The Windy City Officially Becomes "Draft City" as Animal Planet Hosts First Ever Road to Puppy Bowl Draft on Wednesday, April 29

SILVER SPRING, MD — Draft fever comes to Chicago next week, but the most adorable action will be at PAWS Chicago and not the Auditorium Theater. At the first-ever ROAD TO PUPPY BOWL DRAFT, lucky four-legged players will hear their names called, get added to the big board and learn their new home teams.

On Wednesday, April 29, Animal Planet is teaming up with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), PAWS Chicago and the ASPCA® for the ROAD TO PUPPY BOWL DRAFT ADOPTION EVENT to help animals of all size, shape and breed find their forever homes, for free! Beginning at 4:30 p.m. CT, current and former NFL players will team up to evaluate all the prospective puppy players and help attendees make their picks from the lineup of adoptable animals at PAWS Chicago’s Lincoln Park Adoption Center.

Animal Planet and the ASPCA have teamed up to cover all draft adoptions fees for designated MVPs and will be sending families that draft MVPs home with an exclusive bag of Puppy Bowl swag. In addition to the draft event, Animal Planet’s Puppy Bowl referee will be on hand to pose for pictures with families’ and their draftee for the Animal Planet Instagram and twitter accounts (@animalplanet) and help introduce attendees to all the eligible free agents. In addition to live social media coverage on Animal Planet’s Instagram and Puppy Bowl Facebook page, post-event video will be on rotation at www.animalplanet.com.

Th... event is presented with special support from AT&T U-verse^®, which carries Animal Planet Channel on Channel 252 in SD/1252 in HD.

For more information and to register for the event, please visit http://roadtopuppybowldraftchi... have been waived thanks to grant funding from Animal Planet administered by the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Waived adoption fees are on a first-come, first-served basis on designated MVP pets. Free giveaways while supplies last.

About Animal Planet

Animal Planet, a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. Animal Planet consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 94 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; Animal Planet L!VE, the go-to digital destination for round-the-clock, unfiltered access to the animal kingdom; and ot

her media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service, and merchandising extensions.

About PAWS Chicago

PAWS Chicago (Pets Are Worth Saving) is a national model in No Kill animal sheltering, committed to bringing an end to the killing of homeless cats and dogs. As Chicagoland’s largest No Kill shelter, and one of the largest in the nation, PAWS has helped to reduce the number of homeless pets killed in the city by 77 percent since its founding in 1997.

In 2014, PAWS Chicago found homes for 5,952 homeless pets through its Lincoln Park and North Shore Adoption Centers and performed 18,290 spay and neuter surgeries through its Lurie Clinic and GusMobile Spay/Neuter Van. These two medical resources give PAWS Chicago the ability to provide free and low-cost spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations and humane education to under-resourced families and neighborhoods that need the most help in controlling pet population.

Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator, has consistently given PAWS Chicago its highest four-star ratings, placing the organization in the top 1% of charities in the nation. PAWS Chicago is also the highest rated charity in the Animal Rights, Welfare & Services category. Visit www.pawschicago.org for more information.

About the ASPCA^®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About the NFL Players Association

Established in 1956, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is a non-profit, professional sports union that protects the best interests and welfare of all NFL players. Governed by a Board of Player Representatives and acting in accordance with its Constitution and federal labor laws, the NFLPA’s responsibilities include: Representing all players in matters concerning wages, hours and working conditions and protecting their rights as professional football players; ensuring that the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement are met; negotiating and monitoring retirement and insurance benefits; providing other member services and activities; providing assistance to charitable and community organizations; and enhanci