2 dogs from Stamford rescue go paw-to-paw in Puppy Bowl XXI
Two of Lucky Dog's pups are on the roster for Team Ruff, going paw-to-paw with Team Fluff for the Vince “Lombarky” trophy.
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If your NFL team didn't make the Super Bowl, there's still some local competitors you can root for on Sunday. Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XXI will feature six dogs from rescues in Western Connecticut. For the third year, the cutest clash in sports runs through Lucky Dog Refuge in Stamford.
“As we like to say, it's the big game. The Super Bowl is just the little game afterwards,” said Kirstin Mende, co-founder and CEO of Lucky Dog Refuge.
Two of Lucky Dog's pups are on the roster for Team Ruff, going paw-to-paw with Team Fluff for the Vince “Lombarky” trophy.
Clark is an Australian cattle dog and Labrador retriever mix, who was found emaciated, sick and without a mom in Mississippi, according to Mende. Clark is listed in the starting lineup and Mende expects him to be a fan favorite.
“He was such a little character, and so incredibly funny. We liked to say he reminded us of Jim Halpert on ‘The Office,’” Mende told News 12. “Everybody else would be playing, and he'd just sit there and all of a sudden just turn and stare at the camera. He'd break the fourth wall and be like, ‘You see that?’"
Clark’s signature play even made the Puppy Bowl's promo reel.
The rescue’s other drafted dog, Vivian, did not, but Mende shared plenty of behind-the-scenes videos of her from the shoot in October.
Vivian is a bulldog and Boston terrier mix, whose litter was found under the porch of an abandoned home in Mississippi. When it came to game day, she was a little less into the competition, preferring to chew on things and get hugs, Mende said.
“But then they figured out the trick and that was to put her in a tutu and let her become a cheerleader, and Vivian was like, ‘I’m living my high school dream,’” Mende laughed.
While the furry rivalry is certainly the cutest clash in sports, it doubles as a call to adoption event. This year features over 140 puppies from 80 shelters and rescues across the country.
“With streaming and different platforms, the exposure is just getting bigger and bigger and ‘adopt, don't shop’ is being spread on such a national level that people are getting that much more excited about rescue. It just sends the most wonderful message about adopting and what wonderful dogs there are in local rescues and shelters like ours right here,” Mende said.
Vivian and Clark, who were named for "Gone with the Wind" stars Vivian Lee and Clark Gable, have both been adopted since the Puppy Bowl, but the rescue has about 30 other dogs looking for their “furever” homes.
Along with participants from Lucky Dog Refuge, the Puppy Bowl will include three dogs from Danbury Animal Welfare Society and one from Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue.
The Puppy Bowl begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday and will be simulcast across Max, Discovery Plus, Discovery, Animal Planet, TBS and TruTV. You can also check out the Puppy Combine pregame show at 1 p.m. on Animal Planet.
Lucky Dog Refuge is holding a watch party for the game starting at 1:30 p.m. at New York Comedy Club Stamford. The community is invited to come and bring their dogs.
