PetSmart's Gift To Pooches & Their People; A Dog Park In A Box!

PetSmart created a unique concept to help dogs and communities.  The PetSmart Pop Up Park (PUP) is basically a dog park in a box!  The PUP is a metal shipping container that includes everything needed to set up a temporary, portable dog park.   You’ve gotta love this dog park in a box idea! 

The PUP transforms a vacant space into a 6,500 – 10,000 square foot dog park.  The PUP container includes fencing, access ramps, cleanup stations, solar powered lighting, a storage closet, doggie play features, and benches for the humans to sit on!   The containers themselves function as the entry and exit point to the park.  The park is portable and could be moved to another location if needed.  It could also potentially be used as a temporary forum to host a variety of pet related events, such as large adoption events.   Each PUP costs approximately $50,000, which is a bargain considering the construction of a permanent dog park costs several hundred thousand dollars.  Once the PUP is installed, it is independently maintained by the community.  Here's a video of the first PUP, installed in Phoenix, from AZ Central:

 

So far, PetSmart has installed PUPs in vacant city spaces in 3 cities; Phoenix, Sacramento, and Detroit.  The PUPs create a usable dog park space for dogs and their owners,  help clean up and beautify unused city spaces, and put unsightly vacant lots to good use.  

PetSmart’s PUP started as an initiative with the city of Phoenix to help beautify and utilize vacant lots across the city for the good of the community.  As I’ve said before, Arizona is one of the most dog friendly cities I’ve ever been in!  It’s one of the things we love most about living in Phoenix.

Hey, have you guys heard about the PetSmart Pop Up Parks (PUPs)?  Paws are slappin' and tongues are waggin' about these portable dog parks!

After the first PUP rolled out successfully in Phoenix, AZ,  a PUP in Sacramento, CA (for small dogs)  and a PUP in Detroit, MI were installed.  A fourth PUP is expected to be created in one more community by end of 2014.  The PUP was Detroit’s first official dog park!

The PUPs align nicely with PetSmart’s belief in “enriching people’s lives through the power of pets”.  I know all of us share in the philosophy of enriching lives through the power of pets!

Have you been to one of PetSmart's PUPs?  If so, tell us about it by leaving a comment!  I think implementing PUPs to repurpose vacant lots into a place for dogs, their owners, and the community to enjoy is a brilliant idea!  Do you agree? 

THIS IS A THOUGHTLESS THURSDAY BLOG HOP!!! 

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