Lance McCullers of the Houston Astros is The Leader of the Pack

Lance McCullers sometimes employs unorthodox training methods to keep it interesting. He’s been known to swing an axe in the backyard, or even do squats with his wife Kara on his shoulders.

Another way Kara and Lance support each other is in the passion they share for animal advocacy and protection.
They have a rescue dog, a husky named Minka, and they’ve acted on their passion by creating the Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation to invest, bring awareness and develop programs aimed at advocating for stray and homeless animals across the country.

Their goal is to support shelters and programs that promote pet adoption and continue on the journey to make Houston a no-kill city.

Since taking up residency in Houston, the McCullers have partnered with various local causes, like Houston Pets Alive! Their partnership raises awareness and funds for animal adoptions and no-kill sanctuaries.

Houston Pets Alive! is a no-kill, rescue and advocacy group, which pulls animals from the Harris County animal control that are set to be euthanized.

In February, McCullers and Houston Pets Alive! held the Mutts, Meows & McCullers event. The event was held outside PetSmart, where McCullers took pictures and signed autographs, as well as helped with pet adoptions.

“These animals are really the most amazing creatures on Earth,” McCullers said, “so loving, so caring, but are often tossed aside.”

Recently, McCullers was nominated by his Houston Astros teammates for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award. The award, named after the MLBPA’s first Executive Director Marvin Miller, recognizes players who inspire others to higher levels of achievement by their on-field performances and contributions to their communities.

The 30 finalists were then voted on by fans in an online poll at MLBPlayers.com. McCullers was selected by fans as a finalist.  Each nominee receives a $2,500 grant from the Players Trust to be donated to the charity of his choice.

Keep up to date on the Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation’s latest news and events by visiting their website here.

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Major Leaguers are #GoingToBat for causes near and dear to them, as they personify the Players Trust’s motto to ‘care, act and inspire.” To learn more about the charitable interests and activities of Lance McCullers and other Major Leaguers, please click here.