BVI's Miss Coco Shines in Puppy Bowl
Miss Coco, a rescued island dog from the Humane Society of the British Virgin Islands, became the territory’s first canine to appear in the annual Puppy Bowl, scoring a field-goal–style play for Team Ruff. The televised appearance brought hometown pride to Captain Mulligans and shone a light on the shelter’s ongoing needs and adoption drive.
Captain Mulligans pub erupted in cheers Sunday afternoon when Miss Coco, the first British Virgin Islands dog to play in the annual Puppy Bowl, appeared on television and promptly kicked a field-goal play for Team Ruff. Coco entered the game late in the second quarter and immediately made an impact, briefly wrestling with Kentucky Humane Society’s three-legged mixed-breed Wynonna before nosing a toy ball across the goal line.
Team Fluff ultimately won Puppy Bowl XXII, 73-69, but local viewers celebrated the attention on rescue animals and the Humane Society of the BVI. Shelter manager Vijay Bissoondutt, who appeared alongside Coco in a “pup-close and personal” segment during the broadcast, said patrons at Captain Mulligans were shouting “Go Coco!” as the action unfolded.
Bissoondutt recalled rescuing Coco at roughly six weeks old with three siblings, all sick and malnourished, and nursing her back to health. He described Coco as “like a ping-pong ball — just keep bouncing and bouncing.” The Puppy Bowl, produced by Warner Bros. Discovery and aired ahead of the Super Bowl since 2003, showcases shelter animals to raise awareness and boost adoptions.
Producers required participating puppies to be under six months old and weigh less than 20 pounds, so Bissoondutt arranged for four-month-old Coco to be fostered in Long Island, New York, two months before filming so she could meet the criteria. Coco was also entered in the Pupularity Contest; a hype video was produced for her bid, though she lost the fan vote to a basset hound named Rhett.
Bissoondutt has deep roots in BVI animal rescue, volunteering at the shelter since 1997 and taking over management in 2013. He noted the shelter still struggles with abandonment and overflow — “I have 75 dogs looking for homes. Why shop when you can adopt?” — and operates without government funding, relying on donations for food, pet shampoo, and linens.
After Hurricane Irma damaged the old facility in 2017, the shelter moved to a larger location in Road Town’s Johnston’s Ghut, off Purcell Road behind the Riteway. Bissoondutt’s dedication was recognised in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth awarded him honorary membership in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Coco’s national spotlight provided a moment of pride for the BVI and a timely reminder of the ongoing need to support local animal welfare efforts through adoption, fostering, or donations to the Humane Society of the BVI.
Primary source: St Thomas Source