Zenit St. Petersburg Carry Rescue Dogs Out Before Game To Encourage Adoption

Players from Russian football club Zenit St. Petersburg took to the pitch with some unusual mascots ahead of their game against FC Rostov last Fridayafter partnering with local dog charities to highlight hounds in need of a home.

With the help of the Russian Kynological Federation they signed up local shelters to the project, with stars including Brazilian forward Malcom, who held a pooch named Harley, Mikhail Kerzhakov, Dmitry Chistyakov, and Vyacheslav Karavaev all carrying the dogs on to the field.

An announcer also read out the team’s starting XI alongside the profiles of the players’ furry friends. Unfortunately, the animals did not bring the team luck, however, as they were held to a 2-2 draw in their match against the struggling Rostov side. Despite the dropped points the team remain top of the Russian Premier League.