- $10m investment secured from Rockpool Investments to expand in the US
- Revenue at twice pre-pandemic levels
- Soaring pet ownership increases demand for pet-care solutions globally
- Brighton-based TrustedHousesitters is the world’s largest pet-sitting network
TrustedHousesitters, the world’s largest pet-sitting network, today announces that it has secured $10m in Series A funding to continue expanding into the US market and, despite travel restrictions over the last 18 months, is already seeing revenue at twice pre-pandemic levels.
The pandemic saw a huge increase in global demand for pets, with 3.2 million UK homes acquiring a pet over lockdown, according to the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association annual pet population report, bringing the total number of UK pets to 34 million. In the US this has translated to an historic high of $8bn spent on pet services including animal-sitting.
As pet ownership increases, more people are seeking alternatives to boarding pets in unfamiliar environments that can cause stress and separation anxiety for animals and their owners. TrustedHousesitters enables a value exchange between pet owners and pet sitters - for £99 per year, owners have access to unlimited pet-sitting by a network of caring sitters who offer their services for a welcoming place to stay on their unique travel lifestyles and a shared love of pets.
Now, as travel - both international and domestic - opens back up and remote working is enabling more people to become digital nomads, TrustedHousesitters has seen over 30,000 new owner and sitter members since the start of 2021.
Founded in 2010, TrustedHousesitters has now facilitated more than four million nights of pet sitting across 130 countries. The $10m from Rockpool Investments is the company’s first round of investment and will support the company to grow its membership base, with a particular focus on California.
“We are excited to grow our membership base in the United States and across the world and assure new and existing pet owners that they can travel without worry by knowing a verified sitter is caring for their animals as if they were their own,” explained Mathew Prior, CEO of TrustedHousesitters. “Our sitters provide genuine one-to-one love and care in the comfort of the pets’ home, so owners don’t have to worry about making their beloved pets feel anxious about being separated from their own familiar and safe environment.”
“There is no better time than now to invest in a business with such huge growth potential as TrustedHousesitters,” said Guy Ellis, Investment Director at Rockpool. “To see a British company taking the initiative, allowing pet owners to travel with confidence as the world opens up once more, is just the sort of good-news story that everyone needs at the moment.”
In 2020, TrustedHousesitters was selected to participate in the Upscale programme run by Tech Nation1. This year, as well as securing $10m investment, TrustedHousesitters is also proud to announce the appointment of Brock Weatherup to its executive board. As CEO of Metamorphosis Partners and PetCo’s former Executive Vice President, Weatherup has been a driving force in the US pet care industry and brings with him his expertise in this growth market and is also an investor in this Series A round.
1 Tech Nation’s Upscale programme helps the UK's most promising tech companies to accelerate their growth and unlock the key to scaling successfully.
About TrustedHousesitters
UK-based TrustedHousesitters is the largest worldwide network that connects pet lovers through their mutual love of animals to solve a common two-sided dilemma – pet care and cost-effective travel. The platform allows customers to join as an owner, sitter, or both for one annual cost and, in return, provides members with unlimited vacation pet sitting with love. After becoming a member, owners have the comfort of knowing their fur-babies are happy at home (without the need for expensive and anxiety-inducing kennels), while their sitter finds a warm, fuzzy companion wherever their adventures take them. No matter where in the world you are, a pet makes a house a home.
Contact:
Corrie Raine
Lansons
07887593940
Angela Laws
TrustedHousesitters.com
angela@trustedhousesitters.com
07771124145