Happy Tails Dog Spa™ Signs Sixth Franchise in Six Months

TYSONS CORNER, VA – October 2005 – Happy to be Here, Inc., the franchise company of Happy Tails Dog Spa™, today signed its sixth franchise agreement in six months with a couple who plans to open their own dog daycare center early next year in Prince William County.

Suzanne and Brian Fitzpatrick of Bristow, VA have eagerly been exploring opportunities to open their own business for the last two years. When they drove past Happy Tails Dog Spa’s corporate location in Tysons Corner, VA, they were inspired by the idea of owning their own dog day care and spa.

“When Brian and I returned home, we began looking through the Happy Tails Dog Spa’s new corporate website,” said Suzanne Fitzpatrick. “It felt like it was a ‘sign’ when we found that the company offered franchise opportunities. My husband and I have been planning for this day for many years and we cannot wait to serve our community with important and convenient pet care services.”

The couple expects their franchise to be an overwhelming success, as veterinarians and others in the suburbs of Washington D.C. area have indicated the distinct need for a dog daycare in the region.

“We are excited to have met our corporate goal to sign six franchises in six months,” said Amy Nichols, CEO and president, Happy to Be Here, Inc. “It is so fitting that the Fitzpatricks signed this milestone agreement as their passion for pet care and drive to succeed as business owners perfectly complement the rest of the Happy Tails Dog Spa™ team.”

Brian, who currently works in private security for the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington, D.C., will oversee the day-to-day operations of the center. Suzanne plans to manage the franchise part-time as a financial consultant and book-keeper as she continues her career as an accountant at Avalon Bay Communities in Alexandria, VA. The couple is proud to note they have a four-year-old black lab, Casey.

The next step in the process is to find the right location in Prince William County, VA for the dog spa. Officials with Happy to be Here, Inc. will work with the couple to find a spot and to negotiate a lease. It is expected the dog daycare center will open in early-2006.

Happy To Be Here, Inc. announced it had signed its first franchise agreement in May 2005 with Debra and Francisco Fernandez of Vienna, VA who plan to open a dog day care and spa in Ashburn, VA. The company quickly signed five more agreements over the following five months, including the agreement with the Fitzpatricks.

By early Spring 2006, the six additional Happy Tails Dog Spa™ locations are all expected to be open in Howard, Charles and Frederick Counties, MD, Fairfax and Prince William Counties, VA and Houston, TX.

Nichols noted the corporate team’s hard work and dedication along with the booming pet care industry are the prime reasons for the franchise company’s success.

“Now is the golden era for the pet care industry. The number of dog owners in the United States has swelled to nearly 50 million,” said Nichols. “There are more people than pets with a whopping 378 million pets versus 280 million people.”

Pet spending has dramatically increased over the last decade, and there is no end in sight, she added.

“Last year, total pet expenditure reached an astronomical $34.3 billion,” said Nichols. “More and more dog owners are providing their family pets with the kind of care they would give their own children.”

Happy Tails Dog Spa™ is a place where pets are valued as family – where dogs enjoy endless playtime and spa treatments in a positive environment. Dog owners have the assurance of leaving their beloved pets in the hands of trained professionals. The Happy Tails Dog Spa™ staff willingly nurtures each pet with attention and love.

Happy Tails offers a variety of fun activities, sociable training and comfortable boarding for dogs of all ages, shapes, sizes, abilities and temperaments.

“What makes Happy Tails Dog Spa™ so different is our ability to provide dogs with a fun and positive experience,” Nichols said. “Owners no longer have to feel guilty when they have to travel for work or when they go on vacation because they know their dog loves it here.”

Nichols offers franchisees a solid business support system, with step-by-step guidelines to operate a successful Happy Tails. Company officials will guide franchisees through every phase of opening a Happy Tails, from site selection, to the layout of the facility to an unparalleled training program, both on-site and at corporate headquarters in Tysons Corner, VA.

For more information about the company and its franchise opportunities, please log onto www.happytailsdogspa.com.



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