Pet Care & Online Marketplace * London, England
Featured on UK Business Wall.
A UK Digital consultancy helping organisations build ethical, user-centreddigital products.
- Founded: 2013
- Founder: Aaron Easterly
- Sector: Pet Care & Online Marketplace
- Location: London, England
DogBuddy was founded in 2013 by Aaron Easterly with the goal of transforming how pet owners find trustworthy care for their dogs. The founder identified a growing challenge faced by modern pet owners: traditional kennels and boarding services often felt impersonal, inflexible and stressful for both dogs and owners. DogBuddy was created to offer a more human, community-driven alternative by connecting dog owners with vetted, local dog sitters who could provide care in home environments.
From the outset, DogBuddy positioned itself as a trust-based platform rather than a transactional service. Safety, transparency and community standards were built into the marketplace, with sitter verification, reviews and secure booking processes designed to give owners confidence. This peer-to-peer model reflected wider changes in consumer behaviour, where people increasingly preferred personalised, local services enabled by technology.
The platform grew rapidly across the UK and Europe as demand for flexible pet care increased. DogBuddy supported a wide range of services, including overnight stays, dog walking and day care, allowing sitters to earn income while offering owners greater choice and convenience. The company invested heavily in platform usability, customer support and insurance cover, reinforcing its reputation as a reliable and responsible pet care provider.
A defining feature of DogBuddy’s success was its focus on animal wellbeing. By enabling dogs to stay in home environments rather than institutional settings, the platform appealed strongly to owners concerned about stress, routine disruption and socialisation. This emphasis on comfort and care helped DogBuddy build strong emotional resonance with its user base.
As the pet care market matured and consolidated, DogBuddy became part of Rover, the global pet care platform. The acquisition reflected the strength of DogBuddy’s model, brand and community across the UK and Europe, and allowed its services to scale within a larger international ecosystem.
Today, DogBuddy is recognised as a pioneering platform in the UK pet care sector. Its journey reflects the power of marketplace technology, trust-led design and a clear understanding of pet owners’ needs. By reimagining how dog care is delivered, DogBuddy helped shape the modern pet services economy.
