Dogtopia Announces Opening of First Canadian Franchise Location

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Vancouver, BC (November 20, 2014) – Dogtopia, an award winning North American dog daycare franchise and recipient of Inc. 500/5000 List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies and Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, announces today the opening of its first Canadian franchise, located in Coquitlam, BC. The expansion forms part of Dogtopia’s aggressive growth strategy to open 40 more locations across Canada in the next 7-8 years.

Dogtopia’s expansion into Canada comes as a response to strong year-over-year growth of the non-medical pet services industry.  According to the Canadian Pet Market Outlook 2014 Report, 57 percent of Canadian households currently own a pet, equating to roughly 7.5 million households. Canadian pet spending in 2013 reached up to $6.6 billion, a figure that has been rising steadily and is expected to reach as much as $8.3 billion per year by 2018.

Leading Dogtopia’s move to Canada is franchise industry expert and Dogtopia Chairman, Peter Thomas, who previously built the Century 21 franchise system in Canada.  Peter quickly recognized that Canadians are spending more than ever on their pets, yet there was a lack of daycare options with a standardized set of quality and safety regulations put in place. Peter found the solution in Amy Nichols, Founder of Dogtopia, who had a network of successful locations throughout the US and was positioned well to expand and franchise in Canada.

Speaking about Dogtopia’s growth plans in Canada, Amy said, “The continued growth in the Canadian pet-services industry provides us with a tremendous opportunity to break into a new market, increase our brand recognition, and maintain our competitive edge in this category.  With Canadians spending more than ever on their pets, we want to be able to offer them a safe and fun environment for their four-legged friends from a name they can trust.”

Heading up operations of Canada’s first Dogtopia franchise is the company’s new Regional Manager for Western Canada, Chris Aconley.  Chris is a passionate dog owner and brings to Dogtopia in Coquitlam an extensive 10-year background in business development, franchising, and IT services.  As a long-time resident of the Tri-Cities, Chris recognized the potential for the franchise in an often-overlooked location such as Coquitlam.

“While dense markets like Vancouver are flush with pet-care options, suburban areas typically lack similar quality services,” said Chris.  “The centralized location of Canada’s first Dogtopia means dog owners throughout the Tri-Cities will be able to easily access our services, and the proximity to the major highways makes us a great option for dog daycare in the Lower Mainland.”

Since being established in 2002, Dogtopia has grown steadily to now include 31 locations with 25 new additional locations currently under development.  Revenues in 2013 hit $17 million, with plans to open more than 400 stores in the U.S. and Canada in the next several years.

To celebrate Canada’s first Dogtopia, the Coquitlam franchise is hosting a free, public grand opening event on November 22nd, 2014 at 822 Brunette Avenue, Coquitlam from 12:00-4:00pm.  The local community is invited to share in the fun of the event, which will include food trucks, giveaways and educational seminars focusing on first-aid and pet massages.  The community is encouraged to bring their dog to the event.

For more information regarding Dogtopia and franchise opportunities in Canada, contact Chris Aconley at caconley@dogdaycare.com, visit Dogdaycare.com or connect with the Coquitlam Dogtopia team via Facebook.com/dogtopiaofcoquitlam.