When Safety Means Staying Together: U.S. Soccer, Purina, and Mariska Hargitay Unite on the Pitch for the Purple Leash Project

WASHINGTON — In front of a roaring, capacity crowd at Audi Field, the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) match against Spain transcended athletic competition to serve as a powerful platform for social change. As the Official Pet Care Partner of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Purina leveraged the high-profile stage to spotlight the Purple Leash Project—a nationwide initiative dedicated to ensuring that domestic violence survivors and their beloved pets can escape abuse and find safety together.

Recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the event combined elite sports culture with impassioned advocacy. Award-winning actress, producer, and longtime victims’ advocate Mariska Hargitay stepped onto the pitch as Purina’s Honorary Captain, drawing national attention to a hidden crisis: the harrowing reality that countless individuals delay leaving abusive environments because local domestic violence shelters cannot accommodate their pets.

Through strategic partnerships, emotional pre-match ceremonies, and innovative fan experiences, the collaboration between Purina, U.S. Soccer, and prominent advocates demonstrated how sports can mobilize communities around critical humanitarian issues.

Main Facts: The Intersection of Sports, Advocacy, and Animal Welfare

The partnership between Purina and U.S. Soccer at Audi Field brought together heavy hitters from the worlds of professional sports, entertainment, and non-profit advocacy.

At the heart of the initiative is a stark, heartbreaking statistic: only 20% of domestic violence shelters in the United States currently allow pets, while 48% of survivors delay leaving an abusive situation because they refuse to abandon their animal companions to an abuser.

To combat this, Purina partnered with the national non-profit RedRover to establish the Purple Leash Project. The initiative provides critical grants to domestic violence shelters and social service providers, funding structural renovations, on-site and off-site pet housing, essential pet supplies, and veterinary care.

During the USWNT match against Spain, this mission was thrust into the national spotlight:

• Mariska Hargitay served as the Honorary Captain, bringing her decades of dedicated advocacy for survivors to the pitch.
• The Pre-Match Coin Toss featured Hargitay alongside Cassidy, a 75-pound Golden Retriever, and her handler, Patrice “Pat” Eller. Cassidy and Pat represent Pet Partners, a pet therapy team providing emotional support and reassurance to children navigating the trauma of testifying in court.
• The Purina Club transformed the stadium experience by introducing a temporary, pet-friendly seating area where fans could watch the match alongside their dogs.
• The Courageous & Comfy Soccer Scarf, an officially licensed U.S. Soccer product available exclusively at the Purple Leash Project Shop, was launched to direct 100% of its proceeds to RedRover.

Chronology: A Matchday of Purpose and Emotion

The integration of the Purple Leash Project into the USWNT vs. Spain matchday experience was carefully orchestrated to maximize emotional resonance and audience engagement.

Pre-Match: Awareness Meets the Pitch

Hours before kickoff, the concourses of Audi Field buzzed with a unique energy. Beyond the traditional soccer merchandise stands, Purina established activation zones educating fans on the systemic barriers faced by domestic violence survivors.

As teams took the field under the stadium lights, the atmosphere shifted to one of profound solidarity. Mariska Hargitay led the ceremonial walk to midfield as Purina’s Honorary Captain. Flanked by Patrice “Pat” Eller and Cassidy the Golden Retriever, Hargitay stood shoulder-to-shoulder with match officials and team captains for the pre-match coin toss. The presence of Cassidy—a certified therapy dog whose daily work involves calming frightened children in courtroom settings—visually reinforced the therapeutic, stabilizing bond between humans and animals during times of crisis.

During the Match: Reimagining the Fan Experience

Throughout the 90 minutes of high-stakes international soccer, Purina demonstrated its broader vision for sports culture through the debut of the Purina Club. This temporary, specially curated pet-friendly seating zone allowed a select group of fans to experience top-tier international soccer alongside their canine companions.

The activation built upon Purina’s ongoing sports strategy for 2026. Earlier in the year, the brand launched its national “For the Team Behind the Team” campaign alongside U.S. Men’s National Team player Weston McKennie, introducing the first-ever national pet jersey for soccer fans. Furthermore, Purina collaborated with KC2026 on pet-centric programming during the FIFA Fan Festival in Kansas City, featuring "Dog Days," pet supply kits, and community adoption events.

Post-Match: Continuing the Momentum

As the final whistle blew, the focus shifted from the scoreboard to long-term impact. Fans left the stadium equipped with QR codes and informational materials directing them to the Purple Leash Project shop and RedRover donation portals. The evening concluded not just with a hard-fought match on the pitch, but with a measurable surge in digital traffic, scarf sales, and public discourse surrounding pet-inclusive domestic violence sheltering.

Supporting Data: The Scale of the Crisis and Purina’s Impact

The partnership at Audi Field is grounded in years of targeted philanthropic work and sobering data regarding domestic abuse in America.

Abusers frequently use household pets as leverage to control, manipulate, or threaten victims. For many survivors, the thought of leaving a pet behind—where they could face neglect, abuse, or death at the hands of the abuser—serves as the single greatest deterrent to fleeing a dangerous household.

The Purple Leash Project By the Numbers:

• 20%: The estimated percentage of domestic violence shelters nationwide that currently allow pets on-site.
• 48%: The percentage of domestic violence survivors who delay escaping abuse due to a lack of pet-friendly housing options.
• $2.2+ Million: The total amount invested by Purina through nearly 70 distinct grants across more than 30 states.
• 1 Million Safe Nights: Purina’s ambitious benchmark goal to help provide 1 million safe nights of shelter for survivors and their pets by the end of 2030.

By funding everything from modular outdoor kennels and indoor crate systems to veterinary care partnerships and climate-controlled shelter wings, the Purple Leash Project is systematically dismantling the infrastructure deficit that forces survivors to choose between their own physical safety and the well-being of their animals.

Official Responses: Voices Behind the Mission

The collaboration at Audi Field drew powerful statements from leadership and prominent advocates committed to the cause.

Mariska Hargitay on the Power of Visibility

Mariska Hargitay, whose decades-long dedication to supporting survivors of abuse is globally recognized, emphasized the emotional weight of bringing the cause to a major sports arena.

"Seeing the Purple Leash Project take the field helped turn the stadium into a powerful show of support for survivors and the pets they love," Hargitay said. "I’m honored to continue my work with Purina on a stage like this during Domestic Violence Awareness Month to bring greater awareness to domestic abuse, help break down the stigma survivors so often face and shine a light on the need for more safe, pet-friendly spaces where survivors and their beloved, trusted companions can begin healing together."

Nina Leigh Krueger on Survivor Safety

Nina Leigh Krueger, CEO of Purina, reiterated the brand’s unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility and animal welfare, stressing that no one should face impossible choices in times of crisis.

"At Purina, we believe survivor safety shouldn’t require sacrifice," Krueger stated. "That’s why we’re proud to continue our work with RedRover and grateful to Mariska for helping to bring greater visibility to the need for more safe spaces for domestic violence survivors on both ends of the leash. Together, we can help ensure survivors never have to choose between their safety and the safety of pets they love."

Implications: Changing the Cultural Landscape of Sports and Social Advocacy

The collaboration between Purina, U.S. Soccer, and the Purple Leash Project carries profound implications for how corporate partnerships intersect with social justice and community welfare.

1. Mainstreaming Hidden Crises Through Sports Platforms

Domestic violence has historically been treated as a private, stigmatized issue, making it difficult to rally public discourse. By placing the Purple Leash Project on the pitch during a nationally televised USWNT match, Purina and U.S. Soccer successfully injected a critical conversation into millions of living rooms. Sports platforms possess a unique unifying power; leveraging this energy for social good normalizes conversations around abuse, mental health, and survivor support.

2. Redefining Pet Culture in Fan Engagement

The introduction of the Purina Club and pet-inclusive fan zones signals a cultural shift in modern stadium architecture and event planning. As stadiums increasingly look for ways to enhance fan experience and inclusivity, accommodating pets—not just as service animals, but as valued family members—creates deeper emotional connections between sports brands, corporate sponsors, and consumers.

3. Accelerating Shelter Infrastructure Reform

Financial investments from corporate partners like Purina do more than provide immediate relief; they create a systemic blueprint for social service providers nationwide. As more shelters witness the successful integration of pet-friendly wings through RedRover grants, the industry standard is shifting. The goal of securing 1 million safe nights by 2030 is not merely a quantitative milestone, but a cultural tipping point that could redefine the baseline requirements for domestic violence rescue operations across North America.

How Fans Can Take Action

For soccer fans and animal lovers inspired by the Audi Field event, support extends beyond the stadium walls. Individuals can purchase the limited-edition Courageous & Comfy Soccer Scarf at the official Purple Leash Project Shop, where 100% of proceeds are donated directly to RedRover. Additionally, supporters can visit the Purple Leash Project website to learn about local shelter needs, make direct donations, or advocate for pet-inclusive housing policies in their local communities.