SEATTLE and DENVER – August 7, 2014 – Rover.com, the nation’s largest network connecting dog owners with dog lovers for hire, today announced it has acquired Sleepover Rover®, a pioneer of the in-home dog boarding industry. As a result of the acquisition, Rover is also announcing that it has launched a new high-touch service, Rover Premier. This integrated service will connect dog-owners with sitters who have undergone an enhanced interview process – including a professional inspection of the home and yard – by providing access to Rover’s elite customer service team. Denver will be the first market to get the Rover Premier service, with additional locations announced over the coming months.
“We have a fundamental belief at Rover that one size does not fit all – every dog and owner is unique and deserves the personal care and attention that fits their needs,” said Aaron Easterly, CEO of Rover.com. “Rover tapped the online sharing economy to help dog owners find the right person to care for their dog, but we recognized there was a segment that would benefit from a consultative service offline. Through the acquisition of Sleepover Rover we are able to launch Rover Premier, allowing us to offer that high-level service and meet the needs of more pet parents.”
The Rover Premier service will provide dog owners and sitters with personalized, one-on-one attention. Whether customers have a dog with special needs or simply prefer not to use the online self-service option, a Rover Premier consultant will quickly search for, find, and book a sitter. Rover Premier sitters are home full-time, individually interviewed by an agent, undergo in-person home and yard inspections, and have profile photos that have all been verified by the company. The service will help sitters as well. Managing logistics and customer inquiries, Premier sitters can focus more of their time on providing care to the dogs they host.
Sleepover Rover will continue to serve its existing customers without interruption, while now offering them additional benefits through Rover, such as complimentary premium insurance, access to 24/7 emergency support and 1-800-Help4Pets safety dog tags.
“Maggie and I know dogs, and we know the dog service industry well. However, we are committed to building our business on the world’s most advanced technology platform, and that means partnering with Rover.com,” said Tina Myers, co-founder of Sleepover Rover. “The Rover team consists of some of the most passionate and intelligent people we have ever met. We are so grateful for their experience and guidance as we grow Sleepover Rover.”
Rover is the largest online pet services community with more than 25,000 sitters in the United States and service available in every major city. Currently, more than 92 percent of the population lives within a short drive of a Rover sitter and demand for sitters is accelerating. While the Premier sitters undergo home and yard inspections, Rover’s entire network is comprised of dog lovers whose online profiles are reviewed and approved across multiple dimensions prior to publication, in an effort to make available sitters who will love their dog like their own.
Maggie Brown, co-founder of Sleepover Rover, adds, “Like Sleepover Rover, Rover.com believes that dogs belong in loving homes. We are both on a mission to provide a better alternative to kennels and cages. If dogs cannot be in their own home, they should be in a home with a person who is dedicated to caring for the dog’s social, emotional, and physical needs. Like us, Rover wants to create a ‘win-win-win’ for pet parent, dog, and sitter.”
About Rover
Rover.com connects dog owners with a nationwide network of dog lovers for hire. Founded on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the unconditional love of a dog, Rover makes it easy for dog owners throughout the US to reach sitters who offer in-home boarding, pet sitting, dog walking, and day care. More than 92 percent of the population lives within a short drive of one of Rover’s 25,000 sitters, and 95 percent of reviewed stays have received a perfect five-star rating. In addition to connecting pet owners with sitters, the Rover platform offers complimentary premium insurance for all services booked through Rover, access to 24/7 vet consultation, mobile apps, photo sharing, videos of stay highlights, and optional sitter background checks.
About Sleepover Rover, Inc.
The company is the brainchild of Maggie Brown and Tina Myers, two over-50 women passionate about dogs. Phoenix-based and winner of the 2007 Phoenix Chamber of Commerce Athena Power Link Award, Sleepover Rover currently operates in 13 major markets in the southwest with rapid national expansion in play for 2014. Sleepover Rover identifies their dog hosts among dog-loving retirees, stay-at-home parents, or professionals who work from home offices. Sleepover Rover carefully interviews and inspects homes and yards for all host families to be sure they are trusted dog lovers and home full-time, so even the most choosy of pet parents can enjoy worry-free time away from their beloved pet.