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Dan Schachner

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Dan Schachner BIO


THE STORY
After his unceremonious firing from the NFL in 2010 for being “too soft” on the players, Dan decided to set his referee sights a little lower. Like 4 ft lower.

12 years later, as the only human on a field of adorable adoptable animals, being the Puppybowl Ref has become a full-time job for Schachner. The most recent Puppybowl XVIII airing was another huge success, along with the spinoff shows "Freedom Flight" "Dog Bowl" and his live adoption show "Give a Dog A Home."



Yes, The Ref’s been pooped-on, peed-on, and jumped-on. While pups may not respect his authority on the field, humans respect his authority as master of dog trivia.

Dan’s appeared on the Today Show to quiz Hoda and Kathy Lee on their canine knowledge, and every month he produces and hosts “PUP QUIZ," a trivia + dog celebration event in partnership NYC’s dog-friendly cafe “Boris and Horton,” with all proceeds going to animal rescue.



A long time advocate for dog rescue and fostering, Dan continues to provide a stop for pups who are crowded out of the shelters and in need of a forever home. Dan was named an ambassador for The Sato Project, which rescues abandoned dogs in Puerto Rico. He also works with countless other rescue groups around the country and continues to raise money for their benefit.



In 2018 Dan was awarded the “Animal Welfare Hero” award from the Baltimore Humane Society.



An expert in pet safety, Dan has partnered in the past with Orbitz, Stella and Chewy’s, Subaru, Petco and Xfinity to promote pet adoption and safe pet travel.

Dan Schachner Productions

 
[Off-Broadway, 2000]
Musical Director

Dan Schachner News


SUPER BOWL LVIII-Happenings and Catering Menus Around NYC for The Big Game


Super Bowl is less than a week away so it’s the ideal time to make some plans for the best possible big game experience.  Check out some of the selections around the city for catering and partying! 

TAILGATE BROOKLYN-Super Bowl Sunday Line-up


Get ready to touchdown at TailGate Outdoor Sports Bar for their epic Big Game Sunday experience! 

Puppy Bowl Returns for an Epic Showdown on Animal Planet & discovery+


'We need puppies now more than ever!' said everyone. Have no fear because television's cutest sports competition and the original call-to-adoption TV event, PUPPY BOWL, returns on Sunday, February 7 for the biggest, most exciting game to date,

PUPPY BOWL Returns on Sunday, Feb. 2


The pup players are back and ready for non-stop all football action for PUPPY BOWL XVI! Television's cutest sports competition and original TV adoption event, PUPPY BOWL, returns to Animal Planet Sunday, Feb. 2 at 3PM ET/12PM PT. This year's adoptable puppy players who make up the rosters of #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff celebrate a 'Sweet 16' extravaganza and dig deep and play hard to win the inaugural CHEWY 'Lombarky' trophy at GEICO stadium.

Kit Hoover and Dan Schachner Host First Ever GIVE A DOG A HOME LIVE! Special


Animal Planet's live weekly animal adoption series GIVE A DOG A HOME LIVE!, is gearing up for the holiday season with a special two-hour primetime edition of GIVE A DOG A HOME LIVE! Animal advocate and host of Access Hollywood and Access Daily, Kit Hoover, will join Puppy Bowl referee and host Dan Schachner on a live adventure across the US to meet animals up for adoption, and those dedicated to finding them their forever home. Rescue dogs and cats from Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, as well as animals from numerous Best Friends Animal Society locations (New York, Atlanta and Salt Lake City), will be featured as audiences will be able to interact on social media and find out more information on how to adopt them. The two-hour special will air live from the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace, a state-of-the-art pet adoption center, in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, December 7 at 5PM PT/8PM ET.

Animal Planet Presents Fan Favorite PUPPY BOWL XIV Today!


PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports history, returns to Animal Planet on Feb. 4 for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff who go paw to paw and nose to nose to win the CHEWY.COM 'Lombarky' PUPPY BOWL XIV trophy.

Pet Adoption Week on THE PRICE IS RIGHT Is Almost Here!


Join us next week, January 29 through February 2 as THE PRICE IS RIGHT, television's longest running game show and highest rated show in daytime, hosts Pet Adoption Week!

Animal Planet Presents PUPPY BOWL XIV 2/4


PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports history, returns to Animal Planet on Feb. 4 for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff who go paw to paw and nose to nose to win the CHEWY.COM Lombarky PUPPY BOWL XIV trophy.

Animal Planet Presents Fan Favorite PUPPY BOWL XIV This February


PUPPY BOWL, the cutest competition in sports history, returns to Animal Planet on Feb. 4 for an epic matchup between adoptable puppy players from #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff who go paw to paw and nose to nose to win the CHEWY.COM 'Lombarky' PUPPY BOWL XIV trophy.

Cutest Sports Competition Returns! Animal Planet to Air PUPPY BOWL XIII, 2/5


The cutest competition in sports history returns with an epic matchup between Team Ruff and Team Fluff's adoptable players who go nose to nose to win the inaugural Petco Lombarky trophy in PUPPY BOWL XIII at GEICO Stadium.

Cutest Sports Competition Returns! Animal Planet to Air PUPPY BOWL XIII, 2/5


The cutest competition in sports history returns with an epic matchup between Team Ruff and Team Fluff's adoptable players who go nose to nose to win the inaugural Petco Lombarky trophy in PUPPY BOWL XIII at GEICO Stadium.

PUPPY BOWL XII Returns to Animal Planet Today


Television's original adoption extravaganza is back and furrier than ever as the world's cutest sporting event returns to Animal Planet for PUPPY BOWL XII today, February 7 from 3-5 PM ET/PT

PUPPY BOWL XII Returns to Animal Planet 2/7


Television's original adoption extravaganza is back and furrier than ever as the world's cutest sporting event returns to Animal Planet for PUPPY BOWL XII on Sunday, February 7 from 3-5 PM ET/PT

10th Annual PUPPY BOWL Returns to Animal Planet Today


PUPPY BOWL returns to Animal Planet to celebrate a very special anniversary in a championship battle for cuteness and barking rights on Super Bowl(TM) today, February 2, from 3 - 5 PM (ET/PT) and repeating all day and night with exciting new content every hour.

10th Annual PUPPY BOWL to Return to Animal Planet, 2/2


PUPPY BOWL returns to Animal Planet to celebrate a very special anniversary in a championship battle for cuteness and barking rights on Super Bowl(TM) Sunday, February 2, from 3 - 5 PM (ET/PT) and repeating all day and night with exciting new content every hour.

Animal Planet's PUPPY BOWL VIII to Premiere 2/5


Ready for more tail wagging wildness, canine cuteness and animal athleticism than ever witnessed before? On Super Bowl(TM) Sunday, February 5, from 3-5 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet's annual canine competition returns to the grand gridiron with PUPPY BOWL VIII.

Animal Planet's PUPPY BOWL VIII to Premiere 2/5


Ready for more tail wagging wildness, canine cuteness and animal athleticism than ever witnessed before? On Super Bowl(TM) Sunday, February 5, from 3-5 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet's annual canine competition returns to the grand gridiron with PUPPY BOWL VIII.

Barrett Foa - from Dalton to Avenue Q


Barrett Foa, who understudies Rod/Princeton in Avenue Q already has some quite an intriguing list of roles to his credit. In the following interview, Barrett shares his thoughts on workshops, concerts, and his experience joing the Avenue Q family!

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