Ridgefield’s ROAR Pup Amelia Heads To Puppy Bowl XXII For TV’s Cutest Showdown

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Ridgefield has a new four-legged celebrity — and she’s heading straight for football’s fluffiest field.

Amelia, a rescue pup from ROAR Rescue, will trot into the national spotlight when she competes in Puppy Bowl XXII on Sunday, Feb. 8, airing at 2 p.m.

The annual canine showdown, broadcast on Animal Planet and simulcast across several Discovery platforms, pits Team Fluff against Team Ruff in a game where touchdowns are optional but tail wags are mandatory. Amelia will suit up for Team Fluff.

Before she was Amelia, the pup was known as Agnes Van Canine — a name that quickly gave way to something simpler once her big personality became clear. Born in May 2025, she arrived at ROAR in August after being transported from Georgia, part of the rescue’s ongoing efforts to bring adoptable animals north to find forever homes.

ROAR staff say Amelia’s confidence, playfulness and affectionate nature made her a natural pick for Puppy Bowl scouts. She’s known for enthusiastic greetings, energetic toy chases and a fondness for wrestling matches with her canine friends — all skills that translate surprisingly well to Puppy Bowl competition.

Amelia follows in proud Ridgefield paw prints. Last year, another local rescue dog made waves on the Puppy Bowl stage, helping put the town and its rescue community on the national map. The continued presence of Ridgefield pups in the event highlights ROAR’s growing reputation — and reminds viewers that Puppy Bowl stars are also adoptable dogs with second-chance stories.

Win or lose, Amelia will already have scored a touchdown for Ridgefield — shining a spotlight on rescue pets, local volunteers and the idea that sometimes the biggest stars start out in the smallest crates.