Dogs almost never get past the gates of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, but this Saturday the 127-acre Arcadia landmark is rolling out the welcome mat — leash required. Barks & Boos runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on October 10, letting ticketed dogs wander the grounds alongside their humans from opening until final call, with admission set at $18 for adults and $10 per dog, while human members get in free.
The fall-themed fundraiser, first detailed by NBC Los Angeles, is presented by VCA Animal Hospitals Specialty Care and will feature Mt. Lowe Brewing Company pouring beer alongside food trucks and an agility course for dogs to test their skills. A dog costume contest kicks off at 2:30 p.m., and the station notes that humans are welcome to enter the costume contest too. Pasadena Humane will be on hand with adoptable dogs looking for homes.
Proceeds from the event benefit both Pasadena Humane and the Arboretum Foundation, tying a day of tail-wagging fun to two organizations with very different but connected missions on the grounds of one of the region's most tightly guarded botanical collections.
Why Dogs Are Usually Banned From the Garden
Outside of events like this one, the Arboretum keeps a strict no-pets policy. Per the Los Angeles County Arboretum, operating hours were updated in September to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The garden generally prohibits pets, though dogs are admitted for ticketed events such as this one. That makes Barks & Boos a genuine rarity rather than a routine weekend offering.
Event-day rules keep things orderly once dogs are inside. The garden restricts visiting dogs strictly to paved pathways and grass fields, bars pets from off-limits botanical collection areas, and requires owners to bring their own waste bags to clean up after their animals, according to the arboretum's event policy. Dogs must stay leashed at all times throughout the visit.
Peacocks and Construction Add Extra Wrinkles
Dog owners should also be ready for some unusual neighbors: peafowl at the Arboretum. Park guidelines instruct visitors to keep at least 10 feet away from the birds, a rule that takes on new relevance with leashed dogs on the grounds.
Visitors should also expect some construction detours. The Baldwin Lake and Tule Pond Restoration Project has broken ground, with LA County Public Works as a partner and a completion target at the end of 2027.
A Broader Weekend of Fall Programming
Barks & Boos lands in the middle of a packed Halloween calendar at the garden, which Hoodline detailed last month. October offerings include a self-guided “Freaky Flora” walk running all month and “Ghoulish Garden” family and adult night hikes.
Co-presenting sponsor VCA TLC Pasadena Veterinary Specialty & Emergency runs a 24/7 critical care, emergency medicine, and board-certified surgery facility serving pets across Arcadia, Pasadena, and the broader San Gabriel Valley, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. That round-the-clock footprint underscores why the hospital group has attached its name to a fundraiser built around animal welfare.
Pasadena Humane's Busy Fall
Pasadena Humane, which Barks & Boos helps fund, traces its roots back to 1903, when it was founded as the Pasadena Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Dumb Animals.
The organization's reach was on full display during the Eaton Fire, when Pasadena Humane provided emergency services and temporary shelter to more than 1,500 pets and wildlife. This same weekend, Pasadena Humane is also running a second major adoption push: a 200-kitten adoption drive at CatCon 2026 at the Pasadena Convention Center, as Hoodline previously reported, meaning the nonprofit is coordinating two large-scale animal events in neighboring cities at the same time.
