A “side hustle” leads to a franchise opportunity.
By Andrew Carlo
Dog care franchise Central Bark is expanding into its 12th state.
The franchise announced that a new location will open in early 2025 in Danbury, Connecticut near the locally known Danbury Fair Mall.
Franchisee Carol O’Donnell Martin is behind the move, bringing “extensive knowledge of community engagement, operational management, finance and a shared passion for dogs,” according to Central Bark.
“A few years back, I started what I fondly called my side hustle – walking dogs in my community,” said O’Donnell Martin. “The dogs that I cared for started to change my wellbeing. I always felt this sense of calm and reduced stress after every walk or play date and I knew Central Bark would provide an avenue to channel my professional skill set alongside my passion for animals.”
Central Bark locations feature about 6,000 to 7,000 square feet of indoor space in addition to a 2,000-square-foot-plus of outdoor play area. Activities include small flexible playgroups, group skills work, rest periods, and personalized one-on-one enrichment sessions.
“Their approach to whole dog care is exactly what our community in Danbury, and across our state, needs for our beloved pets,” O’Donnell Martin noted.
Central Bark’s franchise system was founded in 2003 and now operates under the name Barkley Ventures Franchising, LLC with over 40 locations. Locations have hosted 2 million dog visits, the franchise said.
“Carol is an amazing addition to our rapidly growing Central Bark franchise family,” said Tim Weiderhoft, chief operating officer at Central Bark. “We are changing the dog care landscape across the country, one new Central Bark at a time.”
Central Bark also offers dog boarding, baths, grooming, a boutique retail market, training, and more.
Earlier this year, the franchise introduced “Puppy Hour,” which caters to dogs between 8 and 16 weeks of age while providing key socialization and development needs.
“Our approach to enrichment programming, including Puppy Hours, rest periods and low dog-to-enrichment specialist ratio, are differentiators for a reason and that is resonating with new franchisees and our customers alike,” Weiderhoft said. “We’re looking forward to introducing the Danbury community to our approach with our first location in Connecticut.”
For more information about franchising with Central Bark, click here.
