The Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards Show, Hosted by Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, to Crown State Champions and Reveal National Finalists on June 25

The Awards Show That Celebrates America’s Pets Has Raised More Than $1.4 Million for Best Friends Animal Society
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Best Friends PR Team prteam@bestfriends.org

After 25 million votes and more than 50,000 entries, the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards is ready to crown the ‘Best in State’ pets. Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias will host a special award show streaming on Thursday, June 25 at 4:00 p.m. PT revealing the competition’s ‘Best in State’ winners from all 50 states and the national finalists for ‘Best Pet in the Nation,’ presented by USA TODAY Pets, a national media partner of the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards. Fluffy will be joined by co-host Monica McNutt (ESPN sportscaster and NBA analyst) and correspondents Chris Rose (veteran sports broadcaster) and Nastia Liukin (Olympic gold medal gymnast), along with special celebrity guests, fan-favorite pets, adoptable pets looking for loving homes and plenty of comedic moments along the way.

People can tune into the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards show at 4:00 p.m. PT today, June 25th, on the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards YouTube page, the USA TODAY Pets YouTube page and the Best Friends Animal Society YouTube page. Fan voting will open for the ‘Best Pet in the Nation’ immediately following the show on PetLoversChoiceAwards.com. The national winner, who will be announced in August, will receive $10,000 cash, inclusion on USA TODAY Pets, a Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards trophy, and many more prizes.

In an exciting twist to the awards, the Pet Lovers Choice Awards are launching a wildcard round. This is a second chance for current contestants, who missed being named as one of the finalists, to secure wildcard entry into the ‘Best Pet in the Nation’ competition. Voting runs from after the award show today until July 2nd. 

The Pet Lovers' Choice Awards has raised more than $1.4 million for national nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society, making it one of the largest pet-focused fundraising events in the world. Every paid vote cast throughout the competition directly supported the organization’s goal to save the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters. This national voting competition will continue to benefit Best Friends Animal Society and support its collaborative work with 6,000 shelter and rescue group partners across the country.

“Thanks to the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards and the millions of Americans who voted, Best Friends Animal Society has already been able to award grants to over 100 shelters and rescue groups across the country,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “Collaborations like this are key to saving pets' lives and getting them where they belong: out of shelters and into loving homes.”

Winners are determined by public voting. Each paid vote directly supports the work of Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit whose goal is to save the lives of dogs and cats in shelters.

ABOUT THE PET LOVERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

The Pet Lovers' Choice Awards is the first fan-voted, national broadcast awards show celebrating America's dogs and cats. The event honors the animals who make our lives better, while supporting pet lifesaving through Best Friends Animal Society. Follow us on social: Instagram @petloversawards, Facebook @thepetloverschoiceawards, TikTok @officialpetloversawards.

ABOUT USA TODAY PETS

USA TODAY Pets is a platform for people who care deeply about their animals, offering trusted guidance, inspiration, and community for pet owners across the country. Part of the USA TODAY Network, USA TODAY Pets reaches millions of readers each month with audience‑first coverage focused on the human–animal bond, responsible pet ownership, and the joy pets bring to everyday life. Visit us at: https://www.usatoday.com/pets-animals.

ABOUT GABRIEL ‘FLUFFY” IGLESIAS 

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is one of the world’s most successful stand-up comedians, amassing more than 2 billion YouTube views and over 34 million fans across social media. Named the 3rd highest-grossing comedian of 2024, he has earned recognition from The Hollywood Reporter and Variety and is one of the few comedians to sell out historic venues including SoFi Stadium, Madison Square Garden, Crypto.com Arena, the Sydney Opera House, and Dodger Stadium. Iglesias has released multiple hit Netflix specials — most recently Gabriel Iglesias: Legend of Fluffy, which premiered in 2025 and broke into Netflix’s global top-ten. His success has been further honored with a handprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre and an upcoming Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026.

Beyond stand-up, Iglesias starred in and executive-produced the Netflix sitcom Mr. Iglesias, which ran for three seasons and won Best Primetime Comedy at The Imagen Awards. He has appeared in numerous film and TV projects, including The Santa Clauses, Lopez vs. Lopez, Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL, and A Haunted House 2, and has voiced characters in major animated films such as Coco, Ferdinand, The Star, UglyDolls, and Space Jam: A New Legacy. Raised in Long Beach, CA, he began performing comedy in 1997, developing the animated, story-driven style that has since made him a global favorite among audiences of all ages.

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 6,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.