For both football and animal lovers, the Puppy Bowl is a highly anticipated event each year. This year, the Puppy Bowl XX was broadcasted on Sunday, February 11, as 120 rescue puppies line up in a model stadium to play a game of “football”.
The puppies, ranging from tiny chihuahuas to big great danes, are split into two teams, team Ruff and team Fluff, and compete for the Lombarky trophy. Some puppies are named after popular football players, like Patrick Mabones and Bark Purdy. Out of the 131 players, one dog gets voted “Most Pupular” in the Pupularity Playoffs.
Though it is a lighthearted program, it is important to note the reason behind holding the Puppy Bowl. It is filmed each year to garner awareness and support for the Adopt Don’t Shop movement which encourages adopting animals from rescues and shelters instead of going to breeders. All of the dogs come from several different rescues across the country, with this year being the biggest Puppy Bowl yet with 131 dogs participating. Every dog is up for adoption and according to Animal Planet, every single puppy that has been a part of the Puppy Bowl has been adopted since the first Puppy Bowl in 2005, resulting in over 1,400 puppies finding their “furever” homes.
Recently, dog shelters have seen overcrowding at unforeseen levels, likely exacerbated by high inflation rates and the housing crisis. This has created a highly stressful environment for the dogs in the shelters which can cause anxiety and depression in the dogs, making them less likely to be adopted as the stress changes their personalities. A dog’s chances of being adopted lessen the longer they spend in the shelter and the older they are, as many people opt to adopt puppies, ignoring the older dogs. At some shelters, dogs that have spent a long time in the shelter or are deemed “unadoptable” are euthanized in order to make room for new intakes. However, adopting an animal is not the only way to show support for shelters, there is also an option to donate to the Puppy Bowl.
Not only does the Puppy Bowl showcase adoptable puppies, but there is also an entertaining halftime show where around 30 adoptable kittens rush the field for an entertaining half hour. The kittens play with the array of toys scattered around the field until it is time for the puppies to return. Along with the kittens, the Puppy Bowl also features other animals like bunnies, chickens, hamsters, pigs and penguins as sideline cheerleaders.
Amidst all the excitement of the Super Bowl, be sure to tune in to the Puppy Bowl for a break in between to show support for shelters everywhere.
