Hounds Town USA To Bring Valuable Doggie Daycare Services To Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia dog lovers and prospective franchisees should keep their eyes peeled - local dog daycare options are about to get better with Hounds Town USA.

Hounds Town, a dog daycare and pet boarding franchise with roots in New York, has already seen great success in both New York and New Jersey. Now it’s headed south to serve an entirely new market. In addition to daycare services for dogs, Hounds Town offers overnight dog and cat boarding, dog and cat grooming, and a pet taxi.

Hounds Town president Jackie Bondanza is thrilled to bring the brand to the River City.

“We feel a fully interactive pet care facility like Hounds Town would be a needed service in an area like Richmond, given not only the population influx but the type of people moving into communities in the Richmond area,” Bondanza said.

An influx of younger families into the Richmond area makes the city a prime choice for expansion, Bondanza said.

“Our target customer is the working person who has a dog and some disposable income, which aligns nicely with the increasing population of Richmond and its surrounding communities,” Bondanza said. “They are our ideal customer.”

Bondanza anticipates that Hounds Town will eventually open three to four locations in and around the Richmond area. A Hounds Town franchise typically employs up to 15 part-time and full-time employees.

At Hounds Town, dogs are classified into play groups based on their size and temperament. There is no breed discrimination. Even pitbulls, pitbull mixes and other so-called “bully dogs” are welcome, Bondanza said.

“We just want to make sure that dogs that come to us have fun and benefit from being in a natural pack environment,” Bondanza said. “They don’t get that anymore because we treat them like humans. They can come and be a dog.”

Bondanza also cited Hounds Town’s pricing policies and all-inclusive rates as setting it apart from other dog daycares.

“We’re not a very fluffy, over-the-top facility,” she said. “We’re very middle-of-the-road. Our approach is very straightforward and honest. You don’t need an accountant to help figure out how much it will cost if you go away for a weekend.”

There’s also the matter of the cost of a Hounds Town facility.

“We use very simple materials,” Bondanza said. “We don’t require franchisees to install hardwood floors. Our facilities are really made for dogs first, and that has always allowed us to keep a simple and straightforward mindset when catering to our dogs and customers.”

Hounds Town was founded in 2001 by former police officer Mike Gould, who was a canine handler in the New York Police Department, as well as a commanding officer in the Nassau County Police Department.

Today, Hounds Town runs 6 locations and is expanding throughout New York state and opened its first New Jersey location in July 2018 - on time and under budget. The New Jersey opening took place 60 days after Gould purchased the building, and customers were already booking reservations before the facility opened.

The initial investment in a Hounds Town USA franchise location ranges from $175,300 to $249,000. For more information on franchising with Hounds Town, visit their franchise page.