A Scottish family have launched their pet project: an ‘Airbnb for pets’.
The start-up hopes to follow in the footsteps of high growth platforms like Love Home Swap, and has launched a six-figure funding round.
Founded by Glasgow mother and daughter team, Angela Fagan and Sinead Fitzsimons, Trust My Pet Sitter has ambitious plans for global expansion and forms part of the wave of ambitious tech companies coming out of Scotland.
The innovative new website and app solves the problem of finding suitable care for pets when owners are travelling, as many don’t wish to put them in a kennel or cattery, or have them unsettled by staying in a strange home.
Trust My Pet Sitter has tapped into two current trends: the growing interest in responsible pet ownership and the sharing and gig economy, using online platforms and apps to share assets such as your home on websites like Airbnb, or services, like Deliveroo and Uber.
Angela said: ‘We have had a very successful beta phase trial and attracted a passionate early user base from across the globe. We have had great support from the Scottish entrepreneurial community who have really helped to champion Trust My Pet Sitter.
‘We are excited about this funding round which will allow us to develop the platform further, grow our Scottish team and really put Trust My Pet Sitter on the map, in Scotland, the UK – and beyond.
‘We’re delighted to be included in the growing number of female entrepreneurs who are bringing sharing economy ideas to life, like Debbie Wosskow, who sold her platform Love Home Swap for £40M.’
The platform already has users from 15 countries signed up and offers a solution for owners who want home-based care for their pets. And for pet sitters of all ages, it creates the opportunity to make the most of this way of life, travelling the world looking after other people’s pets and getting paid. It’s a win-win for both sides of the platform, and a perfect example of how the platform economy makes use of existing assets and skills.
Trust My Pet Sitter has teamed up with PawSquad which lets pet sitters video call or text chat with a UK-registered vets absolutely free at any time of day or night, 365 days a year. They’ve also joined forces with YOTI to verify ID across 130 countries within minutes, helping to keep the Trust My Pet Sitter community safe and identifiable.
The app allows for several options when making decisions on both human and pet compatibility. When users log into Trust My Pet Sitter, they can decide if they want to browse listings or create their own. The app even filters by pet type, dog size, home type, location, Wi-Fi, and much more. Pet owners’ homes are even covered by an Insurance backed guarantee to give extra peace of mind.
Every day Trust My Pet Sitter presents the latest potential matches for owners and sitters. Users can browse through the profiles to decide if they want to contact pet sitters or owners using the secure messaging platform.
For more details visit https://trustmypetsitter.com
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