Dogtopia, one of the nation's largest and fastest growing pet franchises, has achieved another milestone – opening its 100th dog daycare center. With 250 additional locations in the pipeline, Dogtopia was ranked #204 among Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 as one of the Fastest Growing Franchises – a tribute to the company's steady growth and success over the years, with a more than 300 percent increase since current ownership and management took control of the company in 2015.

While Dogtopia has dog daycare centers nationwide, the milestone 100^th location in Deer Park, Illinois is located in the Chicago area. The new owners and local entrepreneurs of the Deer Park location, Kara Ferguson and Rob Gillman, will welcome dogs and pet parents to the daycare center for a grand opening on June 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at Dogtopia of Deer Park.  The first 100 people will receive Dogtopia swag bags and a day of free daycare! All attendees will enjoy music, a doggie food truck with dog-only treats, a photo booth, selfies with the fabulous @liviethemork from Instagram, doggie watering spots hosted by Second City Canine Rescue, food, tours and much more. This is a free community event to celebrate an important milestone for Dogtopia and the Dogtopia Foundation. Foundation recipients America's Vet Dogs and Chicago-based Sit, Stay, Read will both be on site to showcase their important work. The celebration will take place at Dogtopia of Deer Park in Deer Park Town Center at 21540 W. Field Parkway, Deer Park, Illinois 60010.

"It's such an honor and privilege to be part of the Dogtopia family and to know that we have helped play a vital role in the brand's growth," said Kara, Owner of Dogtopia of Deer Park. "Opening a dog daycare has been a lifelong dream of ours and we are excited to have the opportunity to work alongside the Dogtopia Support Office and our franchise partners to live out the brand's mission – "To enhance the joy of dog parenthood and enable dogs to positively change our world."

The brand's rising popularity with both franchisees and pet parents is evident by Dogtopia's tremendous growth - a 35 percent increase in store numbers over the course of one year.  "When reflecting on Dogtopia's impressive growth over the past couple of years and how far we've come, it's a major milestone for us to reach 100 open daycares in such a brief time. I am beyond proud to be part of a company that is so passionate, loyal and committed to improving the lives of dogs and pet parents in local communities throughout North America," said Neil Gill, President and CEO of Dogtopia. "We're excited to bring the community together on June 29 to celebrate our love of dogs."  

The Dogtopia family is composed of both single-unit and multi-unit operators, including husband and wife teams, father and daughter/son duos, siblings and many different types of business owners. Whether it's to own one or several locations, Dogtopia's successful business model provides recurring revenue channels for daycare, boarding and spa services wrapped around a flexible and fun lifestyle.  While the U.S. pet industry expenditures top $70 billion, the demand for professional pet care services continues to increase and Dogtopia plans to open at least 50 stores in 2019.

For more information on Dogtopia's franchising opportunities, visit www.dogtopia.com/franchising.

About Dogtopia

Founded in 2002, Dogtopia is an early pioneer and innovator in the pet services industry, offering an experience focused on quality of care, safety and transparency in the market. With an emphasis on education, exercise and socialization for dogs, pet parents have the assurance of leaving their beloved furry family members in the hands of trained professionals in an environment created with the safety of dogs in mind. With 100 locations across North America, the brand is the fastest-growing provider of specialty daycare in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.dogtopia.com.