It’s Puppy Bowl time.
With 70 puppies from 22 different shelters, Sunday’s event will pit Team Ruff against Team Fluff in a canine football match for a common goal: to be adopted.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the Puppy Bowl?
Don’t be fooled by the Roman numerals. This is Puppy Bowl no. 17, the last of a tradition that began in 2005.
The puppies are divided into two teams and placed in a football stadium the size of a canine to compete for “touchdowns”, but there is also a presentation of the national anthem, a halftime show, a play-by-play commentary and a “rufferee” .
The Puppy Bowl aims to celebrate adoptable puppies and the shelters and staff who help them.
Who’s competing?
This year’s Puppy Bowl features dogs from nine states in the Northeast.
You’ll meet Marshall, a deaf Boston Terrier who is training to be a therapy dog for nurses at Covid-19.
You will learn about Mona, a 10-year-old mix of Toy Poodle from Los Angeles who does reiki healing sessions.
You’ll see five players with special needs and four hearing-impaired puppies, including Jett, a mix of Labrador with double-front amputation who loves to run on the field.
Are they just dogs?
ESPN host Steve Levy and “SportsCenter” host Sage Steele will make human comments.
And then – there are the kittens. Adoptable kittens will make the best of their lives at the annual Kitty Halftime Show.
Ok … I’m sold. Where do I watch?
You can watch this three-hour event on Discovery + and Animal Planet on Sunday, February 7, starting at 2:00 pm ET.