What happens to new concepts developed by All Dogs Unleashed franchisees regarding ownership?
All_Dogs_Unleashed Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
If you, your employees, or Owners develop any new concept, process or improvement relative to the operation or promotion of an ALL DOGS UNLEASHED business (an "Improvement"), you agree to promptly notify Franchisor and provide Franchisor with all necessary related information, without compensation.
Any such Improvement shall become Franchisor's sole property and Franchisor shall be the sole owner of all related patents, patent applications, and other intellectual property rights.
You and your Owners hereby assign to Franchisor any rights you or your Owners may have or acquire in the Improvements, including the right to modify the Improvement, and waive and/or release all rights of restraint and moral rights therein and thereto.
You and your Owners agree to assist Franchisor in obtaining and enforcing the intellectual property rights to any such Improvement in any and all countries and further agree to execute and provide Franchisor with all necessary documentation for obtaining and enforcing such rights.
You and your Owners hereby irrevocably designate and appoint Franchisor as agent and attorney-in-fact for you and for them to execute and file any such documentation and to do all other lawful acts to further the prosecution and issuance of patents or other intellectual property right related to any such Improvement.
In the event that the foregoing provisions of this Section 8.4 are found to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, you and your Owners hereby grant to Franchisor a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully-paid license to use and sublicense the use of the Improvement
Source: Item 14 — PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION (FDD pages 28–29)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to All Dogs Unleashed's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, any new concept, process, or improvement ('Improvement') developed by a franchisee, their employees, or owners related to the operation or promotion of an All Dogs Unleashed business must be promptly reported to All Dogs Unleashed. The franchisee must provide all necessary related information without any compensation.
All Dogs Unleashed will become the sole owner of any such Improvement, including all related patents, patent applications, and other intellectual property rights. Franchisees and their owners are required to assign any rights they may have or acquire in these Improvements to All Dogs Unleashed. This includes the right for All Dogs Unleashed to modify the Improvement. Franchisees also waive all rights of restraint and moral rights related to the Improvement.
Franchisees and their owners must assist All Dogs Unleashed in obtaining and enforcing intellectual property rights to any Improvement in any country. This includes executing and providing all necessary documentation. Franchisees irrevocably designate and appoint All Dogs Unleashed as their agent and attorney-in-fact to execute and file any such documentation to further the prosecution and issuance of patents or other intellectual property rights related to any Improvement.
In the event that these provisions are found invalid or unenforceable, franchisees grant All Dogs Unleashed a worldwide, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully-paid license to use and sublicense the use of the Improvement. This license applies to the extent that such use or sublicense would, without the agreement, infringe on the rights of the franchisee or their owners.