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INDIANAPOLIS— Kalen Irsay couldn't resist the urge.
A few years back, the Colts Co-Owner and Vice Chair entered the Humane Society of Indianapolis and did not have to walk more than a few feet before finding her new baby kitten.
On Tuesday, Irsay was back at the Humane Society and five Colts players joined her to take part in "Community Tuesdays".
"You can see the players that come, they either have a dog or had a dog and the ones that do have dogs it goes back to it's more than just a dog," Irsay said on Tuesday. "It really does make someone's day. It cheers people up in a way that you don't really understand unless you have one of your own."
"I don't think a lot of people realize that there are a lot of different animal shelters around the community and the Humane Society really does a great job. They don't put down animals for space or time. And they are dependent on us to help them. They don't get any governmental money which is a huge thing I don't think a lot of people realize."
Tuesday's event began with a tour of the 16-acre northwest side facility led by Humane Society Executive Director John Aleshire.
"The Colts support us financially, and by bringing towels to us," Aleshire said on Tuesday. "Kalen Irsay has helped us promote Mutt Strut so we are very grateful for the amazing things the Colts have done for us."
At the Humane Society, the Colts players learned about the 4,000 animals the organization cares for on a yearly basis and the process of what happens when an animal is dropped off at the building.
Aleshire led them through the surgery area where doctors perform around 25-30 surgeries a day and eventually to the K-9 training area.
Each player was assigned to a dog to teach various commands that hopefully the dog carries with them through adoption.
During his college days at Florida State, Bjoern Werner tried to adopt a dog at the Tallahassee Humane Society but his landlord did now allow for pets.
Werner now has a two-and-a-half year-old yellow lab named "Nala" and the rookie enjoyed another experience at the Humane Society.
"The people who are taking care of these dogs, who were put into the street is something special," Werner said while tossing a tennis ball to his assigned dog.
For Colts cornerback Josh Gordy, Tuesday's visit hit particularly close to home.
Gordy always had a dog growing up and his current dog "Meah" is a beagle mix that has a unique story.
"I found her when I was back home in Georgia," Gordy says of Meah. "Someone had dropped her off at a trash dump, a lot of people do that nowadays instead of taking them to the Humane Society."
"I've been training her and I got a few helpful pointers out here today so that's great."
As the players were wrapping up their visit on Tuesday morning, the Humane Society staff brought in a handful of puppies.
Coby Fleener was content in just sitting on the ground while the puppies jumped all over the Colts second-year tight end.
For the Colts, Tuesday is the "off-day" from football. A chance to head out into the community each Tuesday is something Fleener and his teammates always look forward to.
"To really kind of meet the fans at places they enjoy, outside of the football stadium, really shows that these guys on the team do more than just play football," Fleener says.
"They really enjoy helping people so this is an awesome opportunity for us."
