Adorable rescue puppies will go tail to tail in Puppy Bowl XXI, airing on Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+. The dog-friendly Super Bowl counter-programming special airs on Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 2pm ET/11am PT.
“Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl serves as an annual pop culture programming event that continues to expand in reach, awareness and of course, puppies, every year,” stated Howard Lee, Chief Creative Officer of U.S. Networks and President of Discovery Networks. “Win or lose, Puppy Bowl XXI will have the cutest players in the game on Sunday, February 9 and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”
Rescue puppies from 40 states and 80 shelters will participate in this year’s three-hour broadcast. In addition to all the furry shenanigans, viewers will be treated to a preview of Superman courtesy of filmmaker James Gunn and his dog, Ozu, the inspiration for the film’s Krypto.
Puppy Bowl 2025 Puppies
Arizona Humane Society (Phoenix, AZ)
o Delulu (Brother to Jake) – Team Ruff
o Jake (Brother to Delulu) – Team Ruff
● Desert Harbor Doberman Rescue (Phoenix, AZ)
o Felicity – Team Fluff
● NAGI Foundation (Phoenix, AZ)
o Akimel – Team Fluff
California
● Angel City Pit Bulls (Los Angeles, CA)
o Sarge (Brother to Penny) – Team Fluff
o Penny (Sister to Sarge) – Team Fluff
● The Animal Pad (San Diego, CA)
o Belle – Team Fluff
● Helen Woodward Animal Center (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)
o Callen – Team Ruff
o Petunia – Team Ruff
● Sacramento SPCA (Sacramento, CA)
o Dee-Bone Samuel – Team Ruff
Connecticut
● Connecticut Humane Society (Newington, CT)
○ Jubilee – Team Ruff
● Danbury Animal Welfare Society (Bethel, CT)
○ Marigold – Team Fluff
○ Sprinkle (SPECIAL NEEDS – Blind & Hearing Impaired) – Team Ruff
○ Zoey – Danbury Animal Welfare Society (Bethel, CT) – Team Fluff
● Dog Star Rescue (Bloomfield, CT)
○ Linen – Team Ruff
○ Suds – Team Ruff
● Lucky Dog Refuge (Stamford, CT)
○ Clark – Team Ruff
○ Vivian – Team Ruff
● Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue (Ridgefield, CT)
○ Huxley – Team Fluff
Delaware
● Renee’s Rescue (Hockessin, DE)
○ Charles – Team Ruff
Florida
● Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary (Loxahatchee, FL)
o Violet – Team Fluff
● Compassion Kind (St. Petersburg, FL)
o Buster – Team Fluff
o Sky – Team Ruff
● Florida
Little Dog Rescue Group (St. Cloud, FL)
o Alice – Team Fluff
o Bohdi – Team Fluff
o Jason (Brother to Travis) – Team Ruff
o Travis (Brother to Jason) – Team Ruff
o Kiki – Team Fluff
o Pepper – Team Ruff
o Queenie – Team Fluff
o Smoosh – Team Fluff
Georgia
● Bosley’s Place (Smyrna, GA)
o Huckleberry (Brother to Raspberry) – Team Fluff
o Raspberry (Sister to Huckleberry) – Team Fluff
o Josie – Team Fluff
Illinois
● One Tail at a Time (Chicago, Illinois)
o Boone – Team Fluff
Iowa
● AHeinz57 Pet Rescue (DeSoto, IA)
o Cece – Team Ruff
o Erin (Sister to Orla) – Team Fluff
o Orla (Sister to Erin) – Team Ruff
o Gretel – Team Ruff
o Pizzazz – Team Fluff
o Zipper – Team Fluff
Kansas
● The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City (Kansas City, KS)
o Parsnip – Team Ruff
Kentucky
● Kentucky Humane Society (Louisville, KY)
o Julep – Team Fluff
o Colonel – Team Ruff
Louisiana
● Ninna’s Road to Rescue (Shreveport, LA)
o Buttercup (Sister to Mini Paws) – Team Fluff
o Mini Paws (Brother to Buttercup) – Team Ruff
● Take Paws Rescue (New Orleans, LA)
o Shelby – Team Fluff
Maine
● Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland (Westbrook, ME)
o Tula – Team Ruff
Maryland
● Pets with Disabilities (Prince Frederick, MD)
o Rocky (SPECIAL NEEDS – Deformed Front Limbs) – Team Ruff
Massachusetts
● Great Dog Rescue New England (Andover, MA)
o Bark Kent – Team Fluff
o Lex Woofer – Team Ruff
Michigan
● Big Lake Humane Society (Muskegon, MI)
o Rory – Team Fluff
● Little Traverse Bay Humane Society (Harbor Springs, MI)
o Trixie – Team Fluff
Minnesota
● Pet Haven (Minneapolis, MN)
o Foxtrot – Team Ruff
o Potato – Team Fluff
Missouri
● Five Acres Animal Shelter (St. Charles, MO)
o Parker – Team Ruff
o Strudel – Team Ruff
● Humane Society of Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
o Astro – Team Ruff
o Charlotte – Team Fluff
o Mardipaw – Team Fluff
Nevada
● Nevada SPCA (Las Vegas, NV)
o Maxx (SPECIAL NEEDS – Amputated Leg) – Team Ruff
New Jersey
● A Second Chance for Ziva (Chatham, NJ)
○ Bo – Team Ruff
○ Brie – Team Fluff
● Jersey Girls Animal Rescue (North Plainfield, NJ)
○ Coto – Team Fluff
○ Murphy – Team Fluff
● Liberty – MatchDog Rescue (Marlton, NJ)
○ Liberty – Team Fluff
○ Hewett (SPECIAL NEEDS – Missing One Eye) – Team Fluff
● Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue (Deepwater, NJ)
○ Lilly (Sister to Shadow) – Team Ruff
○ Shadow (Sister to Lilly) – Team Fluff
New York
● Best Friends Animal Society (New York, NY)
o Beethoven – Team Ruff
● Helping Hounds Dog Rescue (North Syracuse, NY)
o Karen (Sister to Phoenix) – Team Ruff
o Phoenix (Sister to Karen) – Team Fluff
● Buddy’s Second Chance Rescue (Buffalo, NY)
o Lightning – Team Ruff
o Paws Allen – Team Fluff
● Louie’s Legacy Animal Shelter (New York, NY)
o Luna – Team Ruff
o Carl (SPECIAL NEEDS – Blind) – Team Fluff
o Trio (SPECIAL NEEDS – Partially Amputated Back Leg & Deformed Front Limbs) – Team
Ruff
● Muddy Paws (New York, NY)
o Ollie – Team Ruff
● Nickel City Canine Rescue (Lancaster, NY)
o Millie – Team Fluff
o Ivy – Team Ruff
o Shari – Team Fluff
● Paws Crossed (Elmsford, NY)
o Aloe (Sister to Ziggy) – Team Ruff
o Ziggy (Brother to Aloe) – Team Fluff
● Rescue Dogs Rock NYC (New York, NY)
o Lacey – Team Fluff
● SATO Project (New York, NY and San Juan, Puerto Rico)
o Bernie (Brother to Lin Manuel Furanda) – Team Fluff
o Lin-Manuel Furanda (Brother to Bernie) – Team Fluff
o Enrique (Brother to Rita) – Team Ruff
o Rita (Sister to Enrique) – Team Fluff
● SPCA Westchester (Briarcliff Manor, NY)
o Andy – Team Ruff
o Meatball – Team Ruff
Nicaragua
● SOS Animales
o Tuani – Team Ruff
Ohio
● Animal Friends of Humane Society (Hamilton, OH)
o Bonnie (Sister to Inez) – Team Ruff
o Inez (Sister to Bonnie) – Team Ruff
● Humane Society of Greater Dayton (Dayton, OH)
o Jolene (SPECIAL NEEDS – Wheelchair) – Team Ruff
o Pumpkin – Team Fluff
o Zinnia – Team Fluff
● Northeast Ohio SPCA (Cleveland, OH)
o Tina – Team Ruff
Oklahoma
● Oklahoma Humane Society (Oklahoma City, OK)
o Redbud – Team Ruff
Pennsylvania
● Animal Friends (Pittsburgh, PA)
o Centaur – Team Fluff
● Brandywine Valley SPCA (Westchester, PA)
o Erika – Team Ruff
o Mindy (SPECIAL NEEDS – Vision Impaired) – Team Ruff
o Sadie – Team Ruff
● Humane Society of Harrisburg Area (Harrisburg, PA)
o Aurelia – Team Fluff
● Paws Across Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
o Sully – Team Fluff
o Franco – Team Ruff
o Mercury – Team Fluff
● Phoenix Animal Rescue (Chester Springs, PA)
o Paralee – Team Ruff
o Winston (SPECIAL NEEDS – Blind in One Eye) – Team Fluff
● Providence Animal Center (Media, PA)
o Saquon Barky – Team Ruff
o Doodle – Team Fluff
South Carolina
● Dusty Tails Animal Rescue (North Charleston, SC)
o Torch – Team Fluff
● Pet Helpers (Charleston, SC)
o Ladybug – Senior Spotlight
Tennessee
● Wags & Walks (Nashville, TN)
o Whoopie – Team Fluff
Texas
● Dallas Dog (Dallas, TX)
o Candy Button – Team Ruff
o Hailey – Team Fluff
o Mr. Pickles – Team Ruff
o Wimberly – Team Ruff
● Hearts & Bone Rescue (Dallas, TX)
o Willow – Team Ruff
Virginia
● Green Dogs Unleashed (Troy, VA)
o Blaze – Team Fluff
o Captain – Team Ruff
o Demure – Team Ruff
o Gorby (Brother to Princess Sophia) – Team Ruff
o Princess Sophia (Sister to Gorby) – Team Ruff
o Hunter (SPECIAL NEEDS – Deaf & Visually Impaired) – Team Fluff
o Mabel – Team Ruff
o Rain – Team Ruff
o Trevor (SPECIAL NEEDS – Deaf) – Team Ruff
● Operation Paws for Homes (Alexandria, VA)
o Abigail – Team Fluff
o Maya – Team Fluff
● Shar-Pei Rescue of Virginia (Chesapeake, VA)
o Gumbo – Team Fluff
● Southside SPCA (Meherrin, VA)
o Mary – Team Fluff
o Spike – Team Ruff
Animal Planet released the following details on the 2025 Puppy Bowl:
The game kicks off when Puppy Bowl referee Dan Schachner blows the whistle and the PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup players take the field at PROGRESSIVE® Stadium. Julep, the first-ever St. Bernard mix, and Smoosh, the only Pekingese to compete in the games, will head up Team Fluff while Mr. Pickles, a Pug-Chihuahua from Dallas, and Tuani, a Chihuahua-German shepherd who traveled all the way from Nicaragua, will look to bring Team Ruff to victory. The two teams will go head-to-head on the gridiron in hopes of bringing home the Walmart® “Lombarky” trophy and see which puppy player has what it takes to be named the MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) and win the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. Underdog Award.
Eleven inspiring special needs dogs, including Jolene, an American Pit bull terrier-mix competing in a wheelchair, and Sprinkle, a blind and hearing-impaired Australian shepherd-mix, will take the field, giving it their all and not letting their disabilities slow them down.
Interspersed with extended puppy play, star matchups and behind-the-scenes moments are the SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. “Pup Close and Personal” segments, sharing the backstories of some of the all-star athletes. Dan Smyers, from superstar country duo Dan + Shay, will bring a rescue puppy from Wags & Walks Nashville backstage at one of his concerts for some socialization and to boost their chances of being adopted.
Additionally, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and his girlfriend, Nani, will visit The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, where they’ll meet Parsnip, a rescue Pit bull mix about to compete in the games. Derrick and Nani spend time helping train Parsnip and detailing the kind of home that will be a good fit for him.
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