Finding Out About The Event
First I saw Phillies Bark in the Park mentioned on their social media feed. Didn’t know anything about it, but dogs plus baseball sounded awesome to me. Thought “why not give this a shot?” since I got a hyper golden retriever named Biscuit who loves crowds.
Checking The Rules
Went straight to their official site and looked up dog requirements. Three big things jumped out:
- Vaccine paperwork HAD to be printed – no phone pics allowed
- Dogs must stay in special dog sections – no wandering around stadium seats
- Only 1 person per dog – couldn’t bring whole family plus pup
Printed Biscuit’s rabies certificate right then before I forgot. Almost missed that rule!
Buying The Tickets
Clicked “dog ticket” option on the ticket page. Saw two prices pop up:
- $30 for Biscuit’s ticket (yes dogs pay admission!)
- $45 for my human ticket
Total $75 with fees. Typed in credit card info so fast cause these events sell out quick. Got email confirmation instantly saying “Dog Participant Ticket”.
Packing Day-Of Essentials
Morning of game, packed a duffle with:
- Printed vaccine papers (DUH!)
- Foldable water bowl
- Extra leash and chew toys
- Gallon ziploc bags for… you know
- Tiny battery fan – August heat is brutal
Bought portable AC mats last minute after reading fan forums. Best $20 ever spent!
Getting Into The Stadium
Arrived 2 hours early cause I heard lines get nuts. Showed printed tickets first at gate – security guy scanned the human one and dog one separately. Then vaccine check took forever cause half the people forgot theirs! Lady ahead argued for 10 minutes showing phone pics – didn’t work. They sent her home. Felt smug having Biscuit’s papers ready in a plastic sleeve.
Got weird metal wristband for me plus matching orange dog tag for Biscuit’s collar. Walked past regular gates into dog-only entrance. Stairs into stadium were concrete ramps – super dog friendly.
The Dog Zone Experience
Holy biscuits – whole section smelled like dog treats and wet fur! Volunteers were handing out:
- Bandanas for dogs
- Pup cups with peanut butter
- Poop stations every 15 feet
Best part was relief station air-conditioned tent when Biscuit started panting. Volunteers gave her ice cubes while I chugged water. Shade sails covered our section but sun was still cooking. That portable fan saved us!
Between innings, they did “doggie dash” races on the warning track. Skipped it cause Biscuit would chase squirrels instead of running straight. Big dogs crushed that race!
Phillies lost but didn’t matter – Biscuit made friends with a bulldog nearby. Left with a nasty hat tan line and happy tired dog. Planning next year’s trip already!
