At BorrowMyDoggy, we connect dog owners with local dog lovers across the UK and Ireland for walks, sitting and happy holidays.
Through BorrowMyDoggy matches, dogs enjoy extra one-on-one attention and exercise, borrowers get to have fun, happy dog time without the full-time responsibility and owners have peace of mind that their dog is being taken care of by someone who is local, verified, insured, and wants to help out simply because they love dogs, not to get paid. We call this ‘Pawprints of Happiness’, and that’s our aim.
What customers say
“BorrowMyDoggy has brought a lot of happiness, joy and fun to our lives.” – Emily, Borrower of Frank
“BorrowMyDoggy has saved us a small fortune. Especially living in London, doggy daycare are really, really expensive.” Katherine, owner of George
“BorrowMyDoggy has surpassed every expectation in all good ways. I didn’t think it would give Darcy such a fantastic time and would be as easy and friendly to use.” Rosanna and Mike, Owners of Darcy
“BorrowMyDoggy is something we trust and recommend. The best thing about it is that everyone comes out happier from the experience.” Steve and Ian, Owner of Calvin
“BorrowMyDoggy is a way of finding the perfect match for you that fits in with your life, to bring you the help that you need with your dog, but also to share the joy of owning a dog with someone else.” Shirley, Owner of Bailey
Members and demographics
Over 250,000 members across the UK and Ireland.
We have members as far North as the Shetland Islands, and as far South as Jersey, all the way West in Limerick and East in Great Yarmouth…and absolutely everywhere in between!
Our members are everyone from families to students, pensioners to professionals. There is a huge range of dogs on the site too – everything from Labradors and Spaniels to Great Danes and Dachshunds with some wonderful mixed breeds thrown in too.
Key achievements
2012
BorrowMyDoggy concept developed in July, followed by market research
2013
Launched BorrowMyDoggy site in Oct ‘13
First angel round
Media coverage included BBC News, The Daily Telegraph, Mail on Sunday and The Evening Standard.
Grew team to 4 people
2014
Grew community to 100k+ members, >1,000% year over year
Launched IOS mobile app
Launched gift vouchers
Added 3rd party liability insurance and a 24/7 Vet Line
Invited to become a member of Facebook European Small Business Council
Raised additional angel funding
Grew team to 12 members
Media coverage included GQ, Marie Claire, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Sky News, BBC News, Women’s Fitness & Channel 4 News.
Celebrity endorsement from Leona Lewis
2015 (to date)
Grown community to +250k members
Launched new sign up process
Introduced membership engagement programs (new member activation and matching & member retention program)
Surpassed 180,000 social media Followers/Fans
Grown team to 15 members
Selected to be one of three companies featured in Paypal’s Above the Line Advertising campaign (live September 8)
Media coverage includes Sunday Times, Tatler, Esquire,Buzzfeed, BBC One TV and Stylist.
Celebrity endorsement from Rita Ora and Gemma Chan
Business model
BorrowMyDoggy is built around a subscription model, providing a predictable revenue stream based on renewals. An annual subscription costs £44.99 for owners and £9.99 for borrowers, which covers our 3-step verification process and provides access to a 24/7 Vet Line and third party liability insurance.
To join:
Step 1: Create a profile and search for local members based on distance and availability.
Step 2: Pay our annual subscription fee and complete our 3-step verification process (including addresses, phone numbers, and an optional video verification).
Step 3: Message other members to get to know each other.
Step 4: When you feel ready, schedule your first meet and greet, the ‘Welcome Woof’.
BorrowMyDoggy is all about getting to know other dog lovers really well before making a match. Just as you you would with a friend, family member, kennel or dog walker, it’s super important people get to know each other well locally before a pooch is taken care of by another person. Everyone, including the dog, needs to feel happy and trust each other since each pooch and person is different. You can learn more about this on our Membership page.
Reasons for raising money
We have big plans for BorrowMyDoggy and want to give our members access to the best products and experience possible. With your investment, we have three main goals:
1) To introduce our new website and iPhone app features and also launch our first ever Android app.
2) Add even more comprehensive membership and safety benefits.
3) Double the size of our community and help ensure more successful matches across the UK and Ireland.