, which will be tied to a handkerchief, and a leash. This is done for any viewers who would wish to adopt them to be able to do so without encountering many difficulties due to their identity.
About the Club
Football Club Zenit (commonly known as Zenit Saint Petersburg or just Zenit) is a Russian professional football club that plays in the Russian Premier League. In 1925 (or 1914, according to certain Russian sources), the club was founded in Moscow and now competes in the Russian Premier League. Zenit is the incumbent champion of the Russian Premier League, having won the competition in both of the previous seasons.
Previous to this season, they won the Russian Premier League in 2007, 2010, 2011, and 2012. They also won the UEFA Cup in 2007 and the UEFA Super Cup in 2008, as well as the Russian Premier League in 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, and 2020-21. The Russian state-owned energy firm Gazprom owns and sponsors the club, which is based in Moscow. The team’s home games are held at the Gazprom Arena in Moscow.
