CHICAGO (May 14, 2026) — The Chicago Hounds today announced a landmark new partnership with PAWS Chicago, the city’s largest No Kill humane organization, naming it the “Charity Partner of the Chicago Hounds” for the remainder of the 2026 Major League Rugby season.
As part of the partnership, the PAWS Chicago logo will appear prominently on the front of both the Hounds’ home and away jerseys for all remaining 2026 matches, including nationally televised broadcasts on ESPN2 and road contests across the country.
Front-of-jersey logo placement is traditionally reserved for paid corporate sponsorships. In a move that underscores the organization’s commitment to the Chicago community, the Chicago Hounds have offered the partnership to PAWS Chicago on a pro-bono basis, using one of the club’s most visible assets to elevate awareness for a local nonprofit making a meaningful impact throughout the city.
“This partnership is incredibly special to us because it reflects who we are as a club and what we value as an organization,” said James English, CEO of the Chicago Hounds. “Over the last two years, we’ve had the privilege of partnering with PAWS Chicago through volunteer days at their Medical Center, as well as our annual Dog Day match and adoption event at SeatGeek Stadium. This partnership with PAWS Chicago is a way to honor everything they contribute to our city while helping raise awareness for their mission on a national stage. It’s an honor to shine a spotlight on an organization doing so much good.”
English added, “We also know this relationship will resonate deeply with our fans. More than 200 fans brought their dogs to this year’s Dog Day match, which speaks volumes about the connection our supporters have with animals and with causes like PAWS Chicago. We look forward to strengthening that bond even further.”
Beyond jersey branding, the partnership will include a wide variety of collaborative activations designed to support PAWS Chicago’s mission and connect fans directly with the organization’s lifesaving work, including social media campaigns and on-field activations featuring PAWS’ adoptable animals, fundraising initiatives at SeatGeek Stadium, and volunteer initiatives that bring together Hounds players, staff and fans for service days benefiting PAWS Chicago’s facilities and programs.
“We are incredibly honored to be named the Charity Partner of the Chicago Hounds and to have our logo featured on the front of the team’s jerseys during such an extraordinary undefeated season” said Paula Fasseas, Founder and Executive Chair of PAWS Chicago. “This partnership provides a powerful platform to introduce new audiences across the country to our mission of building No Kill communities and ending pet homelessness and overpopulation through our lifesaving programs. The Hounds have been incredible supporters of PAWS over the last several years and this generous partnership is a powerful reflection of their commitment to the Chicago community. We are deeply grateful to be part of the Hounds family.”
About Chicago Hounds Rugby
Chicago Hounds Rugby is a professional rugby team competing in Major League Rugby (MLR), North America’s professional rugby competition. The Hounds were named as a Major League Rugby expansion franchise in 2022 and played their inaugural season at SeatGeek Stadium in 2023. For more information about the Chicago Hounds, visit www.chicagohounds.com.
About PAWS Chicago
PAWS Chicago is one of the largest comprehensive No Kill animal welfare organizations in the nation, building programs to end the killing of homeless pets. More than 27,000 homeless and at-risk cats and dogs pass through PAWS Chicago’s Medical Center each year. PAWS is known for healing and rehabilitating 5,000 sick, injured, and homeless cats and dogs annually, and finding them loving families through its adoption program. PAWS Chicago also operates the city’s only high-volume spay/neuter clinic, providing more than 21,000 low-or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries last year, reducing pet overpopulation at its source. Since its founding in 1997, when more than 42,000 pets were killed in Chicago, PAWS Chicago has led the reduction in homeless pet euthanasia in Chicago by 88.8%. PAWS Chicago has earned the highest 4-star ranking by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator, since 2003. For more information, visit www.pawschicago.org and follow PAWS Chicago on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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