puppies Archives – Page 4 of 4

PetSmart reports record-setting numbers for September 2017 adoption event

September 21, 2017

The following is a press release from PetSmart:

Last weekend, North Americans welcomed 30,269 adoptable pets into their hearts and homes during PetSmart Charities’ third National Adoption Weekend of 2017 hosted at 1,500-plus PetSmart stores across the continent, making it the most successful National Adoption Weekend event ever for the leading funder of animal welfare and leading pet specialty retailer. With the help of more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations across the U.S. and Canada, PetSmart and PetSmart Charities found homes for a wide variety of adoptable pets, including dogs, cats, and even small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs and birds.

In preparation for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, animal welfare organizations across the country worked together to transport adoptable shelter pets from Florida and Texas to other areas of the country to help free up shelter space in the communities that were in the hurricanes’ paths. That way, pets displaced or left homeless by these storms would have access to shelter, food and veterinary care while they wait to be reunited with their pet parents and families.

Several of PetSmart Charities’ animal welfare partners, such as Last Chance Animal Rescue in Waldorf, Md., were able to bring adoptable pets from the southern U.S. to their East Coast community through pet transport programs. Not only did this make more room in Florida and Texas animal shelters, but it also gave the recently relocated pets a great chance at finding a forever home since adoption demand in many east coast states like Maryland is high.

“During times of natural disasters like the recent hurricanes, it’s inspiring to see how the animal welfare community and pet parents come together. While PetSmart Charities is always focused on getting more pets out of shelters through successful adoption events like the one hosted this past weekend, during times of natural disaster, it’s even more important to clear shelter space and assemble resources animal welfare agencies are going to need to care for pets displaced during the storms,” says David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D. and president of PetSmart Charities. “By adopting a pet this past weekend, not only did families give a shelter pet the forever home they deserve, but unbeknownst to them, they also had a hand in helping rescues and shelters to care for, assist and reunite pets and pet parents impacted by the hurricanes.”

Pet Parents Supporting Pets in Need

Many pet parents and animal welfare organizations across North America are looking for ways to help pets affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. To provide additional support to pets and pet parents in need, PetSmart stores invited shoppers to donate pet supplies and food to local animal welfare partners. In all, a record-setting 615,000-plus items from stores across the U.S. and Canada were donated to support pets in need. Donations will support pets in local communities, as well as emergency relief efforts following the historic hurricanes along the Gulf Coast and wildfires along the West Coast.

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About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.6 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its philanthropic Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017, see petsmart.com/giveameal for details. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart

See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart

See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Turn your passion for pets into a career you’ll love! Visit careers.petsmart.com to learn more about corporate, retail store and Distribution Center opportunities.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs

Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmartCharities

See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: www.youtube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

American Humane’s tips for pet owners before, during and after a storm

August 28, 2017

Hurricane season is underway, and the year 2017 is expected to have record-setting hurricane devastation. Here are American Humane’s tips for pet owners on what to do before, during and after a hurricane or other major storm:

Before the storm

NEVER leave animals behind. Review your evacuation plans and know a safe place where your pets can go if you need to evacuate. Evacuation destinations may include a friend or family member’s home, going to a pet-friendly hotel, or temporarily housing your pet(s) at a boarding facility. Plan multiple routes to your safe destination.
Microchip your pets and properly affix a tag on your pet’s collar with your name, address and cellphone number so they may be returned quickly in case you are separated from your pets. Update your microchip registrations and pet license information to ensure its current and consider including the name and contact information of an out-of-area contact just in case you are unreachable in a disaster zone.
Tie down or anchor outside objects that might fly about and injure someone.
Double-check your disaster preparedness kit for your pets (e.g., First Aid kit, leashes, and pets’ carrying cases, bowls, sanitation materials, chew toy, minimum 3 days, ideally 7-10 days of food, meds, water).
Evacuate your family and pets as early as you can and remember to take your family and your pet’s disaster preparedness kit if you do leave.
Bring children and pets inside; bring outdoor animals inside with a carrier ready large enough to turn around and lie down comfortably.
Have a carrier and leashes at the ready.
If your family must evacuate, ALWAYS take your pets with you.

During the storm….if you cannot evacuate

Choose a safe room for riding out the storm—an interior room without windows – and take your entire family there, including your pets.
Stay with pets. If crated, they depend on you for food and water.
Keep your emergency kit in that room with you (food, water, litter, meds).
Know your pet’s hiding places. That’s where they may run; keep them with you.
Secure exits and cat doors so pets can’t escape into the storm.
Do not tranquilize your pets. They’ll need their survival instincts should the storm require that.

After the storm

Make sure the storm has fully passed before going outside and assess damages before allowing children or animals out.
Keep dogs on a leash and cats in a carrier, and children close at hand. Displaced objects and fallen trees can disorient pets and sharp debris could harm them.
Give pets time to become re-oriented. Familiar scents and landmarks may be altered and cause a pet to become confused or lost.
Keep kids and animals away from hazards such as downed power lines and water that may be contaminated.
Uncertainty and change in the environment affect animals, presenting new stresses and dangers. Your pet’s behavior may change after a crisis, becoming more aggressive or self-protective. Be sensitive to these changes and keep more room between them, other animals, children or strangers. Animals need comforting, too. Comfort your pet with kind words and lots of pats or hugs. If possible, provide a safe and quiet environment, even if it is not their own home.

Snapchat gets involved with 2017 Clear the Shelters campaign

August 17, 2017

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChsarieOksU

VIP Petcare partners with Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign

August 9, 2017

The following is a press release from NBCUniversal:

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, today announced VIP Petcare returns as a repeat national sponsor of the NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ annual Clear the Shelters nationwide pet adoption campaign. VIP Petcare will donate more than $200 of preventive veterinary services to individuals that adopt a pet at this event. The $200 includes one free dose each of prescription flea/ tick and heartworm preventative medication.

Clear the Shelters is a nationwide pet adoption campaign that is spearheaded by NBC and Telemundo-owned stations. The stations’ Clear the Shelters annual pet adoption campaign has become a popular event for communities all throughout the country and includes the participation of hundreds of animal shelters. On Saturday, 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 efforts have resulted in more than 70,000 pet adoptions.

“VIP Petcare’s continued support of the NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ Clear the Shelterspet adoption campaign will ensure that our stations and partner shelters deliver a memorable event for communities and pet adopters all across the country,” said Bruce Kallner, Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales and Marketing, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “We’re excited to work with a partner that values the importance of quality pet care and wellness and look forward to another successful Clear the Shelters day.”

VIP Petcare’s goal is to not only find forever homes for shelter and rescue pets, but to educate all pet owners on the importance of ongoing pet wellness care. The company is dedicated to keeping every pet healthy, happy and safe. Through a network of over 2700 clinics nationwide, VIP Petcare provides vaccinations, diagnostic testing, microchipping and other wellness veterinary care to pets and their parents.

“We are honored to sponsor Clear the Shelters for the second consecutive year,” said Will Santana, CEO and Founder of VIP Petcare. “Thousands of pets will find a home on August 19 and we are committed to ensuring they get a healthy start in their new life.”

For more information about the pet adoption campaign, visit ClearTheShelters.com. You can also follow the effort on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by using the hashtags #ClearTheShelters and #LoveMyPet. To access information in Spanish, please visit DesocuparLosAlbergues.comand follow #DesocuparLosAlbergues and #AmoAMiMascota.

Petco signs on as sponsor of Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign

August 7, 2017

The following is a press release from Petco:

Petco returns as a national sponsor of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations’ “Clear the Shelters” pet adoption campaign for a second consecutive year. On Saturday, August 19, 2017, Petco partners will be present at participating animal welfare organizations to answer questions from potential pet adopters and their families. Petco will also be distributing “Welcome to the Family” packets containing information for new pet parents along with coupons for pet supplies.

“Clear the Shelters” is a nationwide pet adoption campaign that is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal that includes 30 NBC and Telemundo-owned stations. The stations’ “Clear the Shelters” third annual pet adoption campaign has become a popular event for communities nationwide and includes the participation of hundreds of animal welfare organizations. On August 19, participating animal shelters will offer low cost or waived pet adoption fees. The NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ third annual “Clear the Shelters” effort has helped to inspire local communities to take action and open their homes to animals in need. 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.

“Petco has been an fantastic partner to the owned stations and we’re excited to work with a company that is deeply committed to pet adoption issues and helping families have the resources and information they need to provide the best care to their newly adopted pets,” said Bruce Kallner, Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales and Marketing, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “The Petco Foundation has also been a great supporter of our “Clear the Shelters” campaign and we’re pleased to work with a non-profit organization that shares our goal of matching homeless pets with new, permanent homes.”

“With more than 50 years in the pet specialty business, Petco understands and celebrates the importance of the incredible bond between pets and pet parents,” said Charlie Piscitello, chief people officer at Petco. “‘Clear the Shelters‘ allows us to extend our year-long animal adoption efforts and offers our immensely passionate store partners the ability to help even more families start out with the tools and knowledge they need to make their relationship with their new pet as rewarding as possible.”

Petco Foundation and the NUTRO Company launch ‘Be a Lifesaver’ Campaign

June 30, 2017

The following is a press release from Petco:

This weekend the Petco Foundation, a leading funder of animal welfare, and The NUTRO Company kick off their “Be A Lifesaver” campaign, promoting everyday lifesavers throughout the country and encouraging all people to be lifesavers for animals this summer.

Everyone can be a lifesaver with five simple actions:

Adopt: Find a new family member by adopting a pet at a local animal welfare organization.
Foster: Fostering pets can save animal lives and can be a fun, educational family-friendly summer activity. Learn more at participating Petco stores on July 22, during the Petco Foundation’s “Be A Foster” event.
Volunteer: Local shelters always need volunteers for a variety of activities like walking dogs, socializing cats or folding laundry. Talk to local animal welfare organizations about how your skills and interests fit with the organization’s needs.
Spread the Word: Share on social media how you’ve acted as a lifesaver for pets with #BeALifesaver
Donate: Donate at checkout at Petco and Unleashed by Petco stores to help the Petco Foundation reach its goal of raising $2.1 million to provide lifesaving investments to animal welfare organizations.

Be A Lifesaver events:

Be A Lifesaver Adoption Weekend: Adopt your new family member
Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2 at participating Petco and Unleashed by Petco store locations.

Be A Foster: Learn more about fostering and apply to be a foster family for pets
Saturday, July 22 happening at select Petco and Unleashed by Petco stores.

The NUTRO Company generously donated $75,000 to kickoff the Be A Lifesaver campaign. From July 1-23, guests in Petco and Unleashed by Petco stores are invited to Be A Lifesaver by making a donation at checkout to support animal welfare organizations throughout the country.

“Summer is a busy time for animal welfare organizations. There is often an increase in animal intake and demand for services,” said Petco Foundation executive director Susanne Kogut. “Our Be a Lifesaver campaign aims to inspire individuals to take action to help save animal lives in their own communities. Through collecting donations — $2, $5, and $20 at a time at checkout in Petco stores — we hope to raise more than $2.1 million to support lifesaving animal welfare work nationwide.”

Packaged Facts reveals Top 10 trends for packaged pet products

March 21, 2017

Sherpa AKC Double Pet Carrier (Photo courtesy of Sherpa)

Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, has announced the Top 10 trends for packaged pet products for the year 2017. These trends are discussed at length in Packaged Facts’ recent report “Durable Dog and Cat Petcare Products in the U.S.”

Here are Packaged Facts’ 10 key pet product trends:

National pride is worth the price: While frequently associated with pet food and treats, “Made in the U.S.A.” also carries huge appeal in the durable petcare products market, especially in the collars, harnesses, and leashes category. Several companies offer products made in the U.S., including Coastal Pet Products, 2 Hounds Design, Up Country, Lupine and Wolfgang USA. All of Cycle Dog’s products are made in the U.S.A. as well, and its new Stars & Stripes collar, leash and other accessories take patriotism to a new level.
“Functional” a sought-after buzz word when purchasing pet beds: Features including easy to clean, durable and comfortable are now more or less de rigueur in the pet bedding market, so products focusing on function now typically offer additional appeals. In particular, specialty beds with comfort features can reduce pain while the animal attempts to fall asleep, helping the pet sleep better and reducing discomfort throughout the day. For example, memory foam and gel mattresses have become a mainstay in orthopedic beds for humans, so it should come as little surprise that similar products have carved out a solid niche in the pet market, especially for senior dogs.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95sjtXIISU8&t=121s
Designer brand apparel for cats: In general, most pet apparel is geared towards dogs, which tend to be a lot more amenable to getting dressed up. Taking humanization to the extreme, one of the biggest ways cats have been impacting apparel markets is via human clothing. High-end designers such as Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Jonathan Anderson have incorporated cats into their recent collections.
Bowl designed to improve digestion, reduce neck strain: Many of the new, innovative designs in the bowl, feeder and waterer market tackle specific problems that pet owners have with their current feeding options. This includes products designed to reduce pets’ neck strain, improve digestion and maximize comfort and convenience while adding a sleek and stylish look to pet owners’ homes.
Fashionable pet carriers are in fashion: The importance of fashion and style cannot be overestimated since many pet owners seek out carriers that serve as a fashion accessory. Available in a vast range of materials, colors, styles, and patterns—with trims ranging from fine leather and faux fur to rhinestones and silver findings—pet carriers that look more like handbags also allow owners to sneak their pets into places that may not be dog-friendly. Accordingly, designer purse-type pet carriers, like those offered by Michael Kors and Chanel, are popular, with many manufacturers operating more like fashion designers As a result, many companies that started out with more basic models have been trending up to better compete with the growing ranks of marketers that focus exclusively on fashion-forward options.
Pet collar marketers capitalize on the “maximum visibility = safety” formula: For most pet owners, safety is a given when it comes to collars, leashes and harnesses, but marketers of these products continue to find ways to make these products even safer for both pets and humans. Coastal Pet Products, for example, recently updated the design of its Lazer Brite collars for maximized reflectivity, making the collar visible at up to 600 feet.
Pet feeders getting “Smarter”: The recent proliferation of high-tech products in the feeding and watering category may leave some pet owners overwhelmed with the array of choices. “Smart” feeders and waterers allow pet owners to set feeding schedules, control portion sizes, and even customize feedings for multiple pets. As a result, pet owners’ involvement in the feeding process is no longer tied to the bowl itself; in fact, with some of the new technology-based feeders, everything can be controlled remotely via a smart phone.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU17RFypUn8
Customers favor customization, personalization: Pet owners enjoy products they can adapt to their own specific needs, including those they can personalize via appearance or function. German-made flexi offers a wide variety of flexible leashes that allow owners to do both, ranging from functional to luxurious. Its Comfort line offers the option to customize the leash with the company’s Multi Box or LED Lighting System options, attached via a fastener system, giving owners the ability to carry extra snacks and waste bags or light the way when it gets dark out.
Tiny pooches and cuddly kitties spurring pet stroller sales: More and more, owners of small dogs and cats want their pets to be able to enjoy the great outdoors as much as their larger canine counterparts, driving up interest in pet strollers. Strollers offer a safe way to experience new outdoor environments and provide stimulation. One marketer cashing in on this trend is Pet Gear, with its new Jogger No-Zip Stroller designed for runners or joggers with a large three-wheel design.
Whisker-friendly designs: Cats are notoriously finicky when it comes to food, and this behavior can extend to their food bowls as well. A common problem: many cats don’t like their whiskers touching the sides of their bowls when eating. New products include bowls with slightly curved designs that allow gravity to focus the food in the center of the bowl rather than being pushed to the sides while feeding. Other bowls are made with materials such as plant fibers to provide cats with mottled mate textures instead of the extra shiny or gloss surfaces believed to be unfavorable to most cats.

2017 Puppy Bowl: see all the cute photos and videos

February 6, 2017

Rory, the poodle mix that was voted Puppy Bowl XIII MVP. (Photo courtesy of Animal Planet)

Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl XIII was the first Puppy Bowl to air simultaneously on both coasts when it premiered on February 5, 2017 (Super Bowl Sunday) with three hours of puppies playing a mock football game. The inaugural Petco Lombarky trophy was awarded in Puppy Bowl XIII at Geico Stadium, a miniature set built for the TV show.

According to an Animal Planet press release, Puppy Bowl XIII kicked off at Geico Stadium with a special appearance by weather forecaster Mr. Punxsutawney Phil. The famous groundhog and two of his inner circle officiated the coin toss to start the game. This year’s Pedigree Starting Lineup boasted 39 puppies who also competed for the individual Bissell MVP (Most Valuable Puppy) by scoring the most touchdowns with dog-approved toys by Petco. This year’s Bissell MVP was Team Fluff’s Rory, a 17-week-old male poodle mix from Little Dog Rescue in Florida.

For the sixth year in a row, America’s favorite “ Rufferee,” Dan Schachner, returned to call the puppy penalties, furry fumbles and terrier touchdowns.Award-winning animal advocate and television correspondent Jill Rappaport introduced the Subaru Pup Close and Personal segments that highlight some of the heartwarming stories of the adorable athletes.

For Puppy Bowl XIII, Animal Planet worked with 34 different animal shelters and rescue organizations from across 22 states to fill the rosters of #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff with 78 adoptable players for this puppy pile-up. This year, the Bowl also featured three pups with special needs: Doobert (deaf), Lucky (three-legged) and Winston (hearing-and-sight impaired). One special player is drafted to play in Puppy Bowl XIII by celebrity dog Chunk Handler. Plus, viewers got to see the canines conduct their pre-game rituals when the cameras were allowed in the locker room.

While the puppies broke for a cat nap, the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Kitty Half-Time Show got underway with a performance by the feline musical group Chicago Rock Cats with Kitty Gaga singing “Puparazzi ” to her little monsters of adoptable rescue kittens.

The puppy teams added rescue mascots to their cheering section. Team Ruff gained the watchful eye of Orlando the Screech Owl, and Team Fluff recruited Muffin the Chinchilla who adds another layer of fluff. Getting the fans excited on the sidelines are rescue rabb its and guinea pig cheerleaders who hop into action. “Meep the Bird” got a ma keover and returned as a rescue African Gray Parrot. Meep talked sports with Geico The Gecko and live tweeted updates throughout the big game.

Plus, Puppy Bowl fans got 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 who watched the biggest game of the year from the stands. As always, fans witnessed Puppy Bow’s water bowl cam, slow-motion playback cam and fan-favorite Dairy Queen kiss cam. Viewers won’t miss a minute of excitement with aerial shots of the field from the Sheba Sky Box, and Surge the Hamster was back on his wheel powering the Puppy Bowl score board.

Puppy Bowl Virtual Reality, sponsored by Pedigree, gave viewers a pup’s eye view of the action on the Geico grid iron through the eyes of Buttons, one of this year’s Puppy Bowl XIII players. Not letting her diminutive size hold her back when tackling opponents in a scrimmage spanning two video halves, Buttons played her way through the piles of puppies, chew toys and assistant coaches to score a winning touchdown.

On game day, puppy supporters were invited to vote in the Most Valuable Puppy poll . Viewer votes determined which heavenly hound gets barking rights and the title of Bissell MVP, which will be revealed at the end of the broadcast. Before and during the action, keep an eye out for guest takeovers on Animal Planet Instagram and Snapchat. This year’s roster includes players from AHeinz57 (Iowa), Big Fluffy Dog Rescue (Tennessee), Citizens for Animal Protection (Texas), Last Hope K 9 (Massachusetts), Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Florida), Mr. Bones & Company (New York), Nevada SPCA, Paw Works (California), Stray Rescue (Missouri), among others.

The ASPCA in New York provided adoptable kittens for the Kitty Half-Time Show; the cheerleading rescue rabbits and guinea pigs are from Luv-N- Bunns (Philadelphia) and Helping All Little Things (New Jersey). The chinchilla mascots were provided by Chin Friends Chinchilla Rescue (New York) and the owl flew in from Volunteers for Wildlife (Long Island). The African parrot was provided by Phoenix Landing rescue (Washington, DC).

(All photos courtesy of Animal Planet)