Puppy Bowl VI

Animal Planet's answer to the Super Bowl is hours of gratuitous footage of puppy playtime. The Puppy Bowl, along with the Kitty Half-time Show, takes place in a football field playpen filled with toys and cameras — including one that gives a water-bowl's-eye-view. It's hosted by veteran broadcaster Jeff Bordner who lends his voice to the instant replays and penalty calls. You may even catch a glimpse of bunny cheerleaders or hamsters.

It's ridiculous ... and ridiculously adorable.

I can hear the alarms ringing throughout the animal community. Animals being used for entertainment, this can't be good!

We're a skeptical bunch, and with the news on most days, it's understandable. But you might be pleasantly surprised by the Puppy Bowl. Here are five reasons why you don't have to feel guilty about tuning in this Sunday.

1) All of the animals are from local shelters and rescue groups and are listed on Petfinder for adoption, so you don't have to worry about this being a puppy mill parade. The Puppy Bowl is fantastic exposure for animal adoption, especially for the 43 players, the 20 kitten entertainers, the bunny and hamsters on the sidelines, and the shelters that care for them. This game levels the playing field a bit, giving mixed breeds a chance to show their champion qualities. 

2) The Puppy Bowl is approved by the American Humane Association. In case you aren't familiar with the AHA, this is the organization that oversees animals in film and television and grants the "No Animals Were Harmed" disclaimer. Although the puppies and other animals are being filmed, they're not being asked to perform for our entertainment. From the animals' point of view, they're getting a field trip away from the shelter to socialize and play with other animals (which is a necessity, especially for puppies). The game rotates the "lineup" to make sure the puppies get plenty of rest and there is a "referee" to watch out for any rough play.

3) If watching men give each other brain injuries isn't your thing, the Puppy Bowl is the perfect way to fill the time between the most expensive — and controversial — commercials of the year.

4) If you're actually watching the game and want to skip this year's crop of controversial ads that cost more money per second than most people will make in a year, the action on the other Bowl field will keep you entertained during gamebreaks. As a bonus, pet adoption makes a great antidote to thoughtless consumerism; hop online and check out the adoptable stars in your area.

5) Puppies playing are just plain cute. I tend to favor adopting older animals, but I don't have to clean up after the Puppy Bowl. You can be sure that every one of these rescued puppies will find good homes, and that they'll help boost overall adoption at their shelters. No matter where they came from, you get to see the resilience, the innocence, and the social nature that's the foundation of the human-animal bond.

Photo credit: P Pogo