Submission Period Starts on May 1 — $125,000 in Prizes Available
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – April 20, 2022 – Communities across the country will soon have the chance to build or enhance a local dog park, as PetSafe® brand prepares to launch its popular Bark for Your Park™ grant contest. This year, PetSafe® will award prizes totaling $125,000 to nine deserving communities.
Since introducing the program in 2011, PetSafe® has awarded more than $1.65 million to support more than 80 off-leash dog parks in the United States. Beginning May 1, anyone interested in building a new dog park or providing a makeover to an existing park in their area should submit entries at barkforyourpark.com. To enter your community:
- Confirm that your community has land available for a dog park.
- Contact a local civic leader and request an official letter of support for the dog park project.
- Make a list of ways your community will benefit from a dog park.
- Design a layout for your ideal dog park.
- Gather examples to show why the next big dog park should be in your community; like fundraising events, support from local businesses and more.
“Through our annual grant contest, PetSafe® helps local communities make their dog park dreams come true by building and maintaining safe, off-leash spaces that will have a lasting impact for years,” says Celeste Vlok, marketing manager for PetSafe® brand. “We encourage communities that have entered Bark for Your Park™ submissions before to participate again this year and continue their commitment toward making their city a more pet-friendly place.”
The Bark for Your Park™ submission period will be open from May 1 to June 30, 2022. Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges and PetSafe® will announce 30 finalists to compete in the public contest voting period. Finalists will be chosen on the level of enthusiasm and support for a dog park project within the community and the impact that a dog park project will have on the community.
Following the contest voting period, the four communities with the most votes pursuing a new park will receive $25,000 each, and the five communities with the most votes pursuing improvements to an existing local park will be awarded $5,000 each. The full grant contest timeline is as follows:
- Submission Period: May 1 - June 30, 2022
- Finalists Announced: August 1, 2022
- Voting Period: August 1-31, 2022
- Contest Winners Announced: September 2, 2022
Bark for Your Park™ grant winners span 40 U.S. states with thousands of stories to tell. PetSafe® recently visited 2018 winner, Pensacola, Florida, to highlight the dog park at Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart.
To kick off the 2022 grant contest, PetSafe® encourages cities across the country to celebrate National Dog Park Day on May 7. For more information on the program and how to enter your submission, visit barkforyourpark.com.
About PetSafe®
PetSafe® is dedicated to keeping pets healthy, safe and happy through innovative product solutions. As an industry leader, PetSafe® brand offers behavioral, containment and lifestyle solutions. PetSafe® brand is owned by Radio Systems Corporation®, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and services over 50 countries globally. For more information, visit petsafe.com.