PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports, returns to Animal Planet on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff. Featuring the most puppies and shelters in PUPPY BOWL history, the adorable teams go paw-to-paw in their quest to win the “Lombarky” trophy, competing in two fun-filled hours of fuzzy faces, sloppy kisses, and puppy penalties. After the pup-tastic game of ear pulls and tail tugs is over, all the adoptable puppies end up as winners when they find forever homes through adoption.
This year’s furry face-off will be played at the all-new, bone-shaped GEICO Stadium, featuring more than a dozen cameras, including those embedded in the end zone pylons, bringing audiences closer to the PUPPY BOWL action than ever before.
The annual event kicks off with Jokgu the piano-playing chicken from Season 12 of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT pecking out “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the keyboard as an adorable blended bunch of baby barnyard cheerleaders, including ducklings, piglets, and baby bunnies, excite fans on the sidelines throughout the game.
On game day, Animal Planet’s annual adoption extravaganza kicks off with the “tail” gate party – the PUPPY BOWL PRE-GAME SHOW – at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, featuring “aww-nalysis” and cuddly commentary from sports anchor James Hound, while Rodt Weiler and Sheena Inu serve up the pre-game breakdown. The competitive canines will conduct their pre-game rituals from the PUPPY BOWL locker room, which includes an all-new locker room webcam.
For the seventh consecutive year, fan-favourite “Rufferee” Dan Schachner returns to call the pooch penalties, furry fumbles, and terrier touchdowns. Shirley the Rescue Sloth joins Schachner on the field this year as his assistant.
Award-winning animal advocate and television correspondent Jill Rappaport introduces “Pup Close and Personal” segments, highlighting heartwarming stories of the adorable athletes. The in-depth “Pup Close and Personal” profiles this season include puppy adoption advocate Wells Adams (THE BACHELORETTE; BACHELOR IN PARADISE) and his continuing effort to promote puppy adoption, a loveable pup player rescued from the flood waters of Houston during Hurricane Harvey, a sight-impaired and deaf Cocker Spaniel, and much more!
While the puppy players take a break for a cat nap, the “Kitty Half-Time Show” gets underway with viral video sensation Prince Michael and Phil the Cat from Aaron’s Animals. These popular “purr-formers” take to the stage as Kitt-ENSYNC sings “Meow, Meow, Meow” to the tune of NSYNC’s 2000 hit “Bye, Bye, Bye”.
As always, viewers can follow @MeepTheBird on Twitter and Instagram as he returns to his perch to talk sports and live tweet updates throughout the game from his iPhone and iPad.
And if that wasn’t enough adorable for one weekend, Animal Planet is also set to premiere the first-ever PUPPY BOWL PRESENTS: THE DOG BOWL (Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. ET), a newly added fury football competition for adult dogs living in rescues and shelters, frequently passed over for their younger counterparts.
For PUPPY BOWL XIV, Animal Planet worked with 48 animal shelters and rescue organizations to fill the #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff rosters with 90 adoptable players for the annual puppy pileup – the most puppies and shelters in PUPPY BOWL history. PUPPY BOWL XIV features pups rescued from areas that were devastated by natural disasters in 2017, including Houston, Puerto Rico, and Florida. A pit bull puppy player from Villalobos Rescue Center – the largest pit bull rescue in the U.S. – is also featured in PUPPY BOWL XIV alongside fellow pooch Marcel from Animal Planet’s PIT BULLS AND PAROLEES.
All of the precious puppies featured in Animal Planet’s PUPPY BOWL XIV come from SPCAs, shelters, and pet rescue centres from across the U.S. Canadian viewers interested in adopting from a shelter in their area can visit a local SPCA for more information.
