The firms are “made up of dog people on a mission.”
SEATTLE & SANTA MONICA – Rover.com, a network of pet sitters and dog walkers, and DogVacay, an online and mobile pet-sitting community, announced that they are joining forces.
Over the past five years, Rover and DogVacay have created a new category giving pet parents access to options such as in-home dog boarding, pet sitting and dog walking.
In a press release, the companies said pet parents will have access to the largest network of more than 100,000 five-star sitters, offering a range of services in cities across the U.S. and Canada. To date, millions of services have been booked through the companies, which generated over $150 million in bookings in 2016.
“Rover and DogVacay are both made up of dog people on a mission to enable everyone to experience the love and joy of a pet,” said Aaron Easterly, Rover’s CEO. “Together, we can accomplish our goals quicker and make an even bigger impact. “Plus, this partnership will enable us to pick up engineering velocity, bring new products to market faster and invest even more aggressively in building the best tools for our sitters and dog walkers.”
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The companies said the partnership gives dog owners the benefit of unprecedented coverage and choice in neighborhood pet care. It’s also an opportunity for pet sitters and dog walkers who’ll benefit from the combined resources, insights and educational tools of both brands.
“Growing DogVacay with my team over the past five years across the U.S. and Canada has been an incredible journey,” said Aaron Hirschhorn, DogVacay’s CEO. “Our goal has always been to make quality pet care accessible to everyone, and with Rover and DogVacay’s experience and expertise, we will continue to create the best solution for our host community, our pet parents and most importantly, our pets that we love as family.”
The combined companies expect to accelerate international expansion efforts. Rover’s headquarters will continue to be in Seattle and led by Easterly as CEO. Hirschhorn will join Rover’s board of directors.