Coach Nell Fortner and the women's basketball team partnered with the Lee County Humane Society, Dogpatch Ranch and Friends of Fido for Adpot-a-Pet Awareness Day before Sunday's matchup against South Carolina.
Fortner said the issue of homeless pets is close to the whole staff's heart.
"We all have dogs," Fortner said. "We've all been animal lovers for a long, long time. It's something that I did in the WNBA when I coached with the Indiana Fever.
"I started it there with the Humane Society in Indianapolis, and I am just glad to be able to do it here in Auburn."
Representatives from each organization provided information about pet adoption, raising awareness about the importance of spaying and neutering pets.
Stacey Dickson, representing the no-kill center Dogpatch Ranch, said their haven handles rescue, adoption and spaying and neutering.
"Animals are allowed to come to our facility and either live out their natural lives, or if they are not able to be adopted because of aggressions or other issues, we work with them on their issues, and we will just keep them with us," Dickson said. "So we have dogs that are residents that are never going to leave us, and then we have those we adopt out."
Based in Salem, the ranch also provides a service to elderly citizens in the area whose only companion is their pet.
"We adopt elderly citizens that we take dog food to, spay and neuter their animals and pay for their vet care so they are able to maintain their little family," Dickson said.
Spaying and neutering animals is the perfect solution to animal control, Dickson said.
"Plain and simple: as many animals as we can get spayed and neutered the better," Dickson said.
Chastyne Klingensmith, Miss East Alabama Teen and recently-named ambassador to Dogpatch Ranch, was also at the arena Sunday, collecting donations, talking about the animals and distributing information packets about the Ranch.
Klingensmith said in all there are 8-10 million dogs put in shelters and kennels and 5-8 million are euthanized in kill shelters.
The Dogpatch Ranch ranch is currently holding 40 animals and relies on donations, solicitation to pet companies and sponsors to keep the ranch open to animals.
The most important thing Dickson said the community could do is to have the spirit of donation.
"Just always know that whatever you have is something that we can use," Dickson said.
Dickson added that plastic grocery bags, old towels and sheets and laundry detergent are just some of the supplies needed.
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