The 2024 Puppy Bowl is over and done with and while we can always go back and rewatch as many times as we want, we can never watch it for the first time again. But the thing that really stuck out to us this year was the fact that there was one pup who ended up having the entire game dedicated to them.
We already knew going in that there were going to be some pups on the Puppy Bowl field that were special needs. And one of them even won the title of MVP. However, the tiniest pup to play the game, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel/Poodle mix named Sweetpea, was another pup with special health needs. Sadly, the reason that the game was dedicated to this adorable puppy was because after her appearance in the Puppy Bowl, she passed away.
Although we don't know much about what happened or how long after her appearance she passed away, Animal Planet made sure to share the news on social media as well. And since Sweetpea was the smallest player to make an appearance at the Puppy Bowl at under two pounds, no matter what happened at the end of the game, we would want to know what happened next with her. (Considering we get some looks at what happened with different puppies after the Puppy Bowl ends, it makes sense to us that Sweetpea might have been part of that round up.)
According to a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), it seems that "Sweetpea was rescued by a shelter that specializes in helping special needs puppies.
Sadly, she was unable to overcome her health issues."
Sweetpea was rescued by a shelter that specializes in helping special needs puppies.
— Animal Planet (@AnimalPlanet) February 11, 2024
Sadly, she was unable to overcome her health issues.
We dedicate #PuppyBowl XX to her memory. pic.twitter.com/qs2askZ0CM
While Puppy Bowl XX was a celebration of 20 year of the event and the adoption of so many puppies over the years, knowing that one of this year's participants passed away so early in life brings a hint of sadness to the occasion. That being said, we love the fact that Sweet Pea had a chance to play with other puppies, enjoy a world spotlight, and just get a chance to tell the world her story, even in a small way.
It may not have been the ending we hoped for in terms of what came next for Sweetpea, but at least we know that she had a chance to be a puppy for a day, interacting with other pups and being sweet.
Are you as saddened by this news as we are? Were you a Sweetpea fan too?