It’s Cuteness Overload When PUPPY BOWL XIII Tears Up the Turf, February 5 on Animal Planet

TORONTO (January 19, 2017) – Down! Set! Ruff! Dozens of furry, four-legged football players go nose to nose to compete for the highly coveted Petco Lombarky Trophy when PUPPY BOWL XIII returns to Animal Planet for the 13^th consecutive year, Sunday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. Team Ruff and Team Fluff compete in three fun-filled hours of fuzzy faces, sloppy kisses, and puppy penalties. But after the pup-tastic game of ear pulls and tail tugs is over, all the adoptable puppies end up as winners when they each find forever homes through adoption.

  (L-R:)  “Team Ruff” and “Team Fluff” face off for cuteness rights; “ruferee” Dan Schachner calling a puppy penalty

On game day, Animal Planet’s annual adoption extravaganza kicks off with the annual “tail” gate party – the PUPPY BOWL PRE-GAME SHOW – at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, featuring “aww-nalysis” and cuddly commentary from sports correspondents, including infamous fan favourite, Rodt Weiler. “Rufferee” Dan Schachner returns for PUPPY BOWL XIII to call the pooch penalties, furry fumbles, and terrier touchdowns. Award-winning animal advocate and television correspondent Jill Rappaport introduces “Pup Close and Personal” segments, and as always, the “Kitty Half-Time Show” gets underway with a performance by the feline musical group “Chicago Rock Cats” with Kitty Gaga singing “Puparazzi”. For PUPPY BOWL XIII, Animal Planet worked with 34 animal shelters and rescue organizations to fill the Team Ruff and Team Fluff rosters with 78 adoptable players for the annual puppy pileup. And for the first time, the event features three pups with special needs – Doobert (deaf), Lucky (three-legged), and Winston (hearing and sight impaired) – none of whom will let their disabilities stop them from trying to score the winning touchdown and loving homes. As always, viewers can follow @MeepTheBird as he returns to his perch to tweet live updates of all the puppy drama and locker room moments throughout the big game. Plus, PUPPY BOWL fans get a glimpse of celebrity dogs Chloe the Mini Frenchie, Chloe Kardoggian, Ella Bean, Marnie the Dog, Manny the Frenchie, Mervin the Chihuahua, Sometimes Carl, and Toast Meets World with her siblings Muppets Revenge and Underpants the Dog, as they take in the animal world’s biggest game of the year from the stands. All of the precious puppies featured in Animal Planet’s PUPPY BOWL XIII come from SPCAs, shelters, and pet rescue centres from across the U.S. Canadian viewers interested in adopting from a shelter in their area can visit a local SPCA for more information.