Brandywine Valley SPCA to cheer on former puppies during Puppy Bowl

SUSSEX Co. – Brandywine Valley SPCA will be cheering on two of their former puppies participating in the 20th annual puppy bowl. One of them came up from rough beginnings.

“Vanessa was rescued as part of a cruelty case out of Lewes, Delaware,” said Brandywine Valley spokesperson, Sara Smith. “We’re so excited for her to show her resilience, that an animal can be rescued from deplorable conditions.

Vanessa was one of dozens of pups rescued during an animal cruelty bust in Lewes. Smith is looking forward to catching the tiny yet mighty pup on the big screen during her Animal Planet debut.

“She was just a couple days old when she was rescued, and now she is running on the field and drinking out of the water bowl,” Smith said. “We are just so excited to see her play and we can’t wait to see what happens. We know she’s going to be a star.”

While Vanessa represents team ruff out on the field, Dominick, the floppy-eared doggy, will be tackling for team fluff.

“He likes to play and wrestle with other dogs,” Smith said. “He has that rough and tough play style, so he could be your linebacker on the field.”

And Smith said putting the pups in the limelight puts a spotlight on local shelters, giving families a look at all the forever friends they can take home, when they choose to adopt instead of shop.

“It’s a good way to raise awareness about the amazing animals that you can find, right at your local shelter,” Smith said. “When folks see that they can be like, ‘wait a minute, that came from Brandywine Valley SPCA, why don’t I stop over there and see what they have? Instead of shopping at the pet store or a breeder.”