Baseball Star Chase Utley and Wife Jen Take a Swing Against Animal Abuse

(Dec. 10) -- When Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Chase Utley isn't hitting home runs on the field, he and his wife, Jennifer, are striking out against animal abusers.

The Utleys are both passionate animal lovers who working to educate the community about the proper treatment of animals and help fund nonprofit organizations that are active in the fight against neglect, pain and suffering.

It's a subject that resonates with both Utleys, as they grew up in homes with animals, but it really struck a chord with Jennifer when she and Utley decided to plant permanent roots in Philadelphia.

"I've always loved animals growing up," Jennifer told AOL News. "We weren't super proactive about animal abuse, but we did adopt strays. Chase was really into animals growing up. His family had dogs, cats and a horse."

"...and an iguana," he added.

But four years ago, when Utley was becoming an All-Star with the Phillies, Jennifer decided she needed to find a passion for herself.

"I needed to do my own thing in order to make this city my home," she said. "So I volunteered for the local SPCA."

Things changed one day when a little boxer-mix was brought into the Philadelphia headquarters of the Pennsylvania SPCA, where Jennifer Utley was volunteering.

"He had been set on fire and was a complete mess," she said. "A group of teenagers had done it. But, despite this, she was the sweetest thing. Not aggressive at all."

Due to the significant abuse, Etana required a large amount of veterinary care. Very expensive medical care.

"For a nonprofit that gets no money from the state, there was talk whether the dog should be euthanized, since even with all the treatment, there was the possibility he might not make it. The doctors considered amputation because bone was sticking through."

Nevertheless, the Utleys paid for the dog's medical care and along with giving it a new lease on life, Jennifer gave him a name.

"I named him Etana, which means 'strong spirit,' and he's adopted by a wonderful family who lives outside the city."

As a result of meeting Etana, the Utleys decided to start the The Etana Fund to Stop Cruelty Against Animals, which helps raise funds so that Humane Law Officers can crack down on cases where animals are being mistreated, something Jennifer says is more common.

"Philadelphia has some of the highest rates of dog fighting in the nation," she said. "We're getting more calls than ever and, hopefully, it's because more people are reporting animal abuse and not that the abuse is increasing."

It's difficult to know whether or not the Utleys' efforts are having an impact, but they take heart at the comments they've gotten from people they've met.

"People have told me, they're adopting a dog from the shelter, which is nice," she said.

Jennifer's interest in animal abuse rose as Utley's star was rising in the baseball world and she admits the first year was difficult.

"The first year was very emotional," she said. "There were a lot of sleepless nights. When you get in the dark creepy world of animal abuse... Well, put it this way, I got to the point where I was disgusted by a lot of people."

Chase admits it was hard as a husband to see his wife be so sad.

"As she was working, she'd bring home stories that were more horrific than the next," Utley said.

But the two have stuck to their guns and have started hosting Utley All-Star Animals Casino Night, an annual event that brings together between 400-500 people, including many of Chase's Phillies teammates, and has raised well over half a million dollars for the PSPCA.

The two are also showing their love by adopting other abused animals such as Jack, a pit bull whose parents were victims of animal abuse.

"He's our baby," Jennifer said. "Chase even takes him to the ballpark sometimes."

The Utleys now are stretching from animal abuse prevention into education by funding programs for children, and Chase hopes his and Jen's efforts help improve conditions for pets in Pennsylvania.

"Animals bring a lot of joy in different ways," he said. "They don't deserve to be treated badly."