Everything You Need To Know About The 2022 Puppy Bowl!
The event we all have been waiting for is finally upon us! The Puppy Bowl has been a staple of Animal Planet’s programming for over a decade and it shows no signs of slowing down. If you are new to the game, or just need a refresher on all things Puppy Bowl, then we'll transform you into a Puppy Bowl expert in no time!
The first Puppy Bowl aired in February of 2005 and has been a Super Bowl Sunday staple ever since. The Puppy Bowl’s history is one of constant innovation as the show continues to push boundaries in terms of content and production value.
The fans have been desperately waiting for this year's event as Animal Plant has begun their advertising campaign early. The rivalry game between Team Fluff and Team Ruff will share the limelight with a few of Hollywood's largest stars as Snoop Dogg has been confirmed as the host and coach of Team Fluff, while Martha Stewart has been confirmed as the host and coach of Team Ruff.
The game will be a great time for viewers as well as athletes but the Puppy Bowl will also help to spread awareness about adopting and rescuing dogs around the world!
Don't leave your doggo out of the big game snack attack! Get some Wild Earth treats to round out the perfect barkuterie board.
Shop Superfood Dog Treats with KojiWhen Is The 2022 Puppy Bowl?
Puppy Bowl 2022 or Puppy Bowl XVIII will be broadcasted at 2 PM ET on Sunday, February 13th, 2022. There will also be a pre-game show with coverage that starts at 1 PM ET on Super Bowl Sunday afternoon. This year's Puppy Bowl will be broadcasted on the Animal Planet channel and will also be live-streamed on the Discovery+ app.
The Mission Behind The Puppy Bowl
It can be easy to get distracted by the cuteness overload that happens on Puppy Bowl gameday but there is an overarching mission that oftentimes gets overlooked. Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl is meant to call attention to the problem of dog homelessness in America.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that more than 6 million companion animals enter animal shelters across the U.S every year and sadly, only about 65% of these animals are adopted by new families. This still leaves hundreds of thousands or even upwards of millions of companion animals each year that will be euthanized or will spend the rest of their lives within a shelter.
These statistics are heartbreaking but because of organizations and publicity events such as the Puppy Bowl, the adoption rates have drastically increased in recent years. Non-profit animal adoption organizations and no-kill animal shelters have played a large role in helping to provide a home to abandoned animals or to rehome animals in a humane way.
This year's Puppy Bowl athletes from Team Fluff and Team Ruff are all adoptable pups that come from 67 different shelters across the United States. In the past 16 years of broadcasting the Puppy Bowl 100% of the athletes have been adopted and have found their forever home after playing on the big stage! We hope this trend continues and we recommend you meet the athletes from this year's Puppy Bowl!
The History of The Puppy Bowl
The first-ever Puppy Bowl was broadcasted on February 6, 2005, and started the trend of using puppies from animal shelters across the U.S in an effort to raise awareness about adopting pets and rescuing abandoned animals without a home.
The event has changed over the years and now consists of a pre-game show, a halftime performance, and an awards ceremony where the winning team will award one pup the honor of being that year's Most Valuable Puppy (MVP).
Even though the team-based scoring system was only introduced in 2015, the history books show that Team Ruff has won 4 Puppy Bowls to Team Fluff's 3 championships. Perhaps this will be Team Fluff's year to equal the score but more importantly, we hope that this event promotes humane animal shelters and adoption rates.
How You Can Help Support The Puppy Bowl
If you are looking for opportunities to support the mission set in place by Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl, you can think about adopting a companion animal from a local animal shelter. If you aren't ready for adoption you can look into donating to a humane animal shelter in your area or request opportunities to volunteer at their organization. There are many organizations around the United States who strive to help animals find a forever home. Below are a few organizations you can check out:
