WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer is known for his dominant pitching on the mound for the Nats, but now he and his wife, Erica, are pitching in to help take care of animals affected by Hurricane Harvey.
The couple will pay for all adoption fees at the Humane Rescue Alliance beginning on Thursday through Sunday.
It’s part of an effort to encourage adoptions this weekend so the Alliance can make some space for animals being relocated from Texas to D.C.
“Max and I wanted to help make space for animals affected by Hurricane Harvey,” said Erica Scherzer, who is also a board member on the Humane Rescue Alliance, in a statement. “By helping with adoption fees, it might make it easier to find homes for our current population of shelter animals, which will allow us to bring in many more relocated animals from Texas.”
The Humane Rescue Alliance is joining other shelters around the country who have volunteered to make shelter space available for animals who have become separated from their owners or were homeless strays before the storm.
“We’re getting animals that have been subjected to all sort of circumstances,” said David Smith, spokesman for the Humane Rescue Alliance. “But the first order of business is to make sure that our existing animals find good homes now, so we can make space.”
The Alliance expects to receive dogs and cats from Texas this weekend.
“This is an extremely generous endeavor by Erica and Max,” said Alliance President and CEO Lisa LaFontaine. “The more we work with the Scherzers, the more we know how dedicated they are to saving animals and caring for people who make pets a part of their lives. By allowing us to provide fee-waived adoptions, we hope people in our community are inspired to come to an HRA adoption center this weekend, and add a pet to their family.”
Standard adoption procedures will still apply. See animals available for adoption by visiting the Human Rescue Alliance’s website or visit one of the Alliance’s adoption centers.
Find a location on the map below:
WTOP’s Kristi King contributed to this report.
