Animal Planet Drives Impact for Pet Adoption with Partnerships to Celebrate 20 Years of “Puppy Bowl”

PUPPY BOWL, the original and longest-running call-to-adoption television event, returns for a 20th year on Sunday, February 11, 2024 @ 2PM ET / 11AM PT and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max, and discovery+. In celebration of the three-hour matchup featuring 131 puppies, 73 shelters, and rescues across 36 states and territories, Animal Planet has paired with marketing and multiplatform partners to build opportunities for fans to experience Puppy Bowl. Best Friends Animal Society, Funny Face Bakery, National Football League Players Association, and Wag! join returning collaborators Bark Social, Grounds and Hounds, Pooch Perks, Southwest Airlines, and Valpak to support Puppy Bowl and raise awareness to find animals their forever homes.

“For the 20th anniversary of Puppy Bowl, we made this beloved pop culture event bigger and better than ever. In addition to working with a group of amazing brands and extending our reach, a big goal for our team was to drive more impact for pet adoption than ever before. Each one of our partnerships gives our fans fun ways to join the Puppy Bowl celebration but also drives awareness for shelters across the country,” said Karen Bronzo, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Networks Group, Warner Bros. Discovery.

This year’s Puppy Bowl partners include:

• Bark Social – Bark Social, the premier social club for dogs and dog lovers, will be hosting Puppy Bowl XX watch parties on Sunday, February 11 from 1PM to 5PM ET at their Bethesda, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Alexandria locations. Bark Social’s venue hosts a professionally monitored off-leash yard and features a fully stocked bar/beer garden and cafe ready for happy hours, sports games, trivia, drag shows, and more. Cheer for Team Ruff or Team Fluff with your furry best friend while grabbing a drink, playing games, winning prizes, and enjoying delicious bites with lots of chances for social media-worthy moments. Attendees can even go home with their own new MVP from one of the on-site adoption experiences. For more details, please visit www.barksocial.com or @bark_social.

• Best Friends Animal Society – In celebration of Puppy Bowl XX, Best Friends Animal Society, a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of cats and dogs in Americas shelters by 2025, will be waiving adoption fees from February 7 – 14 at their pet lifesaving centers across the country. Additionally, over 150 of Best Friends shelter and rescue group partners will also be participating in the fee-waived week. To find a participating shelter or rescue near you, visit bestfriends.org/puppybowl.

• Funny Face Bakery – Funny Face Bakery has partnered with Puppy Bowl to offer the ultimate treat bundle for pets and their humans. Their meme-worthy decorated cookies will be offered alongside special dog treats to celebrate the big game. Visit Funny Face Bakery or follow them on Instagram and TikTok (@funnyfacebakery) for more information.

• Grounds and Hounds – Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. and Animal Planet have partnered together to create The Official Fuel of Puppy Bowl. For this limited release collaboration, the perfect blend was created to accompany a cozy winter morning with your best friend. Blending the highest-grade beans from Guatemala and Papua New Guinea, Grounds and Hounds developed the most aromatic and smooth Medium Roast blend to date. Each purchase of the exclusive Puppy Bowl Blend will include a complimentary official Puppy Bowl Game Day Bandana.

• Pooch Perks – Pooch Perks is the leading dog subscription box service dedicated to pampering furry family members. In collaboration with Puppy Bowl XX, a special selection of toys and treats have been curated to complement both Puppy Bowl and the month of LOVE in February. Each Pooch Perks Puppy Bowl Box comes with the official Puppy Bowl XX bandana, football & valentines themed toys and yummy treats and toys that both pets and owners will enjoy while watching Puppy Bowl.

• National Football League Players Association – The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) partnered with Animal Planet to connect dog lovers in the league with adoptable pups from Operation Paws for Homes for the ultimate puppy play date. Baltimore Ravens players Zay Flowers and Patrick Queen spent the afternoon with these pups as they tested their pet knowledge, discussed their experience with dog adoption, and participated in a few puppy piles. Follow @animalplanet and @nflpa on Instagram to see the fun moments.

• Southwest Airlines – Those flying on Southwest Airlines® during the month of February can enjoy Puppy Bowl content via the Inflight Entertainment Portal. Flyers can check out Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl On Demand TV series to watch past Puppy Bowl favorite games and moments, including Puppy Bowl XIX, and an exclusive video, “Journey to Puppy Bowl,” which follows three puppies as they flew on Southwest to the cutest game in sports. Want to bring your own four-legged friend with you onboard? Southwest allows small dogs and cats to travel in-cabin in an approved carrier.

• Valpak – From the mailbox to the gridiron, Valpak is all about tackling savings. Valpak is helping Puppy Bowl celebrate its 20th anniversary with a takeover of the iconic blue envelope, offering one fan the chance to score a $10,000 sweepstakes prize. Plus, inside select envelopes, there’s a chance to win $100 towards the adoption fee for a new best friend.

• Wag! – Wag! is partnering with Puppy Bowl XX to celebrate the love and joy of pets by offering $10 off pet care when you use code PUPPYBOWL. Plus, Wag! will be matching donations made through the Wag! app to Best Friends Animal Society, up to a total of $10,000, between now and the big game.

More info on Puppy Bowl XX can be found on PuppyBowl.com, including photo galleries, Meet the Players-style videos, and adoption page for animals in need of a home. The “Pupularity Playoffs” bracket returns for the fourth consecutive year as fans vote on the Most Pupular player in the starting lineup. Following a month of on-air placements and social promotion, the winner of the bracket will be revealed in the pre-game show on Animal Planet.