Puppy Bowl athletes rarely have a tough time finding their forever homes. Everybody loves a superstar, and Helen Woodward Animal Center always sends its best to the world’s cutest game. Often the WAGthlets we send to the show find their forever homes almost immediately. However, this year, one MVP took his time in Free Agency.
Callen played at the top of his game this past February. With millions of people watching, he successfully rushed, passed, and tackled his way to winning the hearts and minds of Dogball’s most passionate fans. When the now 10-month-old Dachshund blend first became available, his unique athletic look quickly won the hearts of a local family who wanted to add a champion to their household. Callen found joy with what he thought would be his forever franchise.
But then life had other plans. The couple who adopted the Dachshund defensive end discovered they were expecting a (human) baby in just a few months. They felt they wouldn’t be able to properly raise a puppy AND a baby and so they relinquished the Puppy Bowl champ back to the Center.
Callen wasn’t worried about his homecoming. He was a star-studded athlete, surely he would find his permanent people faster than you can say, “Blue 42.”
But his second stint at the Center wouldn’t go like his first. He sat in his kennel and watched as potential adopters skipped over him. He wasn’t the same small pup he was when he first found a family. He’d watch dogs half his age get scooped up by smiling humans. He began to wonder if he would ever experience that kind of love again.
Callen’s luck would change three months after his Helen Woodward Homecoming. He caught the attention of a guy looking for his very own star-studded pup. After meeting Callen the first time, the man went home to sleep on the decision. He came back several more times, always wanting to see the Dogball legend. Finally, after what felt like forever, the man signed on the dotted line and took the canine competitor home. Callen’s been living happily ever after since!
