Over the last few years a number of companies have branded themselves in a variety ways to portray them as "the next best thing" in pet care - and mostly targeted dog owners, but have not left any other pets - or in their case, income streams - unforgotten.
Now, in the effort of full-disclosure, I want to make it perfectly clear that I do believe that there is different types of service for different types of people. That being said, I certainly do not support these companies, but that isn't entirely because of the ownership of my pet care business. Since I probably have you thinking, "What?!" now, let's get into the details.
Since the beginning of time, as far as anyone knows, there are bad apples in every bunch and unfortunately, the pet care world is no exception. There are many different ways and ideologies in how pets are cared for and the same is true for pet businesses. Some are obviously just plain bad. This brings me to today's fast-paced and results-now driven world - and how new 'push button, get results' type businesses with slick apps are clamoring for your pet-care dollars.
One of the more prominent companies out their promises to have a dog walker available 'on-demand' and with-in the next 30 minutes if you so need. That same company on their front page says they are the #1 App for busy dog owners. Did you catch that? Let me re-write with emphasis on the problem - "#1 APP" . These companies aren't even pet care companies! They are technology companies slinging apps and masquerading as pet care companies. Their model is very similar to the Uber model of new-age taxi services - push button, get service. Unfortunately, this type of care for your pet just isn't a good idea. In an Pheonix New Times article, the author explains their not-so-top-dog experience when scheduling their dog walker from a particular company. It is enough to make your hair stand on end. But let's go a little deeper than the article does.
The company says their walkers are background checked and take a test to be hired. Wow! A test? That's awesome, considering any computer literate person knows you can easily find answers to nearly any question - especially when the test itself is ONLINE and not taken in a monitored fashion. I should pause here and explain that Executive Pet Services Pet Care Specialists are TRAINED in pet care and CERTIFIED for emergencies with IN-PERSON Instructors.
The same article explains the walker they were supposed to have wasn't the walker that arrived and wasn't at the requested time. So here you are already hiring complete strangers and now you have an even stranger stranger coming into your home to care for your cherished pets! Wait, wait, wait... I'm sorry... I'm thinking about this all wrong .... I need to make the same type of app for child care. What do you think? "Nanny O.D." we'll call it - O.D. for On-Demand of course - well before I hear all of the gasps - I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T DO THIS! So WHY with your pets!? You wouldn't. Its absolutely insane.
Ok. The fact is I can literally go on a complete rant for far more paragraphs but I'll let the aforementioned article and your own forward thinking google searches do the talking from here. But I'll leave you with one last thing...
Professional dog walkers and professional pet sitters are the PEOPLE for your pets, not an app. We are a pet care company, not a tech company. Please consider this when do your search for your pet care needs. Are you in good hands?