NBC to Air 'Best in Shelter with Jill Rappaport' February 21

Water Mill’s Jill Rappaport, an award-winning animal advocate and NBC’s animal welfare correspondent, hosts and executive produces the television special Best in Shelter with Jill Rappaport, airing February 21 on NBC 4 New York.

Rappaport concieved of the show to demonstrate that shelter dogs and cats are just as wonderful as pets from breeders and stores, and just as deserving of a loving home.

“This show is about saving lives and finding them ALL forever loving homes,” Jill Rappaport says. “It has been my dream for years to do a show that shines a light on the plight of shelter animals, and the wonderful heart and souls they possess!”

The special will feature celebrity animal lovers Betty White, Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, host of HBO’S Real Sports Bryant Gumbel and wife Hilary Gumbel, singer Emmylou Harris, teen actor Lou Wegner and Bernadette Peters.

“The show takes viewers along on a search for the country’s most loveable rescue dogs,” NBC states. The special features categories of dogs often overlooked for adoption such as seniors, pit bulls, mutts and tripods–three-legged dogs.

The special will visit Main Line Animal Rescue in Pennsylvania, the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California, and the ASPCA’s shelter in New York City. One dog from each shelter will be named “Best in Shelter” and rewarded with a year’s supply of a food-filled care package from show sponsor Blue Buffalo.

Catch Best in Shelter with Jill Rappaport on Saturday, February 21, at 7 p.m. on NBC 4.