Pet ownership is increasing and it is driving demand for services like HouseMyDog, an Irish online company that has become the largest platform of dog-walkers in Europe, following a merger with its Spanish competitor.
HouseMyDog is an online community that enables dog owners to find and book local, trusted dog walkers and sitters.
It has merged with Gudog, and now the merged company has more than 25,000 approved dog sitters and walkers in over 70 cities across eight European countries, including the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Belgium.
Between 25 and 30% of households in Europe have a pet, and as pet ownership increases, it is driving demand for services like HouseMyDog.
HouseMyDog was established in Dublin in 2015 when founding brothers Timothy and James McElroy had difficulty finding a reliable dog sitter and walker for their family dog, Holly. The company has grown significantly since then, and now has offices in Dublin, London and Berlin.
James McElroy, co-founder of HouseMyDog, said they have had a close relationship with the Gudog team since 2016. "We admire what they have achieved and their passion for the community they have built. While today’s announcement makes strategic sense in combining our market share to accelerate our growth, we are also delighted to be working with a team that shares the same values and vision for the future of pet services in Europe."
HouseMyDog and Gudog will continue to operate under their existing brands and will roll into a single brand in early 2019. With a current headcount of 21, the merged company expects to more than double revenue in 2019 and plans to grow the team to 35 to drive this European growth.
