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PetSafe Brand to Award More Than $250,000 to Fund Off-Leash Dog Parks

Pet Age Staff//May 16, 2016//

PetSafe Brand to Award More Than $250,000 to Fund Off-Leash Dog Parks

Pet Age Staff //May 16, 2016//

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PetSafe launched its nationwide Bark for Your Park program in 2011 to help communities build their own off-leash dog park, and this year the brand is restructuring the contest into a grant-giving program and increasing the number of awards from five to 25.

“In the past five years, we’ve given away over $850,000 to communities to build dog parks of their own, but we want to help communities during every stage of development,” said Tracy Mulder, marketing manager for PetSafe. “Our new Bark for Your Park program is expanding to not only help break ground on new parks, but also help fund maintenance and improvements for existing parks.”

Communities can submit a grant application now through June 30, 2016 on www.petsafe.net/barkforyourpark. The applications will be reviewed by an internal committee and PetSafe will award five new park grants valuing $25,000 each, ten park makeover grants valuing $10,000 each, and ten park maintenance grants valuing $5,000 each.

This year’s award recipients will receive a combination of funds and commercial-grade dog park equipment from UltraSite, a PlayCore Company. The winning communities will be announced over a five-week period during August through September.

Aside from providing financial support, the Bark for Your Park program has been credited with bringing together communities.

“Besides the monetary award, the participation brought a group together that remains today the backbone of the Waverly Bark Park Volunteer group,” said Tab Ray, director of Waverly Leisure Services in Waverly, Iowa, which took home the grand prize in the 2014 Bark for Your Park contest. “As the park was being constructed, the group that worked to win the grant has now assisted in setting rules and policies, helped with some great programs and has plans for improvements and future programs.”