A more than 10,000-square-foot indoor dog park is set to open next month inside the former Incredible Pets building on Grass Valley Highway in North Auburn, giving local dog owners a climate-controlled alternative to the region's punishing summer heat. The venue, called The Bark, will occupy the suite at 1775 Grass Valley Highway, Suite A, and will cap attendance at 50 people at a time while splitting its play areas between large and small dogs.
Owner Amanda Sanchez developed the concept over five years before bringing it to North Auburn, according to reporting by WhatNow. She originally planned to open the facility in Midtown Sacramento but abandoned that site after determining demolition costs there were too expensive, per the Sacramento Business Journal as cited by WhatNow. Sanchez ultimately self-funded the project, keeping total costs under $100,000 after facing multiple funding rejections, with the project's expected total cost estimated between $50,000 and $60,000 per the same sourcing.
A Familiar Address Gets a New Purpose
The Bark will take over roughly 6,500 square feet dedicated specifically to park areas within the larger footprint, replacing the former Incredible Pets space that had long served North Auburn shoppers. Incredible Pets used the Grass Valley Highway location for retail and corporate operations before relocating its retail store to the Raley's shopping center on Lincoln Way and Foresthill Road near Interstate 80, according to Gold Mountain California. That move freed up a prominent commercial space for Sanchez's new venture, which expects to hire five to six employees once it opens.
The timing lines up with a local climate reality that has long shaped how Auburn residents exercise their dogs. July daily high temperatures in Auburn average 94 degrees Fahrenheit and can spike above 100, according to Whathotel, conditions that expose dogs to risks of heatstroke and thermal burns from hot pavement during vigorous outdoor play. Auburn's main public option, Ashley Off Leash Dog Park at Ashford Park, offers separated fenced areas, shade structures, and water features, per BringFido, but like any outdoor venue its usability still depends on the weather.
Membership Options and Entry Rules
The Bark plans to offer a mix of access options once it launches, including annual passes, monthly memberships, drop-in rates, and private space rentals. Sanchez told local community members in a Facebook post that the business will also carve out dedicated private rental times on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings for dogs that need isolated access away from unfamiliar animals. Presales are expected to begin within the next two weeks, Sanchez said, with the facility itself targeted to open next month.
Entry will require current rabies vaccinations for dogs, a policy consistent with California Health and Safety Code § 121690, which mandates rabies vaccination for all dogs four months and older statewide, according to Justia Law. That kind of controlled, verified environment mirrors a trend already visible locally: app-based rental services like Sniffspot have grown in popularity around Auburn, letting owners book private outdoor or climate-controlled indoor space by the hour, according to information shared in the same Facebook community post.
Future Phases Could Add a Cafe and Kids' Area
Sanchez has said The Bark may eventually expand to include a bar and cafe, as well as a children's play area, in future phases of the business. Those additions aren't part of the initial opening but reflect the multi-phase roadmap Sanchez has described for the location.
The North Auburn opening arrives amid sustained national growth in pet-related spending. Total U.S. pet industry spending hit $158 billion in 2025, a 3.7% increase over the prior year, and is projected to reach $165 billion in 2026, according to the American Pet Products Association. Non-veterinary pet services alone, a category spanning boarding, grooming, training and recreational services like The Bark, generated $14.3 billion in consumer spending in 2025, with a projected $14.9 billion in 2026. National dog ownership has also climbed, rising from 51% of U.S. households in 2024 to 53% in 2025, adding roughly 4 million dog-owning households for a nationwide total of 71 million, per the same association data.
