Watch: Pair of Eagles encourage pet adoption on National Pet Day

The pair bonded easily with their new canine friends and even gave new names to a few. Among the pack were Pluto, Wolf and Fox although Fox was renamed Dogecoin by Mailata. Some puppies even showed off their blocking skills by repeatedly knocking over the camera tripod.

When the two were asked which kind of dog they would be, Mailata thought Maddox would make a great chihuahua and admitted his frame is better suited for a horse than a dog. Both players have dogs of their own. Maddox has a Bullmastiff and a French Bulldog while Mailata has a Shih Tzu named George.

National Pet Awareness Day was founded in 2006 to encourage animal adoption across the country. According to The Zebra, about 6.5 million animals enter shelters each year but only 3.2 million are adopted. Dog ownership has grown by 39% over the last decade but 670,000 dogs are still euthanized every year. 

Of course Maddox and Mailata aren’t the only Eagles to help out animal charities. Kicker Jake Elliott showcased a local animal shelter in the past as part of the NFL’s ‘My Cause My Cleats’ campaign and the team previously sponsored an animal welfare campaign called ‘TAWK.’

By visiting the facility, the two hope to raise awareness of shelter animals and find homes for their new best friends.