AUSTIN, Texas — Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe is matching up to $10,000 in donations to Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) during his game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
As part of the National Football League's (NFL) "My Cause My Cleats" campaign, Smythe chose APA! as his nonprofit organization to support on Dec. 4. The campaign allows for players from various NFL teams to not only help a nonprofit by matching any donation made on a game day but to auction off the pair of cleats worn during the game.
Every team from the NFL is participating in the campaign to support a variety of different organizations during Week 13 of the season as a "pledge for the greater good," the website states.
The cleats worn during the game, which will be auctioned later in the upcoming week, will have all proceeds earned donated to the player's nonprofit of choice. This will be in addition to Smythe matching up to $10,000 in donations on Sunday.
PHOTOS | Durham Smythe with pets from Austin Pets Alive!
"A matching gift has the potential to provide medical care and shelter for hundreds of animals, likely facing euthansia at other animal shelters," the press release stated.
Earlier this year, APA! celebrated their 100,000th life saved as a no-kill shelter. The shelter has "revolutionized the way people look at animal shelters, and provides lifesaving care for the most vulnerable puppies, dogs, kittens and cats" but still depends on donations from the Austin community to maintain normal functions, according to the release.
Those that would like to help donate to APA! to help earn their matching donations from Smythe can donate here.