Rescue Dogs Get Their First Show on Hallmark

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic
Hallmark Channel’s inaugural “2018 American Rescue Dog Show” will feature shelter dogs of all shapes and size competing for titles in adorable categories.


According to the American Pet Products Association, approximately a little less than third of the pets in the United States are adopted; with breeders, friends and family, as well as “other sources” being most common ways of getting a pet. Considering that each year 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized across the United States, such low percentage of adopted pets is devastating.


People at the head of Hallmark television are well-aware of the animal homelessness problem and do everything in their power to raise awareness about pet adoption. Their latest effort, named American Rescue Dog Show, is to premiere February 19th, and it is described as “a celebration of rescue dogs in a personality-driven competition.” I gotta say, I love the sound of that!


Up until now, dog shows were reserved for purebred dogs with pedigrees who competed for prestigious titles. Hallmark’s show is a heartwarming twist on the traditional dog shows: any pooch can compete, regardless of their breed, as long as they were (or are) a rescue or a shelter dog. The canines are not graded according to set standards, but rather praised for their wonderful doggo quirks that define their paw-personalities.


The show will feature a panel of celebrity judges and Rebecca Romijn and Rich Eisen as hosts. The furry contestants will have the opportunity to win a crown in most adorable categories ever, including:


  • Best in Couch Potato
  • Best in Wiggle Butt
  • Best in Underbite
  • Best in Talking
  • Best in Snoring
  • Best in Senior Dog
  • Best in Fetcher
  • Best in Kissing
  • Best in Special Needs
  • Best in Listener


The top 10 finalists will face each other in the final round for the chance to take home Best in Rescue. For the winners, Petco Foundation is providing $75,000 in non-profit grants to be donated to shelter or rescue organization of the winning pooch.


Cuteness galore and celebration of rescue pooches- it’s more than enough to entice me to tune in to Hallmark. But, the best part about American Rescue Dog Show is that it shows people what really matters, and that goes deeper than the color of dog’s coat or their body shape: their endless capacity to love. And, who knows, maybe seeing how cool shelter dogs are will inspire more people to give rescues a chance!

Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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