Billed as the "cutest competition in sports history," the Puppy Bowl airs February on Animal Planet.
Alvin from Operation Paws for Homes in Virginia. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Animal Planet/Keith Barraclough/Courtesy Animal Planet
Ana from the Sebastian County Humane Services in Arkansas. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Barry from the Nashville Human Association. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Animal Planet/Keith Barraclough/Courtesy Animal Planet
Bear from the Virginia Beach SPCA. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Morris from the Florida Little Dog Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Moonshine from the Double D Dog Ranch. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Mango from Compassion Without Borders. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Luna from the Blue Water Humane Society. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Lila from the Morris Animal Refuge Team. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Kitsy from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Kaleb from the Sato Project. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Juniper from the Animal Rescue League. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Joy from Animal Aid Inc. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Jennifer Pawrence from Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Hannah from Villalobos Animal Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Edwin from the Humane Society of Greater Nashua. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Clyde from Florida Little Dogs Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Chance from Green Dogs Unleashed. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Carlo Carlino from the Miami Dade County Animal Services. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Buckalew from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Boomer from Animal Friends Humane Society. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Blueberry Pie from Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Biscuit from Social Tees. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Mr. Wigglesworth from Florida Little Dogs Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Olympia from Big Fluffy Dog Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Peanut from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Petree from the Center for Animal Health and Welfare. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Sally from City Dog Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Savannah from Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Sophie from Green Dogs Unleashed. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Stripe from One Tail at a Time. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Sunny from All But Furgotten. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Tyler from Shaggy Dog Rescue. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Joker from Florida Little Dogs. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Miss Brie from Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Kelly Barkson from Suncoast Animal League. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Vaughn from Colorado Animal Welfare. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Buttons from Green Dogs Unleashed. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
Checkers from Paw Works. (Courtesy Animal Planet)
Courtesy Animal Planet
WASHINGTON — It’s the most hotly anticipated sporting event of the winter. No, it’s not the Super Bowl or the PyeongChang Olympics. It’s the 14th annual Puppy Bowl, and we’re already wagging with anticipation.
Billed as the “cutest competition in sports history,” the two-hour competition airs Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. on Animal Planet.
Ahead of the games next month, Animal Planet has unveiled the starting lineups for “#TeamRuff” and “#TeamFluff.”
Animal Planet said it worked with 48 animal shelters and rescue organizations from 25 states and territories to build the rosters for both teams. This year’s game will also features pups rescued from areas devastated by natural disasters, including Houston, Puerto Rico and Florida, Animal Planet said.
Other species are also getting into the act.
The games will begin with a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner by Jokgu, the piano-playing chicken of “America’s Got Talent” fame.
And the half-time show will feature performances by feline group called Kitt-ENSYNC which will perform its rendition of “Meow Meow Meow” to the tune of *NSYNC’s 2000 hit song “Bye Bye Bye.”
