JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars fans have a chance to turn a trip to London into some help for animals back home.
The Jacksonville Humane Society is auctioning off a sports package that includes four tickets to see the Jaguars take on the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium on October 18.
The package also includes four tickets to an English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Hull City the day before.
The auction is open through September 21 at noon.
Money raised will go toward the Jacksonville Humane Society’s medical fund, which helps cover everything from vaccinations and spay and neuter procedures to more complicated care for sick or injured animals.
More animals are coming through the shelter
The fundraiser comes as the Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS) is handling a growing number of animals, particularly cats and kittens.
CEO Lawrence Nicolas said the shelter took in 10,862 animals last year, nearly 11,000 and the highest number in more than 20 years.
“We’re drowning in kittens,” Nicolas said.
He said kitten intake has continued to increase in recent years, creating concerns about whether shelters can keep up if the trend continues.
JHS is putting more focus on trap-neuter-return programs, commonly called TNR, in areas where large numbers of kittens are coming from. The idea is to spay or neuter community cats and return them to where they were found, helping reduce the number of new litters over time.
Nicolas said even keeping intake from continuing to rise would make the situation more manageable.
Toast to the Animals returns in October
The London auction isn’t the only fundraiser coming up for JHS.
Toast to the Animals, the organization’s largest annual fundraising event, is scheduled for October 2 at the Jessie Ball duPont Center in downtown Jacksonville.
Instead of a traditional sit-down gala, the event features food from more than 15 local restaurants, drinks and a more casual setup where guests can walk around throughout the evening.
There will also be a “Cuddle Corner” where guests can spend time with puppies and kittens.
Proceeds from Toast to the Animals will also support the shelter’s medical fund.
Nicolas said people who aren’t able to participate in the fundraisers can still help through volunteering, fostering, adopting or other programs offered by the organization.
More information about those programs and animals currently available for adoption can be found at jaxhumane.org.
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