The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Couple ‘Puppy Bowled’ over by star foster dog
When Amanda Vitti and her fiancé agreed to foster a small, white puppy from the Danbury Animal Welfare Society last fall, they had no idea he might become famous.
But Chip—now called Echo—is one of 20 Connecticut dogs who will run around the 2021 Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet next month, and the energetic pup will get his five minutes— or in this case, two hours— of fame.
“We’re all just very excited that we have a little star on our hands,” said Vitti, a 23-year-old New Milford resident.
With nearly 2 million people tuning into the annual show last year, Echo is sure to have some eyeballs on him.
Vitti and her fiancé will be glued to the TV hoping to catch a glimpse of Echo’s perky black ears on screen when “Puppy Bowl XVII” airs on Animal Planet and Discovery+ at 2 p.m. Feb. 7.
The winning team— either Team
Ruff or Team Fluff— will take home the Chewy “Lombarky” trophy, a homage to the Vince Lombardi Trophy which is bestowed upon the victors of the human Super Bowl each year. The show has been on air since 2005.
With COVID making Super Bowl Sunday parties and traditions impossible, the annual Puppy Bowl, at least, will continue.
“It’s just a time when people need positive things,” said Karen Pasieka, puppy program foster coordinator at DAWS. “Puppy Bowl has always been that.”
To raise awareness about shelters and adoption, Animal Planet only accepts athletes who are rescues, like Echo. This year, five Connecticut shelters have puppies in the show, including rescues in Danbury and Ridgefield.
The Danbury Animal Welfare Society, where Vitti adopted Echo, and the Ridgefield Operation for Animal Rescue both obtained the highly selective spots for their puppies. While the event is old hat for DAWS, who has participated for four years, it is the first time ROAR has sent dogs.
Another foster mom, Melissa Viscariello, knew there was a chance at least one of her two
foster puppies from DAWS, Gus and Gizmo, now called Bruno and Cooper, would be on the show. But when she got the news that both had been accepted, she was relieved and excited.
“We were over the moon, both of them being in, and then being able to go together,” she said. “We weren’t going to have to send one of them all by themselves, which we were a little nervous about.”
The brothers have since been adopted by Viscariello’s family.
Nine of the 14 applications DAWS submitted were accepted. Both of ROAR’s applications were approved.
“To have both of them selected was a great honor,” said Kerry Dobson, executive director of ROAR.
While Animal Planet doesn’t specify particular breeds, the channel wants the puppies to be between 12 and 20 weeks old during filming in October. Dogs are screened upon arrival to make sure they’re in good health. To apply, verified shelters and rescues submit photos of the dogs, along with a short description of their personality.
Preparing and filming
Pasieka said it’s helpful to informally train the accepted puppies to get them comfortable with walking through the “tunnel”
at the event. DAWS encouraged fosters to have the puppies practice with cardboard boxes or similar pieces of furniture.
Vitti practiced the tunnel entrance with Echo by having him walk under a coffee table and socialized him with other dogs as much as possible. Now, much to Vitti’s chagrin, the 40-pound, knee-height pup still thinks he can squeeze under the table.
Pasieka, Vitti and some other foster parents accompanied their puppies to the filming. Protocol for those in attendance included a negative COVID test prior to the event, as well as a rapid test on site.
Vitti was glad she was there to keep Echo company throughout the long, 10-hour day. While the
puppies were with the staff on the field, she enjoyed watching the action from a safe distance.
Unlike the Super Bowl, this event involves mountains of treats, a designated nap time, and plenty of snuggles.
“If a puppy gets there and they are overwhelmed and they aren’t comfortable, we just scoop them up,” Pasieka said. “There’s no pressure.”
Due to COVID, Animal Planet only accepted rescues from nearby areas, instead of inviting pups from across the country. Contestants had to be within driving distance of the Glen Falls, NY, arena.
Still, the channel had no problem finding enthusiastic participants, said Erin Wanner, senior vice president of production for Animal Planet.
She didn’t get to hold the puppies at the event this year, but still had fun watching them play in the arena.
“It’s definitely the highlight of my year—the day I get to pinch myself and say, ‘This is really my job,’” she said.
Encouraging adoption
Other shelters and rescue partners are still included in special segments featuring puppies who are up for adoption across the country.
“I just saw the segments for the first time, and they’re absolutely adorable,” Wanner said.
Echo is not only Vitti’s first rescue, but her first puppy. She thought fostering would be a good way to test her mettle and fell in love.
“Two weeks in, I looked at my fiancé and was like, ‘We can’t give him back,’” Vitti said.
She works from home with Echo and is thinking about adopting another dog once he’s older.
In 2020, DAWS broke its records with around 1,200 adoptions, said Alice Meenan, director of development and marketing. Yet, the animals in need keep arriving, and the Puppy Bowl is a good opportunity for shelters and rescues to showcase their work, she said.
“Everyone’s tuning into Super Bowl Sunday,” Meenan said. “This is a great opportunity for you to save a life and find your companion.”
Pasieka and Meenan hope viewers will be inspired to adopt from their local rescue, even if the puppies on the show aren’t available. About 20 puppies being fostered through DAWS are in need of a “forever home,” Pasieka said.
“This isn’t about DAWS,” she said. “This is about all rescues and the rescue movement.”