KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the eighth year in a row, PetSafe® brand, an industry leader in the development of innovative pet behavioral, containment, and lifestyle product solutions, will accept applications from communities around the country for the opportunity to receive grants to help build and enhance local dog parks.

“Since we launched the Bark for Your Park™ grant program in 2011, we’ve given away over $1 million to build, maintain and enhance dog parks in over 70 communities across the country,” said Justin Young, marketing specialist at PetSafe brand. “Creating safe, off-leash areas for pets and their owners is important to us. Whether we can assist with the funding for a new dog park, or simply help a community install a new fence or watering system, this program is a passion for everyone who works at PetSafe.”

PetSafe received 213 Bark for Your Park grant applications in 2017, and provided 25 communities with grants to build, maintain and enhance local dog parks. In 2018, PetSafe is increasing the number of $25,000 grants for the construction of new parks from five to eight. In addition to the grants for new dog park construction, five communities will receive $5,000 grants to enhance their local dog parks.

May 1 through June 30, communities can submit a grant application at www.petsafe.net/barkforyourpark. To apply, each community will need the following items:

• A letter from a civic leader showing support for the dog park project
• Photos of the future dog park space or current off-leash dog park
• Blueprints of the community’s ideal dog park
• Summary of how the community would benefit from the building, maintaining or enhancing the dog park
• A brief of ways your community has shown support for an off-leash dog park

All applications will be reviewed by an internal committee, and the chosen communities will be announced in August of 2018.

To kick off the 2018 Bark for Your Park grant-giving program, PetSafe will celebrate the second annual National Dog Park Day across the country on May 5. This event will encourage pet owners and communities across the country to gather on this day to celebrate their pets, learn about adoption and enjoy meeting with fellow residents of their community.

The following communities will host events at their dog park in honor of National Dog Park Day:

• Knoxville, TN
• Baker City, OR
• Port Chester, NH
• Enfield, NH
• University Place, WA
• Lodi, WI
• Truth or Consequences, NM
• Jacksonville, FL
• Colorado Springs, CO
• Birmingham, AL
• Boston, MA

For more information about the Bark for Your Park program, how to get involved in National Dog Park Day or to submit a grant application, please visit www.petsafe.net/barkforyourpark, or watch this online video for an inside peek into the program.

About PetSafe®

PetSafe® is an industry leader in the development of innovative pet behavioral, containment and lifestyle product solutions. PetSafe is owned by Radio Systems Corporation™ and headquartered in Knoxville, TN. For more information, please visit www.petsafe.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.