Pets at Home acquires stake in pet-sitting service

Tailster uses a network of 26,000 self-employed pet carers across the UK, which it connects with customers via an app that offers GPS tracking of dog walks, real time photos and free insurance.

Pets at Home will offer Tailster’s services to its VIP loyalty scheme customers, which currently amount to 4.4 million.

Customers can access Tailster’s 26,000 registered carers and owners across the UK to track their pets’ activity via GPS.

Meanwhile, dogs account for 75 per cent of the pet minding market due to their greater care needs, with over £500 million being generated from dog walking alone.

“We are delighted to be able to announce this exciting new partnership with Tailster,” Pets at Home chief executive Peter Pritchard said.

“It is a win-win deal, good for both businesses but especially good for owners searching for someone they can trust to look after their much-loved pet.

“I’m sure our 4.4 million active VIP members will love this easy access to convenient walking and boarding services.”

Tailster chief executive Indy Sangha said: “We’ve spent the past few years consolidating a previously fragmented market worth over £1 billion per year, and we’re delighted to be able to now offer this to Pets at Home customers.

“Not only do the team at Pets at Home share our vision about how we can bring our services to UK pet owners and drive the growth of our business, but they also share many of our values of putting pets first, and the customer at the heart of what we do.”

No details of the Tailster deal have been revealed but Peter Pritchard, the chief executive of Pets at Home, said the investment was “a win-win deal, good for both businesses but especially good for owners searching for someone they can trust to look after their much-loved pet”.