Richard Kaufman, Patch Staff
Posted Fri, Jan 17, 2025 at 3:26 pm ET

STAMFORD, CT — Ahead of the Super Bowl on Feb. 9, two rescue dogs from Stamford, Clark and Vivian, will compete for Team Ruff in Puppy Bowl XXI, the annual televised call-to-adoption event that features over 100 rescue puppies from various shelters around the country.
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But the road to puppy gridiron glory for Clark and Vivian, who represent Lucky Dog Refuge, the nonprofit animal rescue and shelter based at 36 Pulaski St. in Stamford, was not easy.
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"They fought hard to be here, and we fought really hard for them to be here," Lucky Dog Refuge CEO and founder Kirstin Mende told Patch.

When/How to Watch the Puppy Bowl: The 21st Puppy Bowl (a call-to-adoption television event) returns on Sunday, February 9 at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT, and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+.

Fundraiser/Watch Party: Lucky Dog Refuge will be hosting a “tail-gate” party to watch the big game at the New York Comedy Club Stamford on February 9, 2025, from 1:30 pm to 5 pm. Supporters can bring their own dogs to enjoy the game, meet the stars of the show, win exciting raffle prizes, and meet a few of our adoptable dogs as well. There will be a cash bar and snacks for purchase. Tickets are $20 and funds will benefit Lucky Dogs in need.  https://stamford.newyorkcomedyclub.com/events/puppy-bowl 
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Clark and Vivian Game Highlights: Keep an eye out for Clark and Vivian who are participants in this year’s Puppy Bowl!
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Puppy Bowl, the original and longest running call-to-adoption television event, returns for the 21st year on Sunday, February 9 at 2:00PM ET/11:00AM PT and will be simulcast across Animal Planet, Discovery, TBS, truTV, Max and discovery+.  

The annual three-hour television event will feature 142 rescue puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states – and two countries – as they compete in the cutest competition of the year. With more puppies than ever before, Puppy Bowl XXI will highlight their inspiring journeys from birth to adoption, as well as the tremendous dedication of the rescues and shelters that help find animals their forever homes.
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“Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl serves as an annual pop culture programming event that continues to expand in reach, awareness and of course, puppies, every year,” says Howard Lee, Chief Creative Officer of U.S. Networks and President of Discovery Networks. “Win or lose, Puppy Bowl XXI will have the cutest players in the game on Sunday, February 9 and will inspire families across the country to adopt a new furry friend.”

Get ready for an afternoon of paws, fun, and touchdowns! Lucky Dog Refuge is thrilled to announce that two of their rescue puppies, Clark and Vivian, will star in this year’s Puppy Bowl XXI on Animal Planet. Join the excitement and meet the stars themselves at a Puppy Bowl Watch Party on Sunday, February 9, 2025, starting at 2 PM, hosted at New York Comedy Club Stamford.
About the Watch Party: Bring your furry friends to cheer on Team Ruff while enjoying a lively atmosphere filled with exciting activities:

• Meet Clark and Vivian, the adorable Puppy Bowl participants.
• Win fun raffle prizes.
• Meet adoptable dogs and learn about Lucky Dog Refuge’s mission.

By Raechal Shewfelt 
Published on January 14, 2025 05:21PM EST

One of the best things about the Super Bowl is the annual counterprogramming, in which the most adorable players ever engage in their own showdown and really ruff up the competition. It's Puppy Bowl XXI!
In the event's 21st year, a whopping 142 canines come from 80 shelters in 40 states and two countries. That's the largest numbers of dogs who have competed yet. While it's a lot of fun just to watch, the day is all about encouraging pet adoption, and viewers will be able to call in and connect with some of the pets.

Meet the Stars at the Puppy Bowl Watch Party at New York Comedy Club Stamford Feb. 9
Lucky Dog Refuge celebrates two of its rescue puppies making a splash in this year’s Puppy Bowl XXI on Animal Planet. Clark and Vivian are representing the Stamford-based rescue in the highly-anticipated Puppy Bowl on Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 2PM ET.

​“Around the time we were naming the puppies, I was also working with The Avon Theatre on its restoration campaign. The Avon is a historical gem in Stamford that is being returned to its 1930s glory, and so we were inspired to choose vintage names that were reminiscent of that time in cinematic history. Our Puppy Bowl pups are named after Vivian Lee and Clark Gable, who starred in Gone With The Wind, a movie that was released in 1939, the same year that the Avon opened, ” says Kirstin Mende, CEO and co-founder of Lucky Dog Refuge.
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Lucky Dog Refuge will be hosting a Puppy Bowl Watch Party at New York Comedy Club Stamford ( 230 Tresser Blvd, Stamford, CT 06901 )on Sunday, February 9, 2025 starting at 2PM. Supporters can bring their own dogs to enjoy the game, meet the stars of the show, win exciting raffle prizes, and meet adoptable dogs as well.
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Proceeds will benefit Lucky Dog Refuge, a rescue organization, and support improvements to Mill River Park's dog park.
​Lucky Dog Refuge and Mill River Park partnered for the third annual "Luckypawlooza" fundraising festival this weekend.
The event featured live music, "Lucky Dog Jeopardy" with prizes, pup-cups, and a pet meet-and-greet.
Proceeds will benefit Lucky Dog Refuge, a rescue organization, and support improvements to Mill River Park's dog park.

Get ready, Stamford! The third annual Luckypawlooza is set to take over Mill River Park on October 19 and 20, bringing two days of fun, food, and furry friends to the community. Presented by Magna Construction, this year’s festival is expanding to accommodate even more activities, running from 12 PM to 5 PM on both Saturday and Sunday.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
The event aims to raise funds for Lucky Dog Refuge and improve the beloved dog park at Mill River Park. All proceeds will directly support dogs in need and enhance the park experience for its many four-legged visitors.

A Star-Studded Event
This year, the festival will be hosted by Sam Ramsdell, a Stamford resident and social media sensation known for her energetic personality and impressive comedic chops. Sam, who holds the Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Mouth,” will lead a live game of Lucky Dog Jeopardy, complete with exciting prizes and surprises. Festival-goers can also look forward to a meet-and-greet with her adorable rescue pups, Peach and Pru, along with her partner in fun, OHHH JAAAAMES!
Sam has taken the comedy world by storm, boasting over 3.5 million followers on TikTok and performing on platforms as renowned as The Ellen Show and Italy’s Got Talent. With training from prestigious comedy schools, she brings a unique blend of humor and heart to this year’s event.​

Music and More
The festival lineup also includes an array of live music, featuring Peter Benson kicking things off at noon on Saturday, followed by Mars Hendrick and his full band from 2 PM to 5 PM. On Sunday, the musical vibes continue with a solo set from Mars Hendrick at 12 PM, and the weekend wraps up with a performance by Tangled Vine from 2 PM to 5 PM.
And for all the dog lovers out there, don’t miss the crowd-favorite pup cups for your furry companions, along with a thrilling lure course where dogs can showcase their speed. Plus, the festival will feature a Blind Rhino beer garden, adoptable animals from local rescues, mouthwatering food trucks, friendly dog competitions, fun activities for kids, a silent auction, and handmade crafts from local artisans.

Community Spirit
Kirstin Mende, CEO and Co-Founder of Lucky Dog Refuge, expressed her excitement about the event: “We are thrilled to be hosting our third annual festival in the beauty of Mill River Park, surrounded by nature yet in the midst of Downtown Stamford. The proceeds from this event will go a long way towards helping our Lucky Dogs in need, as well as improving the existing dog park. One of our favorite parts of Luckypawlooza is seeing our adopted dogs all grown up with their loving families! This event is always such a fun reunion of our Lucky Dog family!”
Get Involved!
Tickets for Luckypawlooza are available here. If you’re looking to get involved, volunteers can sign up here.
So mark your calendars for this paws-itively delightful weekend! Join us in supporting our furry friends and enjoy the community spirit at Mill River Park. Let’s make this year’s Luckypawlooza the best one yet! 

Lucky Dog Refuge and Mill River Park will host the third annual "Luckypawlooza" fundraising festival for two days in October.
​RJ Scofield, Patch Staff

STAMFORD, CT — Lucky Dog Refuge will host their third annual "Luckypawlooza" event next month, offering two days of entertainment for visitors and their canine companions to enjoy.

Presented by Magna Construction, the festival will be held Oct. 19 and 20 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Mill River Park, expanding the popular event from one day to two this year.

According to Marketing and Business Development Manager Samantha Rumore, the event's expansion came following feedback from adopters and friends who wanted to attend the event but ran into a conflict with one of the days.

"By expanding to two days we could cater to more people who would be available either Saturday or Sunday. We want everyone to have the chance to join us," Rumore said to Patch. "Also last year's event was very rainy on Saturday, but Sunday was beautiful and we wish we could do it all on that beautiful day. So this year we'll have fun for two days rain or shine."

Proceeds from the event are all for the dogs, benefiting both Lucky Dog Refuge and improvements to Mill River Park's dog park area, according to additional press materials.

Rumore said the Lucky Dog Refuge team was thrilled to host the festival each year in the beauty of Mill River Park, surrounded by nature but also in the midst of downtown Stamford.

"The proceeds from this event will go a long way towards helping our Lucky Dogs in need," Rumore said, "as well as improving the existing dog park at Mill River Park, which is frequented by so many of our adopters. We work closely with the team at Mill River Park Collaborative to not just use this space for the event but appreciate it as a piece of nature we enjoy as we walk our pets here."

Luckypawlooza 2024 will be hosted both days by Sam Ramsdell and OHHH JAAAMES!

A Stamford resident, social media creator and comedian, Ramsdell will host a live "Lucky Dog Jeopardy" game with prizes and surprises. A meet and greet with her rescue pups Peach and Pru, as well as James, will also be set up.

Also known as the woman with the "world's largest mouth," according to Guinness World Records, Ramsdell has over 3.5 million followers on TikTok and trained in improv and stand up comedy with Manhattan Comedy, Upright Citizens Brigade, Manhattan Comedy School and The Groundlings.

Guests can also enjoy an exciting lineup of live music, with Peter Benson kicking things off Saturday at noon and Mars Hendrick playing from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. with a full band.

On Sunday, guests can enjoy Mars Hendrick solo at noon, followed by Tangled Vine from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. to close out the event.

"We'll have our crowd-favorite pup cups for our four-legged friends, as well as a lure course to let your dog see how fast they can run," Rumore said. "Enjoy the Blind Rhino beer garden, adoptable animals from multiple local rescues, delicious food trucks, friendly dog competitions, kids activities, a silent auction and handmade crafts from local artisans."

The event comes after six months of planning, though Rumore noted Luckypawlooza "is always on our minds."

After two successful years, Rumore said she and the Lucky Dog Refuge team are proud the event has become an annual favorite for Stamford residents and visitors.

"We have such an amazing community of adopters, volunteers and supporters in the local area who love to get together to support a good cause," Rumore said. "We stay in touch as much as we can throughout the year, but one of our favorite parts of Luckypawlooza is seeing our adopted dogs all grown up with their loving families. This event is always such a fun reunion of our Lucky Dog family. All animal lovers in the community are welcome to bring their dogs, enjoy a pup cup, run in the lure course and celebrate both days with us."
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Tickets for Luckypawlooza can be purchased here, and those who wish to volunteer can sign up here.
More information is also available at www.luckydogrefuge.com.