Chai from Arizona Humane Society competing in Sunday’s Puppy Bowl

PHOENIX — Arizona may not be represented on the NFL side of Super Bowl Sunday, but the state still has a dog in the fight when it comes to the Puppy Bowl.

Chai, a Cairn Terrier from the Arizona Humane Society, will be one of 150 dogs competing in the Puppy Bowl and vying for the “Lombarky” trophy. It’s the fourth year in a row and fifth overall that AHS will be represented at the annual event.

Chai is a 7-month-old puppy who arrived at AHS after it was found she and four other puppies were being kept in a crate outside during the hot summer months.

“We were able to bring her into the Arizona Humane Society’s care where her and her family received treatment in our maternity suites, which is a quiet, medically supervised area for nursing mama dogs as well as pregnant dogs,” AHS spokesperson Kelsey Dickerson told KTAR News.

She has since found her forever home after spending a period of time putting on additional weight in a foster hero home.

“She was lucky enough to be able to find her forever home already,” Dickerson said. ” But just because she’s been adopted, I hope that doesn’t deter anyone else from coming down to the Arizona Humane Society and seeing the absolutely wonderful pets who are still looking for their forever homes.”

For those who can’t take on the permanent commitment of a pet, Dickerson said people can also sign up to foster and be part of a pet’s recovery process that way.

The dogs participating in the 22nd edition of the Puppy Bowl come from 72 shelters across the United States, Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.

The event will be broadcast on Sunday at noon MST across linear channels Animal Planet, Discovery, truTV and TBS, as well as streaming platforms HBO Max and Paramount+. A kickoff show will start an hour earlier.

KTAR News’ Melody Birkett contributed to this story.