Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week.
Western Pennsylvania will be represented by four dogs from local two shelters in Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl XXI” (2 p.m. Feb. 9, Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery ).
For its 21st edition, the three-hour program will feature 142 pups, including 11 special needs dogs, “competing” to encourage animal adoption.
During the telecast, Wexford native Dan Smyers — of country duo Dan Shay — brings a Nashville pup backstage at one of his concerts to boost socialization and efforts for the dog to be adopted.
This year’s “Puppy Bowl” marks the return of Pittsburgh’s Animal Friends, which did not have any dogs in last year’s event. Animal Friends sent Centaur, who was in the process of being adopted through a foster-to-adopt program. Animal Planet picked him from among five pups submitted for “Puppy Bowl” consideration.
An Animal Friends dog handler drove Centaur to Glens Falls, N.Y., in October for “Puppy Bowl XXI” filming.
Paws Across Pittsburgh, which has rescue houses in Tarentum and Springdale, participated in “Puppy Bowl” for the second consecutive year, sending three dogs: pit bull mix Franco, pit-boxer mix Sully and Great Pyrenees Mercury.
Sometimes dogs get renamed during the “Puppy Bowl” application or adoption process.
Franco was previously named Tonka but his name had to be changed to avoid conflict with the toy brand Tonka. (Franco was chosen after Steelers great Franco Harris.)
Mercury was submitted in the summer and goes by that name on the program, but his name was changed to Boone by his new owner, Jessica Richardson of Johnstown, when she adopted him.
“But Mercury is his middle name,” Richardson said.
Jackie Armour, president of Paws Across Pittsburgh, said dogs get submitted to Animal Planet for “Puppy Bowl” consideration each summer. Adoptive owners sign contracts, acknowledging that their dog could be picked and will need to be transported to Glens Falls.
“Everybody was pretty excited and into it and happy their dog got picked and will be on TV,” Armour said.
Armour was among the shelter representatives who drove Franco and Sully up to Glens Falls. Richardson opted to take Mercury/Boone herself.
“When I adopted him, I was like, there’s no way (he’ll get picked), just give me my dog, I’ll sign whatever you want,” Richardson recalled. “We got him in August and found out he was selected in September. So when it was time for filming, he was my dog for just two months, so I took off work and, with my mom and daughter, drove him the seven hours to Glens Falls.”
Richardson said that compared to the other dogs from Paws Across Pittsburgh, Mercury/Boone is huge.
“He was 40 pounds at 4 months old,” she said. “I felt bad when we got to the arena in Glens Falls. They don’t let family members in for filming, only rescue volunteers, so I had to hand him off and he was so mad at me, he laid flat and would not walk with them.”
Richardson said Great Pyrenees tend to be stubborn.
“When I went to pick him up at the end of filming, they said he had to be carried onto the field for filming,” she said. “I heard he basically laid in the middle of the field and got a lot of camera time because he would not move.”
Mercury/Boone ran to his adoptive family when he was returned to them after filming.
“He’s doing great, sweet as ever and at 8 months old, he’s a little (more than) 100 pounds,” Richardson said. “He loves the snow and the cold. If ‘Puppy Bowl‘ was held outside, he would have been their best contestant.”
Paws Across Pittsburgh will have a “Puppy Bowl” adoption event the Sunday after the telecast. Local “Puppy Bowl” stars are expected to attend the celebration, 1-4 p.m. Feb. 16, at the American Legion in Brackenridge. Admission is $20 per person and includes five raffle tickets and a musical bingo card. Adoptable dogs will also be present.