Puppy From Norwalk To Compete In Puppy Bowl XVIII

NORWALK, CT — While Super Bowl LVI will be a showdown between Cincinnati and Los Angeles, Norwalk will be well-represented in an almost-equally as famous game set to air Sunday: Puppy Bowl XVIII.

The annual "competition," airing on Animal Planet at 2 p.m. and steaming on Discovery+, is a "fur-tastic battle on the grand gridiron of Puppy Bowl Stadium. Celebrating all that is right with the world, Puppy Bowl is the pinnacle of competition, cuteness and pet rescue," according to animalplanet.com.

Puppy Bowl XVIII will showcase 118 dogs from 67 shelters across the country, including some in Connecticut, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Among the puppies from Connecticut taking the field Sunday is Scout, a Pitbull/Norwegian Elkhound mix from the Pet Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Norwalk.

According to PAWS Executive Director Ellen Simmonds, Scout has been drafted by Team Ruff to compete against Team Fluff, though she also points out the game is really a collaboration, not a competition.

"They do all sorts of fun things...he's going to do great," Simmonds said in an interview with Patch.

Given his personality, the decision to have Scout take part in the big game was an easy one, Simmonds said. She also noted this is the fourth year in a row a dog from PAWS has participated in the Puppy Bowl.

"We like to take the animals that are social, playful and friendly, and that would be good representatives of PAWS," Simmonds said. "Scout fit the bill."

While the athletes competing in the Super Bowl this weekend have likely been training and disciplining themselves for the past couple of weeks, Simmonds said Scout and his fellow puppies were already more than prepared for their televised matchup.

"The puppies just need to be puppies," Simmonds said. "They need to be cute, adorable, friendly and irresistible."

Scout was with PAWS for less than a year before being adopted in the fall, Simmonds said. While the game will air Sunday, Simmonds said it was actually filmed back in October, which required Scout and his new owner to travel to New York for filming.

In addition to being a fun event for the participating puppies, Simmonds said the Puppy Bowl also sheds a light on a very important topic on a national stage.

"It's nice for many reasons," Simmonds said, "but the main reason is for the recognition of adopting a rescue, promoting adoptions, promoting the need for people to come out and consider adopting rescue animals; that they're friendly, kind and wonderful, and they make good pets."

For Simmonds, anyone who adopts a rescue animal is also giving that animal a second chance at love, life and a happy home.

"That's why we do what we do," Simmonds said, "so that all of these wonderful, innocent, defenseless, gorgeous animals get to be in loving homes and be a best friend for somebody."

She's also proud that PAWS is an integral part of finding new homes for animals in Norwalk and giving them a second chance.

"There's nobody more deserving that a defenseless, innocent, beautiful animal," Simmonds said. "Remember animals help people too, so animals need a family and a family needs an animal. They're your best friend, so I am proud to represent that."

As she gears up to root for Scout during the game Sunday afternoon, there is still one question on everyone's mind that perhaps she can address: how does Scout feels to be representing both Norwalk and Connecticut in Puppy Bowl XVIII?

"I think that Scout likes attention," Simmonds said. "I think that Scout is going to do great in front of the public eye. I think he likes attention and does well when people are around, like anybody."

Anyone interested in helping the animals at PAWS can learn more at www.pawsct.org.