Amanda Balionis gets new ‘perfect’ foster puppy, names him Jenga

Amanda Balionis got a new puppy, which she later put up for adoption. The American journalist runs an NGO named Puppies and Golf to protect and advocate for needy dogs.

On Thanksgiving (November 28), Balionis's mother scooped up a foster puppy and gifted him to her. She shared several pictures of the dog on her Instagram. One with the dog sitting in a park is captioned:

"Best Thanksgiving surprise...my mom scooped up a foster dog from @nateshonoranimalsrescue that we get to spoil on this holiday."

Balionis later shared an Instagram story revealing the puppy’s name, writing:

"Everyone say 👋 to Jenga. 3 months old and perfect 💕."

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Still from Amanda Balionis' Instagram story/@balionis

Balionis wrote over another picture:

*"This little buddy is: Dog-friendly- All people/kid-friendly - So far has only gone potty outside already."

The golf journalist also posted a selfie with the dog, revealing that Jenga and his siblings will be available for adoption starting Friday morning, November 29. She wrote:

"If you're in the SRQ/Tampa area, Jenga and his siblings will be ready for adoption Friday morning at @nateshonoranimalsrescue!"

Still from Amanda Balionis' Instagram story/@balionis

Balionis is known for regularly posting about her day-to-day life on social media. She has 320K followers on Instagram.

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Amanda Balionis’ love for dogs

Amanda Balionis’ love for dogs is evident on her Instagram page, where she has several story highlights featuring her furry friends. Earlier this year, at the 3M Open, she was accompanied by two dogs. She posted a picture with them on her Instagram, one sitting on her lap and the other on a chair. She also shared several photos of herself interviewing professional golfers at the tournament.

Balionis started her NGO, Puppies and Golf, in 2020. Her NGO actively works to help dogs in need by collecting donations and providing essential resources. In an interview with Golf Digest that year, she shared the reason for starting the organization, saying:

"I was volunteering for K9s for Warriors when I worked for the PGA Tour in Jacksonville, Florida, and it was really fulfilling and gratifying. It made me feel like more of a whole, well-rounded person. And then when I moved to San Diego and took my job with Callaway, all of a sudden I didn’t have that in my life, and I realized how important giving back was to me."

Balionis has been working as a journalist since 2009. She began her career with Verizon FiOS Channel 1 before joining MSG Network, where she worked until 2011. From 2011 to 2017, she worked with the PGA Tour and ultimately joined CBS Sports in 2017.