Social Paws
Social Paws is a New York City dog-sharing mobile app connecting local dog owners with non-owners to share dog care, companionship, and "dog therapy," using a trademarked three-phase trust process plus identity, vaccine, and insurance verification.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Social Paws does
Social Paws is a New York City-based, pre-revenue consumer mobile application (founded 2021) operating a two-sided "dog-sharing" marketplace that connects dog owners (branded "Team Paws") with non-owners (branded "Team Social") within local neighborhoods. The platform's stated purpose is to let non-owners access dog companionship, exercise, and "dog therapy" while owners offload care, gain free walking/boarding-equivalent help, and give their dogs more activity. The product is a single iOS/Android app structured around a trademarked three-phase onboarding flow — "Snooping" (browsing profiles), "Sniffing" (in-person vetting walks), and "Sharing" (independent walks, playdates, sleepovers) — supported by a "Dog Park" community feed and a technology-prompted concierge designed to reduce social friction between neighbors.
The technology is a thin orchestration layer over third-party trust-and-safety integrations rather than proprietary infrastructure: identity verification via Plaid, vaccine verification via Vet Verifi (DA2PP, Rabies, Bordetella), and incident insurance up to $1,000,000 per occurrence via a Chubb partnership, plus a Vet Form mechanism granting emergency authority during the Sharing phase. These safety primitives, combined with the trademarked relationship-building process, constitute the company's principal differentiation versus transactional pet-care apps.
The business model is freemium subscription. The app is currently free during a beta phase, with two planned paid tiers — Basic at $19.99/month and VIP at $29.99/month — offering escalating dog-care or dog-therapy access. Go-to-market is product-led, distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play, and supported by top-of-funnel community events (pack walks, dog yoga, pup picnics, university socials), Instagram, and a blog. The company is founder-led (founder Jeanette Eng) with a team of roughly six and 1–10 total headcount, and has raised a single disclosed $10,000 round from Leap Venture Studio (Aug 2024), an accelerator focused on the pet sector.
Social Paws firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Social Paws
- Legal name
- Social Paws
- Website
- https://socialpawsapp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Social Paws is a New York City dog-sharing mobile app connecting local dog owners with non-owners to share dog care, companionship, and "dog therapy," using a trademarked three-phase trust process plus identity, vaccine, and insurance verification.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Social Paws industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Care Sharing Platform
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pet Care & Pet Services Platforms (Sitting, Walking, Grooming) (BPAMAHAI)
Keywords
Where Social Paws is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Social Paws business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Subscription Tiers: Freemium model with Basic ($19.99) and VIP ($29.99) membership tiers providing increasing amounts of dog-care for owners or dog-therapy for non-owners. Currently in beta and completely free.
- Basic Membership: $19.99 membership tier offering increased dog-care or dog-therapy access compared to free tier.
- VIP Membership: $29.99 premium membership tier offering maximum dog-care or dog-therapy benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier during beta |
| Subscription | Monthly | Basic membership tier |
| Subscription | Monthly | VIP premium membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Social Paws product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Social Paws operates a mobile application that connects dog owners (Team Paws) with non-owners (Team Social) within neighborhoods for dog-sharing relationships, including walks, playdates, and sleepovers. The app guides users through a structured three-phase "Snooping, Sniffing, Sharing" trust-building process and includes identity verification, vaccine verification, and up to $1,000,000 in incident insurance coverage. The platform is offered via a freemium model with Basic ($19.99) and VIP ($29.99) subscription tiers, currently in free beta.
Product overview
Social Paws is a single mobile application platform that connects dog owners (Team Paws) with non-owners (Team Social) for dog-sharing relationships. The core Social Paws Mobile App facilitates the Snooping, Sniffing, Sharing process through profile browsing, messaging, and the Dog Park community feed. The platform is available on iOS and Android, and recently introduced an AI-Powered Dog Companion feature. Social Paws offers freemium, basic ($19.99), and VIP ($29.99) membership tiers, with pricing planned post-beta.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Social Paws Mobile App A mobile application (iOS and Android) that connects dog owners (Team Paws) with non-owners (Team Social) for dog-sharing relationships, facilitating the Snooping, Sniffing, Sharing process for building trust-based dog-sharing connections within neighborhoods.
Quantifiable outcome
- Users can save significant amounts on dog-boarding costs (e.g., $800 saved)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Social Paws
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Social Paws technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature6 records
Social Paws partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Earth RatedminorEvent sponsor/partner appearing in Social Paws events section. Earth Rated is a dog-related product brand (known for dog waste bags) that co-sponsors community dog events.
- CSI Tech IncubatorcoreCSI Tech Incubator appears as a partner, suggesting Social Paws may have been incubated or supported by this tech incubator program in New York.
- Walkee PawsminorEvent sponsor/partner appearing in Social Paws events section. Walkee Paws is a dog product brand that co-sponsors community dog events.
- SuperZoominorEvent sponsor appearing in Social Paws events section. SuperZoo is a major pet industry trade show that co-sponsors community dog events.
- Brilliant Veterinary CareminorEvent sponsor/partner appearing in Social Paws events section. A veterinary care provider that co-sponsors community dog events.
- Chubb InsurancecoreInsurance partner providing up to $1,000,000 coverage per occurrence for all dog-sharing activities on the platform. This is a core safety feature of the service.
- PlaidcoreThird-party identity verification service used to ensure profiles are of real people with accurate information.
- Vet VerificoreThird-party vaccine verification service to confirm dogs are up-to-date on required vaccinations (DA2PP, Rabies, Bordetella).
Scale indicators2 records
Social Paws competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rover: Largest US marketplace for dog walking, sitting and boarding; directly comparable as a two-sided pet services platform connecting dog owners with caregivers in local markets. Social Paws competes for the same urban dog-owner wallet but differentiates on relationship-building versus transactional care.
- BorrowMyDoggy: UK-based dog-sharing platform that connects dog owners with borrowers for walks, playdates and holidays — the closest conceptual analogue to Social Paws' Team Paws / Team Social model. Directly comparable on community-driven, non-transactional dog-sharing value proposition.
- Pawshake: Global pet-sitting marketplace with strong presence in Europe, Australia and Canada. Comparable as a two-sided local-marketplace for pet care services and a relevant benchmark for Social Paws' international expansion potential.
- Wag: On-demand dog walking and pet care app with deep penetration in major US cities. Competes head-to-head with Social Paws for urban dog-owner share of wallet on walks and drop-ins, though positioned as transactional versus Social Paws' relational model.
- Holidog: European pet-sitting and dog-walking platform with similar two-sided marketplace mechanics. Comparable on customer profile and service mix (sitting, walking, home visits), and a relevant peer for cross-Atlantic expansion strategy.
- Barkly Pets: In-home pet sitting and dog walking marketplace serving major US metros. Comparable in product surface area (sitting/walking) and target customer (urban dog owners), and competes for the same neighborhood-density economics.
- PetBacker: Asia-Pacific-headquartered pet services marketplace covering pet sitting, walking, grooming and boarding. Comparable as a multi-country pet services platform and a relevant competitor if Social Paws pursues international expansion.
Emerging players
- TrustedHousesitters: Subscription-based house- and pet-sitting platform with a membership (not per-visit) model. Highly comparable to Social Paws' planned freemium subscription pricing and shared focus on trust, identity verification, and community-driven matching.
Others
- BarkBox: Subscription-based dog product and services company also backed by Leap Venture Studio. Adjacent rather than competitive, but co-investor alignment and shared ecosystem make it the most relevant peer for understanding the Social Paws founder/investor thesis.
Broad incumbents
- PetSmart (PetsHotel & Doggie Day Camp): National pet retail chain operating in-store boarding and daycare. Represents the incumbent offline channel for the dog-boarding spend Social Paws is displacing, and a useful benchmark for the cost structure Social Paws' $800-savings value proposition undercuts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Social Paws social profiles
Digital presenceSocial Paws financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Social Paws leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Social Paws funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Social Paws M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Social Paws
What does Social Paws do?
Social Paws operates a mobile application that connects dog owners (Team Paws) with non-owners (Team Social) within neighborhoods for dog-sharing relationships, including walks, playdates, and sleepovers. The app guides users through a structured three-phase "Snooping, Sniffing, Sharing" trust-building process and includes identity verification, vaccine verification, and up to $1,000,000 in incident insurance coverage. The platform is offered via a freemium model with Basic ($19.99) and VIP ($29.99) subscription tiers, currently in free beta.
Is Social Paws a public or private company?
Social Paws is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Social Paws founded?
Social Paws was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Social Paws based?
Social Paws is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Social Paws make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Tiers are the primary driver. The others are basic Membership and VIP Membership.
Who are Social Paws's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rover, BorrowMyDoggy, Pawshake, Wag, Holidog, Barkly Pets and PetBacker. TrustedHousesitters is listed as an emerging player. BarkBox is listed as an others. PetSmart (PetsHotel & Doggie Day Camp) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Social Paws have an API?
No public API is recorded for Social Paws.
What industry is Social Paws in?
Social Paws's product category is Pet Care Sharing Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAHAI, Pet Care & Pet Services Platforms (Sitting, Walking, Grooming). Its NAICS code is 81291 and its SIC code is 7900.