Dog Resort Plans Daycare and Clinic in Hudson Valley

New York's first Central Bark doggy daycare was planning to open on a huge plot of land in Wappingers Falls, but now it appears that the project is on hold indefinitely.

Central Bark doesn't want to be called a kennel. The company, founded in the 1990s, says it follows a "whole dog care approach" when it comes to serving the needs of your four-legged family member.

What is Central Bark?

Jackie Jordan and Chris Gaba started Central Bark after finding it difficult to provide a fulfilling life for their dog while juggling work and a busy lifestyle. The duo said they wanted to create a place where dogs could get all of their needs met in a healthy and nurturing environment.

Central Bark touts itself as the "original" doggy daycare franchise system. The business has individual owners spread out over 15 states operating their own daycares. Each Central Bark has individualized services but follows the same "Whole Dog Care approach".

Central Bark offers a unique "Enrichment Doggy Day Care" service that allows dog owners to drop off their pets to play, socialize and receive mental stimulation. In addition, the company also offers spa services, dog training, boarding, insurance and a retail market with top-quality food, toys and more.

Wappingers Falls Site Was Not a Good Fit

The Central Bark franchise was being proposed on a 62-acre piece of unused land on Route 9D in Wappingers Falls. The property, which was previously listed for $325,000, is located just north of the BP Station in Chelsea across from the intersection with Old State Road.

After an engineering review, it was determined that the plot of land would not be a good fit for the new business.

Denise and Ron Donofrio of Beacon are still determined to go through with opening a dog care center, but are now searching for another location. Denise is a retired 36-year banking executive and Ron is a real estate broker-owner who's been in the industry for over 25 years. Ron told us that he's still very excited about the project and is working to make it a reality.

The conceptual proposal submitted to the Town of Wappinger called for a 7,000-square-foot doggy daycare that would include a specially designed outdoor play area that's constructed on a “waterproof concrete slab, that is treated organically with hygienic and hypo-allergenic non-VOC coatings... covered with artificial grass turf".

It's unclear if any of these plans would be altered once a new location is found.