Hounds Town USA Promotes a Message of Inclusivity to Celebrate Pride Month

Since being founded in 2001, Hounds Town USA has set itself apart from the competition by making sure to never discriminate against any breed of dog. The franchise president, Jackie Bondanza, says all dogs and owners are welcome to have a chance to interact at each Hounds Town USA location. Now, Hounds Town USA is proud to celebrate that core value of inclusivity during Pride Month.

“For the past twenty years, Hounds Town USA has been proud to operate as a place of acceptance for any dog and any owner,” Bondanza said. “That core value has been a huge part of our business since Day One, and I’ve been turning to that core value during these challenging times. Hounds Town USA is founded on inclusivity, and I think it is more important than ever to promote that.”

Hounds Town USA CEO Mike Gould also noted that, by nature, dogs don’t discriminate, and the brand takes that same approach with customers. “We don’t think about dogs in terms of breeds — Hounds Town USA is all about inclusivity, whether it be for our franchisees, team members, customers or dogs,” he said. “Pride Month is a celebration of inclusivity and we are proud to join some of the country’s biggest brands in supporting our LGBTQ community.”

The Hounds Town USA Pittsburgh owner Joe Allbaugh and his partner Cody are one of the brand’s top performers and were excited to join the brand as members of the LGBTQ community in October of 2019.

“We were originally drawn to Hounds Town USA due to the tremendous support they provide to new franchisees,” said Allbaugh. “The flexibility of the business model allows us to have ownership in something, without having the stress of taking it on all by ourselves. After talking to Mike and Jackie, it was clear that Hounds Town USA creates a supportive, open environment and is extremely supportive of the LGBTQ community.”

In celebration of Pride Month, Joe and Cody have put up decorations in the store, including a Pride flag, and some pink flamingos supplied by Gould. According to Allbaugh, customers have already been responding very well to the inclusive atmosphere.

“Dogs don’t hate, they are tolerant of all people,” said Bondanza. “If you have a dog that even looks like it has a little Pit or Rottweiler in it, it could be turned away from other facilities. At Hounds Town, we focus on the dog’s temperament instead of what they were born as. We don’t try to change a dog’s personality, we accept dogs for who they are and help them find the right homes so they can live their best lives. We believe that is how people deserve to be treated as well.”

That people-centric approach proved to be a key asset during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of Hounds Town USA, owners like Allbaugh were able to stay open and support their communities and essential workers. **The franchise has also introduced a number of new programs to support its local communities and develop new revenue streams for franchise owners.

** The pet care brand’s new Fresh Air Fund, **for example, offers long-term stays (two to four weeks) for dogs currently in animal shelters, relieving the burden on shelters and providing crucial socialization skills for dogs, making them more adoptable.

“We know lives aren’t always easy right now, but we want the Hounds Town USA experience to be as pleasant, simple and fun as possible for both dogs and their owners,” said Bondanza. “Our brand is about inclusivity, friendliness and openness, and we believe those core values have never been more important to celebrate.”