Music blared, a statue was unveiled, and dogs barked in delight as Zbonz Dog Park officially opened its gates to show off the 10-acre fenced, fully irrigated park.
But the unveiling of the park was just one of the many exciting parts of the day.
“It’s unique to open something like this because you don’t have a lot of facilities dedicated to animals in the community,” said park director Richard Zavala.
The event also featured tents from various pet foundations and companies in Fort Worth. The purpose of the tents was to provide and encourage resources for pet owners, such as grooming, pet care, vaccinations and much more.
The Fort Worth Partnership for Pets said they set up a booth to provide information and to raise funds for the support of animals around Fort Worth.
Through partnerships with the Humane Society of North Texas, Saving Hope Foundation, Fort Worth Animal Care and Control, Spay/Neuter Network and PetSmart Charities, the organizations have collaborated to save the lives of animals through adoption, spay/neuter and education.
“All of the organizations that are involved in Fort Worth Partnership for Pets are very excited about today,” said Kelsey Patterson, executive board member of Saving Hope and a representative of Fort Worth Partnership for Pets.
Patterson said the park opening was the perfect opportunity for the organizations to announce their partnership.
“I think it’s a good day for everyone in the community to get their dogs out and socialize,” Patterson said. “But more importantly, its about coming together as a community and making Fort Worth a better city for our four-legged friends.”
To honor this celebration, Mayor Betsy Price and Councilman Zim Zimmerman spoke to the community about the numerous foundations that helped the project funding.
“This has been a great public and private partnership,” said Price. “Our foundations have raised more than a million dollars to help the city with this park.”
The city leaders also unveiled the park’s newest addition of artwork. The bronze statue, named Who Rescued Who?, was crafted by Lorri Acott and dedicated to Tony and Bill Baker.
Price said she believes the statue represents the love between pet and owner, much like the purpose of this celebration.
“We all love our pets and they mean so much to our life,” said Price. “It’s been great to see so many people come out to support today.”