Happy Tails Dog Spa™ Signs Fourth Franchise This Year

TYSONS CORNER, VA – October, 2005 - Happy to be Here, Inc., the franchise company of Happy Tails Dog Spa™, today signed its fourth franchise agreement with Patti Mischler of Reston, VA who plans to open her own dog daycare center this spring in Frederick County, MD.

Patti, a retired government contracting officer, first heard of Happy Tails Dog Spa™ franchise opportunities when her daughter, Sarah Marcell, began working in March 2004 at the Tysons Corner, VA location as a dog day care staff member.

“When the time came for Sarah to begin her career in pet care, she went straight to Happy Tails Dog Spa™ and returned home with the fantastic idea for our family to buy a franchise,” said Mischler. “There is simply no better way to spend my retirement than working with my daughter and taking care of others’ dogs.”

Patti plans to oversee the day-to-day operations of the center while Sarah supervises the dog day care and other guest services. Patti’s husband, Alan Mischler, a retired Chief Financial Officer, will also manage the franchise part-time as a financial consultant and book-keeper.

“We are excited to have signed our third franchise agreement in Maryland where dog day care is ever-popular and the pet care market is thriving right now,” said Amy Nichols, CEO and president, Happy to Be Here, Inc. “Because of Patti Mischler’s deep love of dogs and managerial experience, her Frederick County Happy Tails Dog Spa™ will perfectly complement the business experience of our franchisees who plan to open in Howard and Charles counties.”

Patti’s 25-year experience negotiating and overseeing government contracts at Battelle, a multi-million dollar global science and technology company, will be an asset in all aspects of running her franchise business, Nichols added.

Nichols, a native of Maryland, said it is a pleasure to have signed another franchise in her home state. She is especially pleased Patti and Sarah share her passion for pet care and were a customer and colleague, respectively, before they signed.

The next step in the process is to find the right location in Frederick County for the dog spa. Officials with Happy to be Here, Inc. will work with Patti to find a spot and to negotiate a lease. It is expected the dog daycare center will open in the spring.


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Patti and Alan reside in Reston, VA with their pug, Molly, who is less than a year old. Sarah also lives in Reston, VA with Joe, her three-year old beagle.

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.

Nichols said it is now a golden era for the pet care industry, noting the number of dog owners in the United States has swelled to nearly 50 million and there are more people than pets – 378 million pets versus 280 million people.

“Pet spending has dramatically increased over the last decade, and there is no end in sight,” she said. “Last year, total pet expenditure reached an astronomical $34.3 billion. More and more dog owners are providing their family pets with the kind of care they would give their own children.”

For more information, please log onto www.happytailsdogspa.com.



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