Two Helen Woodward Animal Center alumni represent San Diego in Puppy Bowl XXII on Super Bowl Sunday
San Diego’s local connection to a national adoption showcase
San Diego will have a hometown stake in Puppy Bowl XXII, the annual football-themed TV special built around adoptable dogs from shelters and rescue groups. Two dogs adopted from Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe—Leo and Remy—are scheduled to appear in the 2026 edition on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
The program is set to air at 2:00 p.m. Eastern (11:00 a.m. Pacific) and will be carried across multiple Warner Bros. Discovery networks and streaming platforms. Puppy Bowl XXII is slated to feature 150 dogs drawn from 72 shelters and rescues spanning the United States, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.
Who’s competing from San Diego, and how the teams are split
Leo and Remy will compete on opposing sides in the show’s two-team format, a setup that mirrors a conventional football broadcast while keeping the focus on animal welfare messaging.
Leo, a terrier mix, is assigned to Team Fluff.
Remy is assigned to Team Ruff.
The dogs’ on-screen roles are framed through playful scouting-report style descriptions common to the franchise, but their inclusion also reflects a broader pipeline: shelters and rescues submit candidate profiles, including basic background information and video, as part of the selection process.
Expanded format highlights adoption beyond puppies
Puppy Bowl XXII is expected to broaden its traditional emphasis by incorporating senior dogs into the broadcast via a dedicated halftime segment. The addition is designed to put visibility on older animals that can be harder to place in permanent homes, while maintaining the special’s core premise: using entertainment programming to increase attention on shelter and rescue adoptions.
Local watch events tied to fundraising and visibility
In San Diego County, the Helen Woodward Animal Center has promoted in-person viewing tied to fundraising. A watch party is scheduled at McGregor’s Bar & Grill in Mission Valley on February 8, running from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with a cornhole tournament and an announced plan to direct a share of proceeds to support the center’s programs. The event is listed as 21+.
For local shelters, high-visibility programming can translate into higher public awareness and increased inquiries about adoption, fostering and donations—outcomes that extend beyond a single broadcast window.
What viewers can expect
While the Puppy Bowl is presented with sports-style narration, penalties and a championship trophy, it is prerecorded rather than live. By the time the program airs, many participating dogs across the roster may already be in homes. For San Diego viewers, Leo and Remy’s appearances provide a local lens on a national adoption campaign—one that blends entertainment with a structured effort to spotlight shelter animals of different ages and needs.