The Puppy Bowl is an annual parody of the Super Bowl with the goal of spreading the word about dog adoption. This event is put on by Discovery and showcases two teams, Fluff in blue and Ruff in orange, competing in an altered version of football. This year, the Puppy Bowl featured 150 dogs from 72 shelters across the country. While the sports side of the games has been fun to watch, the goal of the event has always been to bring more shelter dogs to loving families.

The Puppy Bowl always starts by introducing the puppies competing, giving their names, breeds, and the shelter the dogs are from. This not only shows off the dogs competing but puts the name of the shelter the puppy is from into the minds of people who might live nearby it.  Another strategy the Puppy Bowl uses is focus segments, which give an in-depth explanation of the life of one of the competing dogs. These featured dogs are not always up for adoption, as some of the contestants get chosen before the games begin.

Amelia from Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue was one of this year’s featured dogs. Amelia was one of the eight dogs that came from Connecticut, but she was the one who made the biggest splash, doing well not just in the combine but scoring two touchdowns in the game. She was a member of Team Fluff, the eventual winners.

The puppies themselves are not the only focus of the features. A large emphasis was put on the shelters that house the competitors. “It’s about waking people up to the idea that there are incredible dogs and puppies available at shelters throughout the country,” the Puppy Bowls lead trainer, Victoria Schade, explained in an interview with the New York Times. Giving the names of shelters makes it easier for people looking for a puppy to find one close by. 

In an article for CNN, Laurie Johnson, director of Florida Little Dog Rescue, states that shelters can refer possible adopters to other dogs that weren’t featured on air. “We’ve had people call us afterwards or send us emails with pictures of their adopted dogs saying, ‘thank you for the referral”

The Puppy Bowl wants to see shelter dogs find homes, and by broadcasting the faces of both dogs and puppies, they make it easier for shelters to help dogs find their forever homes.