Central Bark Announces First Connecticut Location
Central Bark, a premier whole dog care franchise and industry pioneer, has announced its first franchise agreement and the upcoming opening of their first location in Connecticut, marking the 12th state to enter the brand’s footprint. The first location will be in Danbury, CT and is set to open in early 2025 in a convenient location near The Danbury Fair Mall.
Leading Central Bark’s introduction to Connecticut is Carol O’Donnell Martin. Martin brings extensive knowledge of community engagement, operational management, finance and a shared passion for dogs to amplify Central Bark’s rapidly expanding national presence. The franchisee believes that her personal love for animals makes this journey into franchising the ideal venture for her professional life.
“A few years back, I started what I fondly called my side hustle – walking dogs in my community,” said 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. Their approach to whole dog care is exactly what our community in Danbury and across our state, needs for our beloved pets.”
No stranger to a busy lifestyle, Martin understands the value of providing a safe and science-based approach to enrichment dog day care, boarding and grooming that enriches a dog’s life and supports pet ownership. She is eager to establish a robust community of dog owners – creating unique opportunities to connect and expanding Central Bark’s impact in pet-related non-profits and welfare efforts.
For more than 20 years, Central Bark has drawn in dogs and their owners across the country to experience its whole dog care approach, which combines Central Bark’s industry-leading dog day care expertise with the latest in canine behavioral science. Enrichment care provides a healthy and balanced blend of exercise, social group play, learning, rest and “TLC” to help dogs be healthy, happy, calm and well-rounded members of the family. Furthermore, Central Bark also offers dog boarding, baths, grooming, a boutique retail market, training and more. Central Bark strives to provide dogs with a comfortable, tailored experience, as demonstrated by their commitment to keeping class sizes smaller than other options across the industry.
“Carol is an amazing addition to our rapidly growing Central Bark franchise family,” said Tim Weiderhoft, Chief Operating Officer for Central Bark. “We are changing the dog care landscape across the country, one new Central Bark at a time. 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. We’re looking forward to introducing the Danbury community to our approach with our first location in Connecticut.”
Central Bark typically features approximately 6,000 – 7,000 square feet of indoor space plus more than 2,000 square-feet of outdoor play area. Activities include small flexible playgroups, group skills work, rest periods and personalized one-on-one enrichment sessions. Enrichment add-ons give pups the extra attention they love and the freedom to use their senses, safely exploring with their instincts as they engage with interactive toys, puzzles and games.
For more information on Central Bark, click here. Franchising opportunities can be found click here.