A different type of animal took center stage at the Akron Zoo on Wednesday night: dogs.

And not just any group of pups — Barking Backers premium member canines.

As part of the Browns' official fan club for dogs, Barking Backers, 242 dogs and their human counterparts enjoyed an evening at the zoo for the 2026 Sniff-ari, the premium member exclusive event of the summer.

Barking Backers, presented by Milk-Bone, debuted five seasons ago and now has over 30,000 dogs registered – making it the largest fan club for dogs in all of professional sports. Being a member provides unique perks, including merchandise and different experiences. Premium members gained exclusive access to Sniff-ari as well as priority access to all member events.

As guests arrived at the Akron Zoo, members had the opportunity to donate paper towel rolls, with each roll earning an entry into an autographed Denzel Ward jersey giveaway. They collected 255 paper towel rolls, andthe donations will benefit "One Kind of a Pet Rescue," a non-profit adoption center and no-time limit shelter located in Akron, Ohio. The organization is committed to saving animal lives, especially ones who are in immediate danger. Paper towels are critical for animal shelters, and one of the items they need the most. Since 2022, when Barking Backers was founded, members have donated 1,031 paper towel rolls and over $21,000 to non-profit animal shelters.

With the dogs beginning to stroll in around 6 p.m. for the first time slot, each one was given a "Bark Ranger" themed bandana prior to entering to make the experience truly authentic. There were different activations thatfilled the park, where attendees could explore the exhibits and participate in select giveaways for both the pups and pup owners.

One of the main activations was "The Great Sniff-ari Guide," a dog paws-port book where pups were able to collect stamps as they visited six different zoo exhibits from around the world, including Legends of the Wild, Komodo Kingdom, Grizzly Ridge, Wild Asia, Pride of Africa and Zoo Gardens. Different photo-op stations were scattered throughout the park, allowing for safari-themed pictures.

Pup cups were given out to the Barking Backers as they trekked through the exhibits and stamped their paws-ports, with hot dogs from Sugardale available at the Watering Hole for all the paw-rents.

As attendees and their four-legged friends made their way around the zoo, they could stop at different stations presented by Browns partners that offered treats for the canines and their humans. Milk-Bone provided dog treats and ForeverLawn brought an enter-to-win K9Hammock and photo backdrop. Tito's Handcrafted Vodka had a prize wheel that gave attendees the chance to win select dog toys and had a custom cocktail called "Tail Waggin' Lemonade."

Both Browns mascots — Chomps and Brownie — roamed throughout the zoo to hang out with all the dogs and provide a more immersive adventure.

Before pups and their humans left the zoo, they also had an opportunity to stamp their own paw print in their paws-port book to commemorate their night at the zoo.

Sniff-ari was the premium members exclusive event of the season. The next Barking Backers event, Howl-O-Ween, will take place in Fall 2026. To join Barking Backers, visit barkingbackers.com.