New Pet-Sitting Startup is Valued at $300 Million
The new pet-sitting startup Rover took in $40 million in Series E funding, boosting their total valuation upwards of $300 million. This new company allows dog owners to find dog boarding, house sitting, drop-in visits, doggy day care and dog walking services through both desktop and mobile applications. Rover markets itself as "the nation's largest network of loving pet sitters and dog walkers."
Much like recent taxi services like Uber and Lyft, Rover allows anyone to become a pet sitter or dog walker if they meet certain qualifications. There are currently 65,000 dog sitters and walkers in Rover's network. The company has reported that it receives an average of 1 million bookings each quarter. Unlike most dog walkers or standard boarding services, Rover allows customers to choose the price range they're willing to spend per night/walk (between $10-$150).