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DogVacay is a technology company.
DogVacay has raised $47.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at DogVacay.
DogVacay has raised $47.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
DogVacay operates an online marketplace connecting pet owners with local, vetted caregivers for various services. The platform facilitates safe, reliable overnight boarding and dog walking through pre-screened sitters who host pets in their homes. This personalized approach offers an alternative to traditional kennels, prioritizing a comfortable environment. The service manages bookings and payments, fostering trust within its community.
Founded in March 2012 by Aaron Hirschhorn and Karine Nissim, DogVacay emerged from the insight that pet owners desired more personalized, home-like care than conventional boarding facilities. The husband-and-wife team identified a market gap for a trusted network where individuals could offer pet-sitting services, building an “Airbnb for dogs.” Their initiative sought a community-driven solution for temporary care.
The platform primarily serves pet owners seeking reliable companionship care, connecting them with independent pet sitters. DogVacay’s vision cultivates a broad ecosystem of trusted pet care providers, simplifying travel and busy lives for pet parents without compromising well-being. The company ensures every pet receives high-quality, individualized care within a comfortable home setting.
DogVacay was a technology platform that operated as a peer-to-peer marketplace for pet-sitting services, primarily connecting dog owners with vetted caregivers offering boarding, sitting, and walking in home-like environments as an alternative to traditional kennels.[1][3][4] It served pet owners needing reliable care during travel or absences, solving the problem of stressful, impersonal pet care by providing personalized, community-driven options; the company raised $47M from investors like Benchmark and First Round Capital before achieving strong growth with over $150M in combined bookings by 2016 (with competitor Rover).[1][3] Acquired by Rover in March 2017 in an all-stock deal, DogVacay's network expanded Rover's reach to over 100,000 sitters across the US and Canada, marking the end of its independent operations.[1][3]
DogVacay was founded in March 2012 by husband-and-wife team Aaron Hirschhorn and Karine Nissim in Santa Monica, California, evolving from a small dog-boarding business incubated by Science Inc.[2][3] The idea emerged from recognizing the demand for home-based pet care over kennels, quickly gaining traction with $47M in funding from prominent VCs including Benchmark, Andreessen Horowitz, Foundation Capital, and First Round Capital.[1][3] A pivotal moment came in 2017 when Rover acquired it just six months after DogVacay's $40M raise aimed at profitability and potential IPO, combining teams and accelerating scale.[3]
DogVacay rode the early 2010s sharing economy wave, akin to Airbnb for pets, capitalizing on rising pet humanization trends and the $15B US pet care market where owners sought flexible, on-demand services.[3][4] Timing was ideal post-2008 recession, as gig platforms proliferated and smartphone adoption enabled location-based matching; market forces like urban pet ownership growth and travel recovery favored it.[1][3] It influenced the ecosystem by proving peer-to-peer viability in pet services, paving the way for consolidation (e.g., Rover dominance) and inspiring competitors like Wag! and Mad Paws.[1]
Post-acquisition, DogVacay's brand and operations integrated into Rover, enhancing its scale for international expansion and profitability pushes, with Hirschhorn joining Rover's board.[3] Looking ahead, legacy elements fuel Rover's evolution amid trends like AI-driven matching, subscription pet wellness, and pet-tech hardware (e.g., trackers), potentially amplifying influence in a maturing $100B+ global market. This merger exemplified how marketplace pioneers shape enduring platforms, tying back to DogVacay's roots in accessible, loving pet care.[1][3]
Key people at DogVacay.
DogVacay has raised $47.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
DogVacay's investors include B Capital Group, Benchmark, Bowery Capital, Bullpen Capital, Eclipse Ventures, First Round Capital, Foundation Capital, Founders Fund, High Line Venture Partners, Insight Partners, IVP, Left Lane Capital.
DogVacay has raised $47.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $25.0M Series B in November 2014.