Santa Rosa rescue puppy wins 'Puppy Bowl' spot and his new mom's heart

One rescue puppy has moved from the streets to the spotlight to a forever home – in a matter of months.

Mango, who was rescued by Compassion Without Borders, a Santa Rosa-based organization that rescues and helps dogs from Mexico to the Central Valley, Sonoma County, and even China and Guatemala, will be featured in next month's “Puppy Bowl” on Animal Planet.

The “Puppy Bowl” phenomenon, in which rescue puppies play on a mini-gridiron in an adorable showdown to nab the Chewy.com “Lombarky” trophy, began 14 years ago, SFGate reports. Mango is the first international dog to ever be featured in the program.

This year's two-hour-long fuzzy showdown on Super Bowl Sunday will feature a new stadium, Animal Planet said.

“Animal Planet called me (in August) and asked if we wanted to participate!” Christi Camblor, executive director of Compassion Without Borders, told The Sacramento Bee. “I chose Mango because he is so symbolic of all the animals we rescue from Mexico and the struggles they face.”

Mango, along with littermate Kiwi, was dumped in a box at the organization's clinic in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, in summer 2017 at a couple of months old, according to Camblor.

They were “covered in mange, very thin – (in) very poor shape,” Camblor said.

The group oversaw the pups' recovery at its Mexico rescue center and then transported them to its Santa Rosa shelter.

Then, Mango made his way to the East Coast for the filming of the “Puppy Bowl,” where he'll be taking the field as No. 25 for Team Fluff.

The 2018 “Puppy Bowl” was filmed in October in Manhattan, N.Y., according to Camblor. That's where Mango's new mom first laid eyes on him.

“Sydney Baldwin was working on the set of the Puppy Bowl and fell in love,” Camblor said. “She works with Discovery television and was working both days on the set.

“She spent lots of time with Mango and it was love at first sight.”

Baldwin adopted the pup, and since she lives in Manhattan, Mango didn't have to travel far after filming.

He's loving life with Baldwin, Camblor reported.

“He lives with his loving adopter in Manhattan, has his own dog walker, and is absolutely adored,” Camblor said.

It's “a true wags to riches story,” a news release from Animal Planet and the organization said.