Many football fans will be getting ready for the Super Bowl next weekend between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. However there is another bowl game that kicks the day off, The Puppy Bowl.
This is great entertainment for families, football fans, and non- football fans alike. The Puppy Bowl started in February 2006 and has been going strong on Animal Planet. The game takes place in a model stadium with a human referee and commentators. The great thing about the event is that all of the puppies are from shelters and can be adopted. There are so many involved helping these puppies in need.
“A veterinarian is on site during the production of Puppy Bowl to ensure animal safety and well-being, and to administer any veterinary medical care which might be needed.[3] Representatives from American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as well as the shelters which lend their animals to the production, are also on site as observers to ensure animal welfare standards are maintained. In 2012, The New Yorker reported that an American Humane Association representative was always on-site to ensure that puppies did not become too aggressive and injure one another.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppy_Bowl)
The Bowl has grown over the years to include the kitty half time show and the blimp with hamster pilots. New this year is the hedgehog cheerleaders, “a hot tub for substitute players to soak in and an upgraded camera that provides better views of the puppies’ faces.” (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/10/cheerleaders-puppy-bowl-2013_n_2443013.html) There is also the kiss cam and water bowl cameras.
The program starts Feb. 3 at 3 PM on Animal Planet. 63 puppies will compete for the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy). If you miss the first airing they usually re- air the puppy bowl the rest of the day. The rosters and more information can be found on Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl page. Which puppy will you be cheering for?
For more information on adoption, visit Petfinder.com.