Our House

FOUNDATION Dog-care providers have joined Canada's sharing economy By JEREMY DEUTSCH CANINe ClUb I t's a bind that almost all pet owners find themselves in at the worst time. You're leaving for a weekend trip, but there isn't anyone around to take care of Charlie, your four-legged best friend. Now, a Canadian company is chewing up the sharing econ- omy in hopes of being the answer for owners looking for a place to take care of their pet in a safe environment. Concierge for canines GoFetch.ca is a new service that puts pet owners in touch with dog-care providers on the internet. Think of it as an Airbnb for your dog. GoFetch.ca offers a number of services, including doggy daycare, boarding and walking. One of the company co-founders, Willson Cross, explains the business started after one of his business partners had trouble finding a trusted place for his Australian Shepherd. Cross explains that there wasn't a service in Canada that gave pet owners peace of mind when they travelled and were in need of finding a place for their pets to stay. "It's just about making the Canadian dog owner's life easier," he tells Our House magazine, adding the No. 1 priority for the company is trust and safety in the platform. So far, the Vancouver- based business, which launched in spring of 2016, is in 100 cities across the country including Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. Dog owners visit GoFetch.ca, put in dates they need for dog sitting, along with their postal code. The system then provides a list of vetted sitters. An average night stay for your pup is $35 and Cross says a typical all-inclusive weekend stay is about $150. Family business Unlike in the past, when shipping off Fido to a kennel for a stretch of time made sense, Cross says there is an increase in the humanization of pets; ownership rates are high and pets are viewed as true members of the family. It's estimated that 35 per cent of households have a dog as a pet, while $30 billion was spent on dog services in North America in 2016. "GoFetch is there for the dog, the sitter is there for the dog," Cross says. "It's all about that one dog, so it's a very personalized travel experience for your pup." While the customer is getting peace of mind with the service, GoFetch.ca is also an opportunity for someone looking to start up a business out of their home. prospective dog sitters can go to the website and offer their service. Cross suggested the work is ideal for people who can't keep a pet for any reason, but also want to be around dogs. He also notes there are sitters with $1,000 bookings. "You could take a dog in every night," says Cross, of the potential income for sitters. All prospective dog sitters much go through a government verification check, develop a dog-care plan and take part in a phone interview with the GoFetch.ca team. Cross says the company only accepts about 30 per cent of applicants across Canada, which is a nod to the vetting process. "We want the best, most passionate care providers for dogs." " We want the best, most passionate care providers for dogs. " —Willson Cross ISTOCK DOMINION LeNDING CeNTreS OUR HOUSE SprING 2017 >> 21

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