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Employee’s dog to compete on ‘Puppy Bowl’

Employee holds dog
Richmond, VA, Letter Carrier Margarett Chase holds Sophie Jo, who will compete on Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl XIV” Feb. 4.

Margarett Chase is gearing up for a big game this weekend, but it’s not the Super Bowl.

Chase, a Richmond, VA, letter carrier, will be cheering for her dog Sophie Jo, a three-legged goldendoodle that will compete on Animal Planet’s “Puppy Bowl XIV.”

“I can’t wait to see the show with everyone else. I still can’t believe how lucky we are to have Sophie in our lives,” Chase said.

Sophie’s life didn’t start out easy: She was beaten by her original owner, and her hind left leg had to be amputated. A foster group cared for Sophie before choosing Chase from a pool of 190 applicants to adopt her.

“Sophie is a perfect fit,” said Chase, whose family includes two other goldendoodles named Stella and Seattle.

Now Sophie is ready to take the field on Puppy Bowl,” which Animal Planet will show Sunday, Feb. 4, at 3 p.m. ET.

Chase brought Sophie to New York City last October to film this year’s show. Sophie was accompanied by her friend Buttons, a blind and deaf cocker spaniel.

The “Puppy Bowl” producers make a point to showcase special needs dogs.

“Dogs are so resilient and they don’t let their disabilities get in the way of them having fun. They may need a bit more care from their humans, but they shouldn’t be overlooked,” Simon Morris, one of the show’s executive producers, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Sophie is now training to become a therapy dog for abuse victims and amputees.

“We were proud of how far Sophie has come,” Chase said. “We’re happy to share her story in the hopes of more families adopting special needs animals.”

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