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Philadelphia is a downright joyful place right now, after the Eagles brought home the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl 2025. And many Philadelphians are making logistical plans to get to the parade on Broad Street this Friday. They are estimating one MILLION people will be in attendance. But should you bring your dog?
The parade will be a true Philly PARTY with confetti cannons and raucous chants. The City of Philadelphia knows how to party and our fans are OVER THE TOP! (Looking at you Santa.) However, while parades may be fun for humans, they aren’t always the best environment for our dogs. Before bringing your dog to the parade (or any place that is going to be full of loud and boisterous humans), consider these important reasons why it might be best to leave them at home.
Loud Noises Can Be Overwhelming: Parades are full of loud sounds—marching bands, sirens, cheering crowds singing "Fly Eagles Fly," and fireworks. On Sunday we saw more than one person walking up Broad Street with insanely loud speakers in shopping carts! Philly knows how to make some joyful noise. BLOW THE WHISTLE! Many dogs have sensitive hearing and will quickly become anxious by the excessive and unpredictable noise. (Heck, I was jumping when fireworks were let off around me, even though I knew to expect them.) This can lead to stress and attempts to escape, putting your dog in danger. (It can also lead to avoidance behaviors in the future if your dog is scared they'll be put in a similar situation. We've seen dogs forcibly try to avoid places/parks for years after a frightening encounter.)
Large Crowds Can Be Stressful: Crowded areas can be intimidating for dogs, even for dogs that are social butterflies. Being in a crowd is vastly different than any other social situations our dogs normally face (and working/police dogs are specifically trained to handle such environments.) Tight spaces and (loud) unfamiliar faces can cause anxiety, leading to unpredictable behavior such as hiding, growling, snapping, or trying to bolt. Even the most social dogs can become overwhelmed in such a chaotic environment. Also, drunk people simply do weird things. It's a fact. There are going to be a LOT of humans acting VERY oddly at the parade. (from a dog's perspective of course!)
Exposure to Potentially Harmful Substances / Glass: Even with amazing clean up during the early morning hours Monday, the city was covered in glass and trash. Folks will be drinking on Friday, and where there is booze, there is glass and trash. Do you want your dog around all of the trash, glass and leftover food that will inevitably be littering the parade route until it's cleaned?
Other Dogs and Potential Conflicts: With large crowds come other dogs (and likely stressed dogs). Dogs that might be perfectly content to greet another dog while leashed in normal circumstances, could act out of character purely because they're already on edge. It only takes a second for an altercation to happen, which could result in injury to your pup or others. If your attention is on the parade, can you make sure you can facilitate safe dog greetings? Do you trust that other dog owners will?
Potential for dogs to get loose: After Sunday's celebration, we saw more than one post about dogs that went missing during the commotion on Broad Street. (And we spotted quite a few terrified dogs on Broad Street. I almost had a word to someone because I was certain their dog was seconds away from backing out of their collar and bolting. She eventually picked up her dog, who then spent time shaking in her arms as fireworks exploded around us. The dog was visibly terrified.) When dogs get scared, the often RUN. There is a reason why more dogs go missing on holidays than any other day of the year, and winning the Super Bowl was absolutely a holiday in Philly. When our attention is elsewhere AND our dogs are stressed, the unthinkable can happen. Don't ruin your parade!
Pro Tip: Always make sure your dogs wear ID tags, 24/7. Microchips are amazing, but they CAN fail and if the vet is closed for the evening, it may be a long wait for you to find out that a Good Samaritan found your dog. ID tags are your dogs QUICKEST ticket HOME!
What to Do Instead
If you’re attending a parade, consider these alternatives:
Leave your dog at home in a quiet, comfortable space with a special treat or toy. Noise machines are your friend if you live near the parade route. Your dog might actually prefer an afternoon on the couch!
Take them for a nice walk before or after the parade to get their exercise in a less stressful environment.
One of the statements that I never forget from working with dogs is, "No dog is bomb proof." Meaning, given enough stimulus / stress, ANY dog can act out. (And when they do, we hope it's just with a bark.) While it might seem like a fun idea to bring your dog to the Super Bowl parade, the reality is that it can be an overwhelming (and potentially dangerous) experience for them. By keeping their comfort and safety in mind, you can truly celebrate the magic that is the E.A.G.L.E.S!
GO BIRDS!
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