From the dog pound to the grass of a football field

BarcelonaIn the match against Villarreal last SaturdayThe Espanyol players took to the field with a dog each, creating one of the most heartwarming moments of the La Liga matchday. "Alba, Black, Botón, Menta, Nuska, Pipa, Pistón, Mancha, Lobo, Oso, and Tigre" were announced over the stadium's PA system as each dog's picture appeared on the video screen. And, just like with their idols, the nearly 30,000 fans who traveled to Cornellà-El Prat greeted the pets with cheers, and the dogs posed for photos with the 22 players and the refereeing team on the pitch.

The starting lineup consisted of dogs available for adoption from the Barcelona Companion Animal Shelter (CAACB), an original and pioneering action – the blue and white team was the first Spanish professional football club to take to the field with pets – which is part of the campaign Parrots don't give upIt is promoted by Espanyol and aims to raise awareness in society about the importance of not abandoning pets and to encourage responsible adoption.

"The figures for abandonment in Spain and Catalonia are chilling, but this is a problem that receives very little media attention; it doesn't reach people. As a football club, we decided to use our media platform to bring it to light," Isaura Valle, from the social solidarity department, explained to ARA.

A €15 million campaign

This year marks the third edition of an initiative that broke records in previous seasons: in 2023, it reached over 65 million people through its dissemination across social media and news outlets worldwide. The estimated value of a campaign with that audience is €15 million. Furthermore, the tweet featuring the video of the players and the dogs remains the most viewed in the history of Espanyol's Twitter account.

As in previous years, on Saturday Espanyol also set up a collection point, located in front of the official store, where fans could donate food, blankets, towels, andsnacksThe donations are intended for animal protection associations and shelters. More than 200 people attended, and donations can continue until November 22nd.

Many of the starting eleven already have homes.

"In less than 24 hours, Black already had a home," says Isaura Valle with a smile. His new home is that of Josep, Esther, Laia, Adrià, and Drako, his new little brother. "We were thinking about getting another dog, and Espanyol's initiative was the final push we needed to adopt. We knew it had to be small because we live in an apartment, and when they came out onto the field with the players, we made up our minds. The next day we went to the shelter, and seeing him so happy... from Sunday onwards... since Sunday... made us realize that if we had more space at home, we would have adopted a few more," says Josep, an Espanyol fan from Mollet del Vallès who goes to Cornellà-El Prat every two weeks with his family.

Black isn't the only one with a new life: eight of his teammates on the team have also found families, clear proof of the campaign's success. Even some first-team players are seriously considering adopting one of the team's furry friends after meeting them. Pol Lozano, who already adopted one a few months ago, appeared in the press room at the Dani Jarque Sports City with his pet, Mango. When he found Mango abandoned in the trash with his siblings, he wasn't even a month old. The current Espanyol captain, who already had a dog, decided to keep him, and his best friend adopted another. "It's one of the most beautiful things that has ever happened to me," declared the happy Catalan midfielder, an example of the solidarity of a club committed to animal protection and welfare. Because Espanyol fans don't abandon their team.