Employees Strike at Dogtopia in Belle Mead, New Owners Call Foul

By Barbara A. Preston | July 7, 2025 (Updated July 8, 2025)

When Alyssa Petti showed up for her first day of work as the new general manager for Dogtopia in Belle Mead on Monday, June 30, she was in for a surprise. Some of the employees were on strike holding signs stating, "Beware of Owner, Not Dog!," "No More Ruff Conditions," and "Dogs Can't Speak so We Are."

The new owner, Carly Cugine of Princeton, bought the business in April and said she was "heartbroken" to find nine of her employees on strike. When she arrived, she said they all resigned.

Dogtopia employees on strike with pickets in front of the doggie daycare center on June 30 at Montgomery Place in Belle Mead.

(Photo courtesy of Adriana Macotela, above on left.)

One of the striking employees, Adriana Macotela, said she had worked at Dogtopia for two and half years. "We were on strike due to dogs being out in unsafe situations, and we were being treated poorly," she told The Montgomery News.

"At the strike, everything was peaceful," she added. "I don’t believe anybody is accusing Carly with animal cruelty, at least no former employees are and I’m not accusing her of that. She never harmed a dog or did anything horrific to a dog, she just ignored safety protocols and dogs were unfortunately put in unsafe situations and environments where things could escalate and go wrong."

Another safety issue Macotela mentioned is related to the facility. "We have three rooms for a reason, and [the new owner] constantly wants to combine the two big dog rooms we have to save labor. We have these rooms separated because certain dogs literally cannot be in the same room due to aggression or because they just don’t get along."

The new owner "saw clients as money," she said. "I understand this is a business; however, we are dealing with live animals and need to understand that not all dogs are a good fit for dogtopia. We have a strict meet-and-greet process where we carefully evaluate a dog prior to accepting them into our daycare. We recently had an aggressive meet-and-greet that didn’t pass, but [the owner] told the pet parents that 'we could fix their dog' and kept the dog overnight after the dog didn’t pass, which is something we do not do."

Carly Cugine of Princeton and her father (Joe Cugine) bought the Dogtopia franchise in Montgomery Township in April.

(Photo by Barbara A. Preston)

Dogtopia opened about three years ago in the new Montgomery Place Shopping Center in Belle Mead. The original owner had to move because her husband works in IT for the Navy, and he was transferred to another state.

Carly Cugine of Princeton and her father Joe Cugine took over ownership of the franchise on April 6.

The New Owners' Side of Story

Joe Cugine explained to The Montgomery News that he and Carly had to make big changes when they purchased dogtopia to actually make the doggie daycare center safer.

"When we took over it was clear that none of the coaches, the rovers, or the general manager were properly trained and didn't have the proper certifications to do their individual jobs," Joe said. "That is a massive safety issue that we resolved the first week we took ownership, the team was not happy about having to complete their certification for their individual jobs but once they did that we gave three of them a raise and a promotion. Those same three people quit one week later."

Joe also said it was not a strike. "All those employees resigned, so how can [they] then go on strike? I worked with Teamsters, and when they went on strike, it was a real strike. No one resigned, and that is what a strike is. To play this up as a work stoppage [is] irresponsible in my opinion."

The Dogtopia Montgomery location had more dogs last year. "They now have 50% less dogs than every other Dogtopia in America, but if we dare try to increase the amount of dogs, they claim a safety issue and that all we care about is money," Joe said.

"The reality is, we had an entitled, immature team that had no interest in working any harder or bringing in any more dogs because it would make their life more difficult," Joe said. “They didn't want to complete their training. They didn't want to improve their skill level and as a result, they decided to resign and blame the new ownership for everything."

He added that his daughter Carly "moved her life from Manhattan to Princeton, she invested her entire life savings in this business, she is the only person not getting paid, but [this Montgomery News article] and the actions of these ex-employees are putting her close to bankruptcy. Not sure who wins in that scenario."

Joe and Carly Cugine, father and daughter.

"So I'm new, I'm learning," Carly told The Montgomery News. "I think the team was used to doing things a certain way. This has given me a lot to think about as an owner. How to address concerns in a different way. I wish they would have given me at least six months."

The standard notice period when resigning from a job is generally two weeks. This allows the employer time to find and train a replacement.

One of the strikers said, "We had about 9 out of 15 employees on strike. We have a few others who stand with us, but who choose to stay to ensure the dogs are still being taken care of, and I absolutely respect that decision. All of us [strikers] handed in our resignation letters, but [the owner] fired anybody on the spot who’s resignation letters weren’t labeled 'effective immediately'."

Carly said, "I came in and they were outside the door. They all gave their resignation. I wish we could have had a sit down. The dogs mean everything to me. I would never do anything unsafe."

She added she had been busy conducting a job search for a general manager. "I interviewed 30 to 35 people. I was trying to find the right person."

Trial by Fire for the New General Manager

Alyssa Petti, left, is the new general manager of Dogtopia in Belle Mead. She started on June 30, the morning of the strike. To her right is employee Dhruv Erria.

Photo by Barbara A. Preston.

Petti, a local 'horse person' with a degree in animal science from Delaware Valley University, walked in to a trial-by-fire situation her first day on the job. She took it in stride.

The strike was "definitely a bit of a surprise," she told The Montgomery News just moments after the strike. "I've been in the animal industry a long time so I know there is a more controversial side of it."

Petti graduated from Hillsborough High School. She now keeps three horses at Stony Brook Stables in Princeton. "Horse people are dog people, they go hand-in-hand," she said.

Petti said she wishes she could have started a month ago. "I would have loved to have helped change the staff's minds. I'll be working closely with those employees who are on the fence right now to help develop the culture and to ensure we institute best-standard practices. Carly had just taken over the business two and a half months ago, so she's also learning and is new at this. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do together, to help Carly grow her franchise, and to meet the level of business she's looking for that keeps the lights on, while still meeting the top safety and health concerns of the pet parents and the dogs here."

"I want to make sure everyone is heard and seen too," Petti added.

A dogtopia storefront.

About dogtopia

David Robertson, a representative of Dogtopia's corporate office, told The Montgomery News that "some team members at Dogtopia of Montgomery chose to end their employment with us as of June 30. We respect their decision and wish them the best in their future endeavors."

"These staffing changes have not impacted the health, wellbeing, or safety of any dogs at the Montgomery location. As always, we are committed to providing the highest quality of dog daycare, built on a culture of care, accountability, and love for your pups. All staff are thoroughly trained and adhere to the highest communication standards and cleanliness protocols to uphold a safe, fun and enriching environment for all who come through our doors."

Dogtopia has 285-plus operating units and another 200-plus sold and in development. On pace for 400+ centers by 2027, Dogtopia is the largest pet services franchise in the pet industry globally.

Meet the Owners of the Montgomery Franchise

Joe Cugine of Ridgefield, Connecticut diversified his portfolio with a franchise agreement to capitalize on the business opportunities presented by the booming pet care industry. Cugine currently owns 80 Wendy's, 14 Taco Bells, and four Jersey Mike's Subs. His latest venture into the pet space is with his daughter, Carly, a next-generation entrepreneur and an investor in three of his Wendy's locations.

Eager to diversify their portfolio and enter a reputable and mature franchise system, the pair said they were drawn to Dogtopia for its leadership, support, systems, and proprietary technology. The pair is currently operating one Dogtopia in Montgomery Township, are in the process of purchasing a second, and has agreed to build additional locations in the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). They plan to lead the dog daycare centers together, with Carly overseeing day-to-day operations.

"We researched the finest franchises in the industry, regardless of sector," said Joe Cugine said. "Dogtopia continued to rise to the top. It wasn't in our initial consideration set, but the more we investigated, we became convinced that they were the right franchise to be involved with. I think Dogtopia is really hitting its stride as a franchisor, and I believe the best days are ahead of us. We have been delighted with the resources and the support we've received to date." 

Carly, after spending the last eight years in Manhattan working in the fintech world, said, "I realized it was time for a change—one that brought me back to my passion: dogs."

"When I discovered Dogtopia, I was immediately drawn to the brand’s commitment to creating joyful experiences for our furry friends and enhancing the gift of dog parenthood. The more I learned, the more I knew this was the right next chapter for me. So, I packed up and moved to Princeton to be closer to this amazing community and to start this exciting journey."

On a Positive Note

Former employee Adriana Macotela said the new general manager seems kind and very familiar with animal care.

"We didn’t plan this knowing it would be Alyssa’s first day," Macotela said. "I had just met her [on June 30], and she did have a lot to say to us and asked for input... Unfortunately ... I do not care to stay and wait to see that possible change. We’ve been disrespected enough. I sadly did quit. I hope [Alyssa] will be the change dogtopia needs."

Tallulah Benedetto, who worked at dogtopia since July 2024, said she loved her job. "I wish it didn't end like this."

Carly and Alyssa are fighting for their livelihood, and both are new. They both have pledged to make dogtopia Montgomery the best that it can be.

Founded in 2002, dogtopia is an early pioneer and innovator in the dog daycare industry.