- Record Attempt Will Take Place May 1 with “Bark at the Park” at Chase Field; 1,000 Dogs Needed, Fans Invited to Participate
PHOENIX, 2016-Apr-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Chase Field has gone to the dogs! After the successful launch earlier this month of the PetSmart Patio and additional PetSmart-sponsored permanent dog-welcoming facilities at Chase Field that have created the first-ever season long dog-friendly ballpark in America, PetSmart, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Central Garden & Pet are cranking it up a notch – 1,000 – or 1,000 notches –by attempting to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the most dogs attending a sporting event.
The attempt will be officiated by a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator and take place Sunday, May 1, when the D-backs host the Colorado Rockies and the national kick-off of Bark at the Park, a traveling 12-game dog-friendly program where dog-loving fans can bring their best friends to a baseball game at stadiums across America. This year’s Bark at the Park program is hosted by Central Garden & Pet, the parent company of Nylabone® and AvoDerm® Natural Pet Foods, as well as PetSmart. Bark at the Park has been run by this Central Garden & Pet-led sponsorship group more than a decade and dog attendance at these events at stadiums across the country have ranged from 300-900 dogs per game.
The group’s aim is to host 1,000 dogs at Chase Field on May 1. According to the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS organization, this is the first official attempt for this record. The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator will account for the dogs entering Chase Field and is expected to call the record by the end of the second inning.
“We can’t wait to achieve this GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS milestone and see 1,000 dogs come out with their pet parents to enjoy a D-backs game on Sunday, May 1, at Chase Field – the nation’s most dog-friendly stadium,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We are thrilled to partner with our friends at the D-backs and Central Garden & Pet to bring this exciting GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS experience to the D-backs’ community. We encourage fans to come out with their dogs to enjoy an MLB game and be a part of history. Even if we don’t set this record, we’ll all have lots of fun trying.”
In addition to taking in a baseball game together, fans and their canine companions can participate in the pre-game “Puppy Parade” held on the field’s warning track where it’s hoped that 1,000 dogs will take part. Also on hand will be dog-friendly ice cream, PetSmart’s Pet Expressions dog-friendly paint stenciling service featuring the D-backs and other MLB logos, as well as photo opportunities, giveaways, discount coupons – and even dog adoptions. The Arizona Animal Welfare League will be hosting dog adoptions in The Adopt Spot™ by PetSmart during the game so that fans who want to expand their families through adoption can help these dogs find their forever homes.
Tickets start at $20 per person and $20 per dog and can be purchased atwww.dbacks.com/barkatthepark.
About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,433 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents -including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities™ and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 450,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.
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CONTACTS:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com
PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177
D-backs Communications
602-462-6519
Katie Krause
210-279-6793