With catastrophic numbers of stray dogs roaming the streets of Houston TX, twin activists and philanthropists Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist lead the charge and take matters into their own hands to save the animals they love. As more and more strays plague the city causing a public health crisis and attacking its residents, the sisters take to the streets for a hands-on approach.
Tama Lundquist and Sonya Franklin in “For the Animals” (Photo courtesy of RouTTe 1 Productions)
Tama Lundquist in “For the Animals” (Photo courtesy of RouTTe 1 Productions)
Tama Lundquist (center) and Tena Lundquist Faust (far right) in “For the Animals” (Photo courtesy of RouTTe 1 Productions)
There are too many citizens not caring for their pets and this problem has gone unchecked for decades, resulting in the worst animal crisis the city and county have seen. Through community outreach, direct work with local shelters and stray dog “feeders,” the sisters rescue strays right off the street, run weekly programs to provide free spay and neuter services to the community and work with politicians to take on the dark practices of Houston’s largest shelters that euthanize due to overcrowding. This was all exacerbated by COVID and the new policy of “managing the animal intake/limiting animal intake” in the shelters. As Tena and Tama seek to create a better life for the animals they love, they fight to prove that it takes just one person caring to make a difference.
Tena Lundquist Faust and Tama Lundquist in “For the Animals” (Photo courtesy of RouTTe One Productions)
Although For The Animals is set in Houston, it reflects the same issues cities across the U.S. face where approximately 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters yearly, according to the ASPCA. The film highlights both the grassroots efforts and the multiple animal welfare organizations struggling with the complex nature of solving this overwhelming issue where lack of resources and local bureaucracy each play a role.
Sadhvi Siddhali Shree and Sadhvi Anubhuti co-directed and co-produced the film with the support of human and animal rights activist Alyssa Milano as an Executive Producer.
A rescue puppy arrives on transport and meets her new owner at the Vince Lombardi Service Station in New Jersey , as seen in “Free Puppies!” (Photo courtesy of First Run Features)
The following is a press release from First Run Features:
Millions of rescue dogs from the rural South have been transported to new homes thanks to the tireless efforts of a vast, grassroots network of dog rescuers. “Free Puppies!” is the true story of where those dogs come from and how a group of feisty and intrepid women rescuers are working together to save them.
Although transports have moved dogs from the South for decades, when Hurricane Katrina left more than 250,000 pets stranded, the infrastructure of modern pet transport for a nation-wide dog rescue effort was born. Since then, individual volunteers, transporters, shelters and rescue groups have created a movement to place millions of southern dogs in areas of the country with high demand for adoption but low supply.
By following a group of women dog rescuers from Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, “Free Puppies!” reveals the challenges that contribute to the rescue dog crisis in the first place. These women not only save dogs from euthanasia, but also organize affordable and accessible spay and neuter, reform local ordinances, advocate for humane education, and fight urgent and complex challenges facing underserved areas of the rural South. The film includes interviews with the ASPCA, Atlanta Humane Society, McKamey Animal Center, My Kids Have Paws Veterinary Clinic, Dixie Day Spay, and dozens of rescue organizations, shelter directors, healthcare providers, and local officials.
“Free Puppies!,” a film by Samantha Wishman and Christina Thomas opens August 12, 2022, in live cinemas.
70 minutes | Color | English
Credits:
Samantha Wishman – Director, Producer, Editor
Christina Thomas – Director, Co-Producer, Editor
Muffie Meyer – Story Editor
Carter McCormick – Director of Photography Eliot Popko – Director of Photography
Joey McCormick and Willard Hamilton – Original Music
Albert on Wheels, a high-profile rescue dog, rescued in Cabot, Arkansas, as seen in “Free Puppies” (Photo courtesy of First Run Features)
Rescue puppies brought by their foster parents to an adoption event in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as seen in “Free Puppies!” (Photo courtesy of First Run Features)
A rescue dog finds his forever home in Trenton, Georgia, as seen in “Free Puppies!” (Photo courtesy of First Run Features)
Dog rescuers Ruth Smith and Monda Wooten taking a litter of puppies from a home in Rossville, Georgia, as seen in “Free Puppies!” (Photo courtesy of First Run Features)
A woman and her adopted dog at Clear the Shelters in the San Francisco Bay Area (Photo courtesy of NBCUniversal)
The following is a press release from NBCUniversal:
NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear the Shelters™ 2019 campaign resulted in the adoption of more than 135,000 pets – and counting – as shelters continue to report in. The campaign spanned from July 27, 2019 to August 17, 2019. This year’s pet adoption drive was held in more than 1,900 communities in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Clear The Shelters 2019 included the participation of more than 1,982 animal shelters/rescues, 98 NBC and Telemundo owned and affiliated stations, as well as several returning sponsors, and new partners. Clear the Shelters™ is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal. Since 2015, more than 385,000 pets – and counting – have found new homes through NBC and Telemundo stations’ Clear The Shelters initiative.
“This year’s campaign exceeded all of our expectations and resulted in a record number of pet adoptions since we launched our initiative in 2015. We are incredibly thankful to our national sponsors Cat’s Pride and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, shelters/rescues and our NBCUniversal family for the outpouring of support that helped to create awareness about pets living in shelters, so they could find new homes,” said Valari Staab, President, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “To the thousands of people that supported our social media day on August 17, thank you for using your voices and influence to create a social media movement that trended nationally and helped thousands of pets get a new chance at life. Congratulations to all the families that adopted a pet during Clear The Shelters 2019. I look forward to making Clear The Shelters Day 2020 another special day for deserving animals and their loving families.”
“Clear the Shelters is one of our favorite days of the year and this year was our best year yet! We had a record day with the most adoptions we’ve ever done in one day, and also found homes for animals like the Snow the cat, who was with us for 177 days and Teddy, the deaf dog who was looking for a family that was able to work with his special needs. A huge thank you to all the folks who adopted, our online supporters who helped us get the word out about Teddy and all of our pets, and to NBC and Telemundo stations for putting on this amazing event each year. We can’t wait to be a part of Clear the Shelters 2020,” added Lewis Checchia, Executive Director for Morris Animal Refuge.
Pets of all types living in shelters for months and even years found new homes during Clear The Shelters 2019. Teddy, a catahoula leopard dog mix who is deaf, was adopted from the Morris Animal Refuge by a family in Philadelphia. The family learned about the pup on social media and knew they had found their perfect pet because their daughter is also Deaf. In Austin, Lamb, a five-year old pit-bull living at the Austin Humane Society since Hurricane Harvey impacted the area in 2017, found his new home after his new pet parent fell in love with him. In Connecticut, two senior cats who became homeless earlier this summer after their owner died, found new homes, together. Bob, a 4 1/2-month-old White Crested Black Polish rooster was also adopted and will join seven hens in his new home in Rhode Island.
NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear The Shelters 2019 campaign featured several returning and new partnerships including repeat national sponsors Cat’s Pride and Hill’s Pet Nutrition, as well as PEOPLE – the leading entertainment news brand, and The Dodo, the #1 digital media brand for animal people, and the #1 most engaged with media brand in the world on mobile, both returning as the campaign’s exclusive content partners. New partnerships for 2019 included the Michelson Found Animals Foundation – a non-profit committed to saving pets and enriching lives – teamed up with NBC/Telemundo owned stations earlier this year to ‘Fund The Shelters’ with nearly $1.6 million in advance of August 17. WeRescue app also joined the campaign by helping users find Clear The Shelters adoptable pets directly from their mobile device, while GreaterGood.org presented $10,000 grants to select shelters to help pets living in facilities for years, find new homes. iHeartDogs.com donated needed pet supplies to select shelters.
The NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear The Shelters Facebook posts reached more than 19 million users throughout the campaign. The #ClearTheShelters hashtag trended on Twitter nationally and in New York, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego, Boston and Washington, D.C. on August 17. Online, NBC and Telemundo-owned stations websites and apps generated a combined total of 1.4 million-page views from July 17 to August 17 for content dedicated to the Clear The Shelters / Desocupar Los Albergues campaign, with nearly half a million-page views generated on August 17.
For more information about NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear The Shelters campaign, visit ClearTheShelters.com / DesocuparLosAlbergues.com. Follow the effort on Twitter @ClearTheShelter, and on social media using the hashtags #ClearTheShelters and #DesocuparLosAlbergues.
About NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations
NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations is the division of NBCUniversal that includes 42 NBC and Telemundo local television stations serving 30 markets, a regional news network and their associated websites and digital platforms, as well as a group of out-of-home properties, a production company, an in-house marketing and promotions company and two national multicast networks, COZI TV and TeleXitos. The local stations, which can be viewed in 38 percent of U.S. homes and in Puerto Rico, produce and deliver their local communities compelling and unique local news, real-time weather forecasts, consumer and investigative reports and entertainment programming across all platforms to help keep their English and Spanish-speaking audiences informed anytime and anywhere.
About Clear The Shelters
Clear The Shelters™ / Desocupar Los Albergues® is an annual, nationwide pet adoption campaign that is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal. Every year, NBCUniversal’s TV stations, plus NBC and Telemundo affiliated stations partner with local animal shelters and rescues in their communities to host Clear The Shelters events. NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ Clear The Shelters campaign was inspired by a 2014 North Texas pet adoption event hosted by NBC 5 / KXAS and Telemundo 39 / KXTX and dozens of area shelters that resulted in the most adopted pets in one day for North Texas. Since 2015, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ Clear The Shelters pet adoption campaign has inspired thousands of families all across the country to open their homes and hearts to shelter pets.
Jane Lynch with Toast at ASPCA ‘Noseblind’ Event at 24th Street Loft in New York City on February 25, 2015. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)
The following is a press release from NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations:
NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, today announced its fourth annual pet adoption campaign Clear the Shelters™ returns next month with NBC’s Jane Lynch joining the pet adoption campaign as spokesperson and host of a special “Clear the Shelters” show that will air next month. Launching in August and culminating with Clear the Shelters™ day on Saturday, August 18, the fourth annual Clear the Shelters™ pet adoption campaign will include the participation of NBC and Telemundo stations in more than 70 markets plus more than 600 animal shelters and rescues. On Saturday, August 18, shelters and rescues will reduce or waive pet adoption fees to help families adopt a new pet.
“Clear the Shelters has become a memorable event that communities look forward to every summer. We’re excited to work with our shelters partners once again to help families find their perfect pet. We also look forward to working with Jane to help raise even more awareness about animals needing homes,” said Valari Staab, President, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations.
An Emmy® Award and Golden Globe® Award winner, host of NBC’s hit show “Hollywood Game Night,” successful actor and advocate of pet adoption issues, Lynch has four rescue dogs of her own including her two 11-year old dogs “Millie” a Pit-Shepherd mix and “Bernice” a Cocker Spaniel, as well as one-year old Cocker Spaniel “Rumi” and “Arbuckle” a seven-year old Australian Cattle dog that is an internet and social media sensation with more than 71,000 followers on Instagram @allaboutarbuckle.
“I am so looking forward to clearing the shelters with NBC and Telemundo stations! Every pet deserves a loving human and nothing loves a human more than rescue pets!,” added Lynch.
This August, Lynch work with the NBC and Telemundo stations to help raise awareness about the fourth annual Clear the Shelters™ pet adoption campaign and the importance of pet adoption. Lynch will also host a special show that will recap this year’s pet campaign. The special show will air on NBC stations on August 25 (check local listings).
For more information and news about the NBC and Telemundo stations’ Clear the Shelters™ ® pet adoption campaign including participating shelters/rescues, visit CleartheShelters.com. You can also follow the effort on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by using the hashtag #CleartheShelters. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparlosAlbergues.com and follow #DesocuparlosAlbergues. Since 2015, more than 150,000 pets have been adopted through Clear the Shelters™, an initiative spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. Clear the Shelters™ is sponsored nationally by Cat’s Pride® and Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
About NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations
NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations is the division of NBCUniversal that includes 38 NBC and Telemundo local television stations serving 26 markets, a regional news network and their associated websites and digital platforms, as well as a group of out-of-home properties, a production company, an in-house marketing and promotions company and two national multicast networks, COZI TV and TeleXitos. The local stations, which can be viewed in 37 percent of U.S. homes and in Puerto Rico, produce and deliver their local communities compelling and unique local news, real-time weather forecasts, consumer and investigative reports and entertainment programming across all platforms to help keep their English and Spanish-speaking audiences informed anytime and anywhere.
The following is a press release from Animal Planet:
PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports history, returned to Animal Planet on February 4, 2018, for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff who go paw to paw and nose to nose to win the CHEWY.COM “Lombarky” PUPPY BOWL XIV trophy. PUPPY BOWL XIV aired simultaneously on both coasts, featuring two hours of fuzzy faces, sloppy kisses, incredible interceptions, puppy penalties and hard-won touchdowns. After the pup-tastic game of ear pulls and tail tugs is over, all the PUPPY BOWL puppy players end up as winners when they find their forever homes.
PUPPY BOWL XIV was played at the all-new bone-shaped GEICO® stadium which features more than a dozen cameras, including those embedded in the end zone pylons, to help get audiences closer to the PUPPY BOWL action than ever before. The game kicked off with Jokgu the piano playing chicken from Season 12 of America’s Got Talent pecking out “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the keyboard as an adorable blended bunch of baby barnyard cheerleaders, including ducklings, piglets and baby bunnies, help excite fans on the sidelines throughout the game.
For PUPPY BOWL XIV, Animal Planet worked with 48 different animal shelters and rescue organizations from 25 U.S. states and territories, to fill the rosters of #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff with 90 adoptable players for this puppy pile-up – the most puppies and shelters in PUPPY BOWL history. With the help of DNA testing conducted by WISDOM PANEL™, these puppy athletes go beyond fur-deep to find out what they’re really made of and use it to their advantage.
PUPPY BOWL XIV features pups rescued from areas that were devastated by natural disasters in 2017, including Houston, Puerto Rico and Florida. A Pit Bull puppy player from Villalobos Rescue Center, the largest Pit Bull rescue in the U.S., is also featured in PUPPY BOWL XIV with Marcel from Pit Bulls & Parolees. Other special needs puppy players this year include, among other players, Ryder (a sight-impaired Husky), Chance (a deaf Dalmatian), Moonshine (a sight-impaired and deaf Border Collie) and Luna (a Pomeranian mix with a cleft palate), who won’t let anything stop them from trying to score the winning touchdown and a loving forever home.
Animal Planet audiences can learn more about the shelters, rescues and organizations that participated in PUPPY BOWL XIV by visiting https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl/.
The following is a press release from Hallmark Channel:
Hallmark Channel, the country’s leading provider of family friendly entertainment, announced today the rebranding of its corporate pet initiative with a new name, logo, and reinforced commitment to educating the public about the many rewards of pet adoption. Originally launched as Pet Project in 2012, the campaign has been rebranded as Adoption Ever After, bringing the core call to action – adopt – to the forefront. Working in collaboration with the country’s leading animal rescue and welfare organizations, activists, distribution and advertising partners, and celebrity influencers, Hallmark Channel’s Adoption Ever After aims to dismantle common misconceptions about shelter animals, provide resources, inspire the public to adopt, and ultimately put an end to this country’s epidemic of pet homelessness. As Adoption Ever After grows, Crown Media will forge new partnerships with other companies and brands to raise awareness for shelter animals.
The first such partnership is with Bissell and Bissell Pet Foundation, which works tirelessly on their “Empty the Shelters” campaign. Proving that highly successful brands can band together. The hope is that this venture is the first of many alliances that will help clear the shelters. “Every year, millions of perfectly healthy and lovable animals needlessly die in shelters – and while progress has been made in recent years, we still have a long way to go in the movement against pet homelessness,” said Crown Media Family Networks President & CEO, Bill Abbott. “With Hallmark Channel’s Adoption Ever After, we are honored to give these animals a platform, spark a national dialog about the importance of adoption, and save lives.”
The initiative includes such programming elements as “Kitten Bowl,” “Hero Dog Awards,” “American Rescue Dog Show” and daily pet adoption segments on “Home & Family,” as well as off-air elements, grassroots efforts, social media outreach and strategic partnerships. In addition, Hallmark Channel’s two shelter pet mascots, Happy the Dog and Happy the Cat, continue to embody the beauty, intelligence and lovability of adopted pets on-air and through public appearances.
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
The following is a press release from Hallmark Channel:
Hallmark Channel’s inaugural “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” premieres exclusively on the network on February 19, 2018 (8 p.m. ET/PT). The special features shelter dogs of various breeds from across the country vying for top dog in the world’s most adorable categories. The “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” is hosted by Rebecca Romijn and Rich Eisen, with celebrity judges Linda Blair, Rick Springfield, Brandon McMillan, Ross Matthews, Andrea Arden and Larissa Wohl covering all the action ringside. The announcement was made today as part of Crown Media Family Networks’ TV Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
The “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” will focus on the heartfelt traits and benefits of mixed breeds and rescued purebreds. Breeds competing for first place include Basset Hounds, English Bull Dogs, Maltese, St. Bernard, Mixed Breeds and many more. Categories they are competing for include Best in Couch Potato, Best in Wiggle Butt, Best in Underbite, Best in Talking, Best in Snoring, Best in Senior Dog, Best in Fetcher, Best in Kissing, Best in Special Needs and Best in Listener. The top 10 dogs will face off in the finals of which one will be crowned Best in Rescue. In addition to competition in the ring, the show will highlight heartwarming stories of courageous dogs who have overcome tremendous odds to be rescued and find forever homes.
“We are proud to honor rescue pets and raise awareness of how truly special these animals are,” said Bill Abbott, President and CEO, Crown Media Family Networks. “There are beautiful animals available at local shelters and we encourage our viewers to choose adoption through our pet programming, which is at the heart of our brand.” The mission of the “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” is to celebrate rescue dogs in a personality-driven competition. The goal of the show is to spotlight these incredible pets and inspire viewers to adopt their next dog from their local shelter or rescue organization.
Whether already in homes or waiting to be adopted, these dogs are all heart and full of personality. The pedigree of these dogs is pure love. Serving as the show’s official mascot is the network’s own rescued and adopted pet, Happy the Dog. In addition to starring in movies and specials, Happy the Dog is a certified therapy dog and emotional support animal.
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” is produced by Michael Levitt Productions. Executive Producers Michael Levitt and Jennifer Schulz are both animal advocates and rescuers whose lives are dedicated to increasing awareness of pet adoption. Levitt, an accomplished TV producer, and Schulz, a communications professional for pet brands and organizations, joined forces to create a show that is both entertaining and heart-warming. Their goal is to celebrate rescue dogs with the hope of inspiring Hallmark Channel viewers to adopt their next pet.
Lastly, the Petco Foundation is providing $75,000 in non-profit grants to the winners and AdoptAPet.com will be showcased throughout the show as a great resource for viewers to find their next pet.
Latissa Wohl in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebbeca Romijn in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebecca Romijn in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebecca Romijn, Linda Blair and Rich Eisen in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Kimberly Nunneley/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebecca Romijn, Larissa Wohl and Rich Eisen in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Kimberly Nunneley/Alexx Henry Studios)
Ross Matthews and Larissa Wohl in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Kimberly Nunneley/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebecca Romijn,and Rich Eisen in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Kimberly Nunneley/Alexx Henry Studios)
Rebecca Romijn, Rick Springfield and Rich Eisen in “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Kimberly Nunneley/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
“2018 American Rescue Dog Show” (Photo by Jeremy Lee/Alexx Henry Studios)
The following is a press release from Animal Planet:
PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports history, returns to Animal Planet on Feb. 4 for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff who go paw to paw and nose to nose to win the CHEWY.COM “Lombarky” PUPPY BOWL XIV trophy. PUPPY BOWL XIV will air simultaneously on both coasts when it premieres Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3PM/ET 12PM/PT featuring two hours of fuzzy faces, sloppy kisses, incredible interceptions, puppy penalties and hard-won touchdowns. After the pup-tastic game of ear pulls and tail tugs is over, all the PUPPY BOWL puppy players end up as winners when they find their forever homes.
PUPPY BOWL XIV will be played at the all-new bone-shaped GEICO® stadium which features more than a dozen cameras, including those embedded in the end zone pylons, to help get audiences closer to the PUPPY BOWL action than ever before. The game kicks off with Jokgu the piano playing chicken from Season 12 of America’s Got Talent pecking out “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the keyboard as an adorable blended bunch of baby barnyard cheerleaders, including ducklings, piglets and baby bunnies, help excite fans on the sidelines throughout the game.
The tail-gating starts with the PUPPY BOWL Pre-Game Show at 2PM ET/11AM PT, featuring aww-nalysis and cuddly commentary from sports anchor James Hound with Rodt Weiler and Sheena Inu serving as pregame show analysts. The competitive canines will conduct their pre-game rituals from the PUPPY BOWL locker room, which includes an all-new locker room webcam. Additionally, Gordon Setter and Greta Dane will serve as pre-game field correspondents.
This year’s PEDIGREE® Starting Lineup will compete for the individual BISSELL® MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) award by scoring the most touchdowns with dog-approved toys by CHEWY.COM. And for the seventh consecutive year, America’s favorite rufferee, Dan Schachner, returns to call the puppy penalties, furry fumbles and terrier touchdowns, as his assistant referee this year, Shirley the rescue sloth, will assist him on the field.
Award-winning animal advocate Jill Rappaport introduces the Subaru of America, Inc. Pup Close and Personal segments that highlight heartwarming stories of the adorable athletes. The in-depth Pup Close and Personal profiles this season include Puppy adoption advocate and The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise alum Wells Adams and his continuing efforts to promote puppy adoption; Mango, the first-ever international PUPPY BOWL player who was rescued from Mexico by the family team behind Compassion Without Borders; the incredible relationship between BFF pups Buttons, a sight-impaired and deaf Cocker Spaniel and Sophie, a three-legged Goldendoodle; and Tyler, a loveable pup player rescued from the flood waters of Houston during Hurricane Harvey who made his way to PUPPY BOWL XIV via a road trip with Greg Mahle of Rescue Road Trips.
As always, fans will witness PUPPY BOWL’s iconic water bowl cam, instant replays and the fan-favorite kiss cam. Animal Planet audiences won’t miss a moment of the excitement with aerial shots of the field from the SHEBA® Sky Box and the Puppy Bowl Blimp as Surge the hamster is back on his wheel powering the PUPPY BOWL scoreboard.
For PUPPY BOWL XIV, Animal Planet worked with 48 different animal shelters and rescue organizations from 25 U.S. states and territories, to fill the rosters of #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff with 90 adoptable players for this puppy pile-up – the most puppies and shelters in PUPPY BOWL history. With the help of DNA testing conducted by WISDOM PANEL™, these puppy athletes go beyond fur-deep to find out what they’re really made of and use it to their advantage.
PUPPY BOWL XIV features pups rescued from areas that were devastated by natural disasters in 2017, including Houston, Puerto Rico and Florida. A Pit Bull puppy player from Villalobos Rescue Center, the largest Pit Bull rescue in the U.S., is also featured in PUPPY BOWL XIV with Marcel from Pit Bulls & Parolees. Other special needs puppy players this year include, among other players, Ryder (a sight-impaired Husky), Chance (a deaf Dalmatian), Moonshine (a sight-impaired and deaf Border Collie) and Luna (a Pomeranian mix with a cleft palate), who won’t let anything stop them from trying to score the winning touchdown and a loving forever home.
Meep the Bird, a rescue African Gray Parrot, returns to talk sports and live tweet updates throughout the game from his iPhone and iPad. Fans can follow @MeepTheBird on Twitter and Instagram to catch the latest news, puppy drama and locker room moments from inside the stadium.
While the puppy players break for a cat nap, the ARM & HAMMER™ SLIDE™ Cat Litter KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW gets underway with viral video sensation Prince Michael and Phil the cat from Aaron’s Animals. These popular purrformers take to the stage as Kitt-ENSYNC sings “Meow Meow Meow” to the tune of *NSYNC’s 2000 hit “Bye Bye Bye.” All adoptable kittens on stage with Kitt-ENSYNC are provided by ASPCA NY.
And these aren’t the only cats who need to be rescued. Wild tigers are in trouble due to habitat loss and poaching, which is pushing them to extinction. Discovery Communications is working with World Wildlife Fund and others to support Project C.A.T., a worldwide effort to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022. By conserving nearly two million acres of protected land in India and Bhutan, this collaboration aims to ensure a healthy habitat for future generations of tigers. To join and support Project C.A.T., please visit discovery.com/ProjectCAT. If you are in the U.S., simply text TIGER to 707070.
PUPPY BOWL digital audiences can point their paws to AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowl to view the roster of the PUPPY BOWL XIV starting lineup. For the first time, fans can create their very own digital PUPPY BOWL trading cards, using their own beloved animal as the star! Just upload your pet’s photo, choose one of 10 different frames – including the option to choose #TeamRuff or #TeamFluff – and add fun stats like “Pawsome Talent,” “Favorite TV Show” and “Naughtiest Habit.” On game day, Sunday, Feb. 4, PUPPY BOWL XIV fans are invited to vote in the Most Valuable Puppy poll at AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowlMVP. The viewer votes determine which puppy player gets barking rights and the title of MVP, which will be revealed during PUPPY BOWL XIV.
Leading up to the game, social media users are encouraged to keep an eye out for a very special PUPPY BOWL Instagram Story that will provide an insider’s look at PUPPY BOWL – the only way to see it is by following @AnimalPlanet on Instagram. PUPPY BOWL fans can also follow all the PUPPY BOWL action in real time on Twitter via @animalplanet. Fans looking for the Puppy Bowl news and opinion that truly matter can keep an eye out for “Spot Center” and “Around the Bowl” on the Animal Planet and Puppy Bowl Facebook pages.
PUPPY BOWL VIRTUAL REALITY gives viewers a pup’s eye view of the action, taking them inside Puppy Bowl Training Camp, where puppy trainer Mike turns our rookie players from fluff to buff! The two-part PUPPY BOWL VIRTUAL REALITY series will be available at AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowlVR, through the Discovery VR iOS and Android apps, Samsung VR and the Animal Planet YouTube channel.
Last year, PUPPY BOWL XIII dominated a field of imitators with the #1 cable telecast across the day. It was the second-highest-rated PUPPY BOWL in the history of the event, dogging all competition on cable. The single telecast averaged 2.5 million total viewers P2+, a double-digit increase (+12%) in viewers vs. the PUPPY BOWL XII telecast. PUPPY BOWL XIII also ranked #2 in ALL OF TELEVISION in its timeslot among Women 25-54 and Women 18-49 for the fifth consecutive year, no exclusions, behind only FOX and its Super Bowl coverage. PUPPY BOWL XIV will repeat all day and night for a total of 10 hours on game day.
PUPPY BOWL XIV official sponsors are PEDIGREE®, CHEWY.COM, Subaru of America, Inc., BISSELL®, ARM & HAMMER™ SLIDE™ Cat Litter, WISDOM PANEL™, GEICO® and SHEBA®.
Animal Planet will premiere the first-ever Puppy Bowl Presents: The Dog Bowl, a newly added furry football competition for adult dogs living in rescues and shelters, frequently passed over for their younger counterparts. As a companion to PUPPY BOWL, The Dog Bowl works with shelters and rescues to fill the rosters of two teams of players, Team Wags and Team Tails, for what will be a full-scale matchup. The Subaru of America, Inc. “Dogs Life” in-depth profiles of individual dog players will include NFL player Eric Decker and Jessie James Decker who run Deckers Dogs, a non-profit that trains rescue dogs to be to be service dogs for disabled vets; NFL player and animal advocate Logan Ryan; Tia Torres from Pit Bulls & Parolees; and Steve Greig aka @Wolfgang2242 on Instagram who has dedicated his life to caring for and helping to rescue senior dogs in need.
The Dog Bowl also features celebrity dogs from Instagram, including, among other celebs, Mannie the Frenchie (@mannie_the_frenchie), Chloe Kardoggian (@chloekardoggian), EllaBean (@ellabeanthedog), Rufus the Pug (@realrufuspug), and Hamilton the Pug (@hamiltonpug) who show support and cheer for players. The Dog Bowl Half Time “Pet-A-Palooza” adoption event takes place at Little Shelter in Long Island, NY. Other The Dog Bowl sponsors include SOUTHWEST, MILK-BONE, PURINA and ALLSTATE.
Animal Planet audiences can learn more about the shelters, rescues and organizations that participated in PUPPY BOWL XIV by visiting https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl/.
PUPPY BOWL XIV is produced for Animal Planet by Discovery Studios where Simon Morris is executive producer and showrunner and Cindy Kain is vice president of current production. For Animal Planet, Dawn Sinsel serves as executive producer and Pat Dempsey is producer.
Katie Lee and Beth Stern promoting “Clear the Shelters” Day on WNBC-TV New York (Photo courtesy of WNBC-TV/NBC4)
The following are press releases from NBCUniversal:
New York
Concluding a record-setting 2017 campaign which saw participating animal shelters and rescues double and local pet adoptions triple, NBC 4 New York / WNBC and Telemundo 47 / WNJU announced that 4,515 homeless pets were adopted by Tri-State families through Clear the Shelters / Desocupar Los Albergues, the popular, nationwide pet adoption drive led by NBC and Telemundo Owned Stations. This effort culminated in Saturday’s call-to-action where local participating animal shelters and rescues offered an array of incentives such as low-cost or waived adoption fees, helping more families open their homes to a homeless pet. Nationally, the third annual Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign resulted in more than 62,000 pet adoptions. Since 2015, the stations’ Clear the Shelters initiative has resulted in more than 136,000 pet adoptions.
“Thousands of families adopted a homeless pet through WNBC’s Clear the Shelters campaign. Our anchors, reporters and employees look forward to this campaign every year and are passionate about connecting homeless pets with forever homes. We are thrilled that this was a record-breaking year for pet adoptions throughout the Tri-State area,” said Eric Lerner, President and General Manager of NBC 4 New York.
In 2015, the first Tri-State Clear the Shelters / Desocupar Los Albergues drive featured 42 participating shelters and animal rescues, generating 1,048 pet adoptions. Two years later, the community initiative expanded to include 94 participating shelters and animal rescues, generating this year’s final adoption total.
“The results of Telemundo 47’s Desocupar Los Albergues pet adoption drive were truly remarkable. All across the Tri-State area, our viewers opened their hearts and opened their homes to thousands of homeless pets in need. We could not be more pleased with the results of this year’s campaign,” said Cristina Schwarz, President and General Manager of Telemundo 47.
Pets of all types found new homes during Clear the Shelters 2017, including a Chihuahua mix dog with a heart murmur was adopted by a man who also had a heart murmur and sought a companion pet. 26 bulldogs were also rescued from a hot van and brought to the Bergen County Animal Shelter, where NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 were conducting live broadcasts. The subsequent televised reports led to numerous viewer calls expressing interest in adopting the puppies.
Viewers can tune-in to NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 later this week to watch Clear the Shelters specials that will feature celebrities and their pets and recaps of this year’s pet adoption campaign. Beth Stern, best-selling author and animal lover and Katie Lee, host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites, co-host of The Kitchen and author, will co-host “Clear the Shelters,” a 30-minute post-adoption drive special that will air beginning Friday, August 25 on the NBC 4 New York and NBC-owned stations plus more than 130 NBC affiliate stations (check local listings). Telemundo 47 and Telemundo stations will air a post-adoption drive special on Saturday, August 26 that will be co-hosted by Stephanie Himonidis “Chiquibaby” and Elva Saray of Telemundo 52 Los Angeles / KVEA (check local listings).
For more information about Clear the Shelters 2017, including photos and local pet adoption stories, visit nbcnewyork.com/cleartheshelters or telemundo47.com/desocuparlosalbergues. To access stories and photos from other Clear the Shelters participating markets, visit ClearTheShelters.com. You can also follow the effort on social media by using the hashtags #ClearTheShelters.and #LoveMyPet. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.com and follow #DesocuparLosAlbergues and #AmoAMiMascota. Clear the Shelters is an initiative spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal.
Connecticut
NBC Connecticut /WVIT announced its popular pet adoption campaign Clear the Shelters resulted in more than 900 local pet adoptions. Launched in July 2017 and culminating on Clear the Shelters day, Saturday, August 19, the pet adoption initiative included the participation of more than 35 animal shelters across Connecticut. Nationally, the third annual Clear the Shelters campaign resulted in the adoption of more than 68,000 pets. Since 2015, NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear the Shelters campaign has resulted in more than 141,000 pet adoptions.
“Thousands of our viewers turned out for this event, resulting in hundreds of adoptions statewide. It was truly heartwarming to see deserving animals paired with loving families, who are giving these pets a new lease on life,” said Susan Tully, President and General Manager of NBC Connecticut.
Audiences can tune-in later this week to watch special programming that will feature celebrities and their pets and recaps of this year’s pet adoption campaign. Beth Stern, best-selling author and animal lover and Katie Lee, host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites, co-host of The Kitchen and author, will co-host “Clear theShelters” a 30-minute post-adoption drive special that will air Friday, August 25 at 7pm on NBC Connecticut.
For more information about Clear the Shelters 2017, including photos and local pet adoption stories, visit nbcconnecticut.com. To access stories and photos from other Clear the Shelters participating markets, visit ClearTheShelters.com. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.com. Clear the Shelters is an initiative spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal.
Philadelphia
nbc10 Philadelphia / WCAU and Telemundo62 / WWSI announced their popular pet adoption campaign – Clear the Shelters – resulted in 4,837 local pet adoptions. Launched in July 2017 and culminating on Clear the Shelters day, Saturday, August 19, the stations’ pet adoption initiative included the participation of nearly 50 animal shelters in the Greater Philadelphia region. On Saturday alone, 1,450 adoptions took place, a 30 percent increase from 2016. Nationally, the third annual Clear the Shelters campaign resulted in the adoption of more than 68,000 pets. Since 2015, NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear the Shelters campaign has resulted in more than 141,000 pet adoptions.
“We are thrilled to report another successful year for Clear the Shelters, our annual pet adoption campaign,” said Ric Harris, President and General Manager of NBC10 and Telemundo62. “It feels great knowing that through the combined efforts of our partner shelters and rescue groups, volunteers, sponsors, and our viewers, we were able to exceed the number of pet adoptions from last year and helped nearly 5,000 animals find homes this summer.”
Audiences can tune-in later this week to watch special programming that will feature celebrities and their pets and recaps of this year’s pet adoption campaign. Beth Stern, best-selling author and animal lover and Katie Lee, host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites, co-host of The Kitchen and author, will co-host “Clear the Shelters” a 30-minute post-adoption drive special that will air beginning Friday, August 25 on NBC10 at 7 PM. Stephanie Himonidis “Chiquibaby” and Elva Saray of Telemundo 52 / KVEA will present a special that will air on Telemundo62 on Saturday, August 26 (check local listings).
For more information about the stations’ Clear the Shelters 2017 pet adoption campaign, including photos and local pet adoption stories, visit NBC10.com and Telemundo62.com. To access stories and photos from other Clear the Shelters participating markets, visit ClearTheShelters.com. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.com. Clear the Shelters is an initiative spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal.
Miami/Fort Lauderdale
NBC 6 / WTVJ and Telemundo 51 / WSCV announced that their popular pet adoption campaign – Clear the Shelters – has resulted in 1,977 local pet adoptions. Launched in July 2017 and culminating on Clear the Shelters day, Saturday, August 19, the stations’ pet adoption initiative included the participation of seven animal shelters in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Nationally, the third annual Clear the Shelters campaign resulted in the adoption of more than 70,000 pets. Since 2015, NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear the Shelters campaign has resulted in more than 140,000 pet adoptions.
“It is amazing to see so many shelters and pet rescues willing to waive or deeply discount adoption fees on Clear the Shelters day to help place hundreds of animals in loving homes,” said Larry Olevitch, President and General Manager at NBC 6. “That level of commitment speaks volumes about their dedication to this great cause and it’s something we are proud to support year after year.”
There were many adoption success stories including one deemed the “Biggest Successful Foster Fail.” Click here to read about a young couple that adopted their foster puppy on Clear the Shelters day after having fostered him for only a week.
“We are proud to continue working with our area shelters in this great initiative, which is an integral part of our commitment to serving our community.” said Jorge Carballo, President and General Manager, Telemundo 51.
Audiences can tune-in later this week to watch special programming that will feature celebrities and their pets and recaps of this year’s pet adoption campaign. Beth Stern, best-selling author and animal lover and Katie Lee, host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites, co-host of The Kitchen and author, will co-host “Clear the Shelters” a 30-minute post-adoption drive special that will air beginning Friday, August 25 at 7pm on NBC6. Stephanie Himonidis “Chiquibaby” and Elva Saray of Telemundo 52 / KVEA will present a special that will air on Telemundo 51 on Saturday, August 26 at 12pm.
For more information about the stations’ Clear the Shelters 2017 pet adoption campaign, including photos and local pet adoption stories, visit NBC6.com and www.telemundo51.com. To access stories and photos from other Clear the Shelters participating markets, visit ClearTheShelters.com. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.com. Clear the Shelters is an initiative spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal.
August 25, 2017 UPDATE:
NBC4 Southern California / KNBC and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles / KVEA today announced that their third annual campaign, Clear the Shelters, resulted in more than 10,500 pet adoptions throughout the Southland. The month-long initiative culminated on August 19 across more than 60 animal shelters and attracted record-setting crowds in five counties.
Nationally, the Clear the Shelters campaign generated more than 70,000 pet adoptions, and more than 140,000 adoptions since its inception in 2015. Clear the Shelters is a nationwide initiative led by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations.
“This year’s success is unprecedented, resulting in a significant increase in adoptions over last year,” said Steve Carlston, President and General Manager of NBC4 Southern California. “We’re thrilled to see the outpouring of responses from families looking for pets.”
“The response was incredible this year,” said Celia Chavez, President and General Manager of Telemundo 52. “I’m so proud of how our community came together and helped thousands of animals find their new home.”
A 30-minute special, “Clear the Shelters,” will feature celebrities with their pets and recaps of this year’s campaign. Best-selling author and animal lover Beth Stern and author Katie Lee, host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites and The Kitchen, will co-host the program on NBC4 this Friday, August 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Stephanie Himonidis “Chiquibaby” and Elva Saray, hosts of Telemundo 52’s Acceso Total, popular weekday entertainment and lifestyle program, will present a special that will air on Telemundo 52 this Saturday, August 26 at 12 p.m.
For those still looking to adopt a pet, visit NBCLA.com/cleartheshelters and Telemundo52.com/desocuparlosalbergues for a map of local shelters. The websites also feature dozens of photos and adoption day highlights.
NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal today announced that Snapchat will feature content from the stations’ Clear the Shelters third annual nationwide pet adoption campaign in its “Stories” section on Saturday, August 19. Videos and snaps of users with their pets and participating animal shelters will be featured in the app’s special Clear the Shelters “Stories” section this weekend. In addition, audiences all across the country will be able to activate Snapchat filters that will complement the stations’ pet adoption campaign.
Clear the Shelters is a first-of-its-kind pet adoption campaign that is spearheaded by NBC and Telemundo-owned stations. The stations’ pet adoption initiative includes the participation of more than 75 NBC and Telemundo stations, and nearly one thousand animal shelters across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The campaign’s robust social media campaign #ClearTheShelters, #DesocuparLosAlbergues has already garnered support from various celebrities including Kristen Bell from NBC’s The Good Place, model Kate Upton, and Telemundo’s Carmen Villalobos, to name a few. On Clear the Shelters day August 19, participating animal shelters will offer low cost or waived pet adoption fees. Since the effort was expanded nationally in 2015, the stations’ Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign has resulted in more than 70,000 pet adoptions.
“We’re excited to partner with Snapchat to offer audiences an entirely new way to stay up-to-date with all the wonderful pet adoption stories that we’ll be sharing from our Clear the Shelters events this weekend,” said Lora Dennis, Senior Vice President of Digital Media, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “Clear the Shelters has become a summer tradition for many communities and we cannot wait for audiences to watch all the fun videos and snaps and also join our social media campaign.”
For more information about the pet adoption campaign, visit ClearTheShelters.com. You can also follow the effort on social media by using the hashtags #ClearTheShelters and #LoveMyPet. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.com and follow #DesocuparLosAlbergues and #AmoAMiMascota.
