February 12, 2023 is obviously a massive holiday for football lovers. With huge Super Bowl sales, lavish parties, and long-teased musical comeback of Rihanna, there’s more than enough to look forward to this Sunday.
But even if you’re not a football fan or party lover, there’s a super-sweet reason to tune in on February 12: the annual return of the Puppy Bowl! Animal lovers can watch the adorable antics of over 100 puppies this year (and cats, and penguins, and hamsters) and celebrate their impending adoptions to their forever homes. Here is everything you need to know about every pet shelter’s favorite holiday.
What is Puppy Bowl?
The Puppy Bowl is an annual televised event put on by Animal Planet on the day of the Superbowl. Since 2005, the “game” has featured dozens of not-so-trained puppies taking a scaled-down stadium and field to play ball. Pups are divided into orange and blue teams by bandanas, known as “Team Ruff” and “Team Fluff,” respectively. The dogs’ goal is to get the ball into an end zone—unlike in real football, it doesn’t matter which one—to win the coveted “Lombarky” trophy. The whole game is overseen by a designated “rufferee.”
How does it benefit shelter dogs?
Courtesy Warner Bros. Discovery
The Puppy Bowl airs on February 12, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. EST. You can watch it on Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, or TBS, or streaming on Discovery+ and HBO Max.
It’s important to note that the Puppy Bowl isn’t exactly “live.” Like an SNL digital short aired on Saturday night, it has been pre-taped, meaning that many of the puppies featured in the bowl will have already been adopted by the time it airs. However, if you see a pup you particularly like, do not hesitate to reach out; you never know who’s still available (like Jimmy Kibble!).
Additionally, even if your preferred pup has already been adopted, participating shelters are more than happy to refer you to other adoptable puppies in their care or at other shelters. So, be sure to tune in to find your fur-ever friend, or just to fawn over some paw-fect pups! Might I suggest cuddling up with your own companion and preparing some homemade dog treats? That’s what I’ll be doing.
Source:
- CNN: “Puppy Bowl helps pups find their ‘furever’ homes”
