The Buffalo Bills may not be in Las Vegas competing for a Super Bowl ring this year, but upstate New York fans of another big game have a lot to look forward to. Central Bark kicks off their grand opening in Henrietta with its first annual Puppy Bowl.
"One of the reasons why I wanted to open up Central Bark is I really wanted to be a lot more involved in the community," Central Bark owner Phil Clark Jr. said. "So we do a lot. We do a lot of community aspects and things. So this is just one thing that we're looking to do and we're looking forward to having the Puppy Bowl every single year here."
Offering dog boarding, grooming, and training to enhance the lives with one’s four-legged companion. Central Bark owners were excited to open its doors for all dog lovers and sport fans.
"We have over 100 people already signed up," Clark Jr said. "We're going slow with that because we have to make it as safe as possible. But opening up our doors today and really showing the community it all about is really exciting after all the work we put into it."
The event featured special guest stars like Josh Allen, also known as Wicket, on the field.
"He's a blue Merle Pomeranian," dog owner April Beagley said. "His name is Wicket. He's ten weeks old. We're huge Bills fans. So when we heard he was going to the Puppy Bowl, he had to go with Josh Allen."
Despite many players facing unique challenges, their coaches still were excited about the turnout.
"Watching Wicket not participate," Beagley said. "He just sat there and watched everybody else, which surprised me because he loves to go after my other dogs. There's so many people here and so many different breeds and and and all different sizes of dogs. And it was a great experience."
Shining a light on not only Central Bark’s services, but dog adoptions, collaborating with Lollypop Farm Humane Society of Greater Rochester.
"I was so impressed with what Lollypop Farm is looking to do and all their fostering opportunities and being such a prominent ASPCA in the area, we absolutely wanted to partner with them," Clark Jr said.
Although not everyone may walk away with a Puppy Bowl win, many owners say the real prize is the puppy players they get to call 'family.'
"Oh, gosh, owning a dog is like owning another baby, but it's so worth it," Beagley said. "There's so much love that you have to give. And to give that love to a puppy is just amazing."