What Heart + Paw does

Heart + Paw is a privately held pet care company founded in 2018 by Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. George Melillo and headquartered outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company operates 31+ full-service veterinary, grooming, daycare, and boarding centers across 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest. Each location combines low-stress veterinary care (wellness, dental, surgery, radiology, urgent care) with complementary pet services (Style grooming, Play daycare, Stay boarding), an online pharmacy powered by BlueRabbitRx, and a 24/7 teletriage service, all coordinated through the Vetspire cloud-based practice management system, the CUBEX inventory platform, the My Heart + Paw patient portal, and a mobile app for iOS and Android.

The company employs between 251 and 500 people and is led by CEO Dave Lasus and Chief Growth/Financial Officer Andrew DeFino, with Dr. Mary Peacock serving as Chief Veterinary Officer. Revenue is generated through transactional veterinary and ancillary service fees, multi-day daycare and boarding packages (Play Packs), online pharmacy sales, and — as of June 2026 — recurring subscription revenue from Heart + Paw Care Plans, a Nest-powered preventive care program offering interest-free monthly payments, 24/7 teletriage, and free technician visits. Heart + Paw also operates a distinctive veterinarian co-ownership program that recruits entrepreneurial DVMs to design, build, and co-own new practices under the corporate umbrella. The company is backed by healthcare-focused private equity firm Whistler Capital Partners following a strategic growth investment in January 2024.

Name

Heart + Paw

Legal name

Heart + Paw

Website

https://heartandpaw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Heart + Paw is a Philadelphia-based pet care company operating 31+ full-service veterinary, grooming, daycare, and boarding centers across 10 states, serving pet parents and veterinarian co-owners through integrated clinical, technology, and subscription platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary and Pet Care Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (54194), Veterinary Services (541940), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Hospitals (8060)

akta.pro primary industry

Mobile & House-Call Veterinary Services (HLAMAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Veterinary-Affiliated/Medical Boarding (HSANADAG)

Keywords

• Veterinary care services
• Pet grooming daycare
• Pet boarding facilities
• Preventive pet care plans
• Veterinary practice co-ownership

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices32 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Services: Full-service veterinary care including wellness exams, dental care, surgery, radiology, and urgent care. Revenue generated from one-time service visits and procedures.
2. Pet Grooming: Professional grooming services including full groom, shave downs, and refresh services. Pricing varies by breed, coat type, and weight.
3. Dog Daycare and Boarding: Daycare services at $45/day with package discounts, and boarding at select locations. Play Pack bundles available for frequent users.
4. Care Plans Subscription: Monthly subscription preventive care plans customized per pet. Includes interest-free monthly payments, no enrollment fees. Plan holders receive unlimited tech visits and 24/7 teletriage.
5. Online Pharmacy: Veterinarian-recommended products and medications sold through BlueRabbitRx online pharmacy with shipping.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heart + Paw operates a network of full-service pet care centers delivering veterinary care (wellness exams, dental, surgery, radiology, urgent care), professional grooming, dog daycare, boarding, and 24/7 teletriage. The company also offers subscription-based Heart + Paw Care Plans for personalized preventive pet healthcare, an integrated online pharmacy, mobile app, and patient portal. Services are delivered through 31+ owned and partnered locations across 10 U.S. states.

Product overview

Heart + Paw is a veterinary care organization offering a unified platform combining multiple pet care services: veterinary care (with dental, surgery, radiology, routine wellness), grooming (Style), dog daycare (Play), and boarding (Stay). The portfolio includes branded offerings like Heart + Paw Care Plans (personalized preventive healthcare subscriptions), Heart + Paw Teletriage (24/7 veterinary telemedicine), an online pharmacy, a patient portal (My Heart + Paw), and mobile app. The company operates 31 locations across 10+ states and offers pet insurance services through partner providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heart + Paw Veterinary Care Full-service veterinary centers providing routine wellness exams, dental care, surgery, radiology, and ultrasound for dogs and cats using low-stress handling techniques.
• Heart + Paw Grooming (Style) Professional dog and cat grooming services including full groom, shave down, and refresh services delivered with low-stress handling at select Heart + Paw locations.
• Heart + Paw Daycare (Play) Climate-controlled dog daycare service offering safe, friendly play environments with synthetic grass, water fountains, and large observation windows, with Play Pack multi-day packages available.
• Heart + Paw Boarding (Stay) Overnight dog and cat boarding with trained staff and secure accommodations available at select Heart + Paw locations.
• Heart + Paw Care Plans Subscription-based preventive care program customized per pet's age, health history, and lifestyle, including unlimited tech visits, 24/7 teletriage access, and interest-free monthly payments with no enrollment or annual fees.
• Heart + Paw Teletriage 24/7 veterinary teletriage service connecting pet parents with licensed veterinarians via video or chat for immediate guidance.
• Heart + Paw Urgent Care Walk-in urgent veterinary care for non-life-threatening injuries or illnesses that cannot wait for a regular appointment, available at Heart + Paw locations.
• Heart + Paw Online Pharmacy Online pet pharmacy offering veterinarian-recommended products and medications shipped directly to pet owners, powered by the BlueRabbitRx platform.
• Heart + Paw Pet Insurance Services Pet insurance guidance and partnership services connecting pet parents with insurance providers including Fetch, Trupanion, and Pumpkin to help cover unexpected veterinary expenses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Savings of $187-$297 per year with Care Plans
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Nest (Care Plan Platform Provider)coreTechnology or Integration · 17 June 2026Partnered with Nest to build Heart + Paw Care Plans - personalized preventive pet healthcare program featuring interest-free monthly payments and customized wellness solutions.
• VetspirecoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based practice information management system (PIMS) providing record sharing, online scheduling, and digital records across network.
• CUBEXcoreTechnology or IntegrationInventory management system for controlled drugs and medication tracking to minimize waste and prevent shortages.
• BlueRabbitRxcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline pharmacy platform integrated with clinic locations for shipping medications and pet products.
• Fetch Pet InsurancesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPet insurance provider offering 10% off injury & illness plan for Heart + Paw clients.
• TrupanionsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPet insurance provider covering unexpected injuries, illnesses, accidents, and medical conditions with 90% reimbursement.
• Pumpkin Pet InsurancesupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPet insurance provider offering accidents and illnesses coverage plus optional Preventive Essentials Pack.
• dvm360supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic Alliance Partner - dvm360 provides industry resources, education, and veterinary industry recognition.
• CareCreditsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPayment plans for veterinary care, dental appointments, and unexpected costs through credit card financing.
• CovetrussupportingOthersVeterinary supply and distribution partner for pharmaceuticals and supplies.
• Antech DiagnosticssupportingTechnology or IntegrationDiagnostic laboratory services partner.
• ZoetissupportingOthersAnimal health pharmaceutical partner.
• ElancosupportingOthersAnimal health pharmaceutical partner.
• Boehringer IngelheimsupportingOthersAnimal health pharmaceutical partner.
• Hill's Pet NutritionsupportingOthersPrescription pet food and nutrition partner.
• PurinasupportingOthersPet food and nutrition partner.
• Royal CaninsupportingOthersPrescription pet food and nutrition partner.
• Brandywine SPCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimal shelter partnership for adoption events at Ballston Quarter Mall.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PetIQ (VetIQ Clinics): PetIQ operates VetIQ Clinics inside retail locations and provides wellness and preventive pet care at lower price points. It overlaps with Heart + Paw on preventive and routine veterinary offerings, but in a retail-anchored model.
• Banfield Pet Hospital: Banfield is the largest general veterinary chain in the U.S., operating inside PetSmart stores with Optimum Wellness Plans. It is a broad incumbent in the same veterinary services category as Heart + Paw.
• Petco (Vetco Total Care): Petco operates full-service veterinary hospitals and clinics inside its stores, including grooming and pharmacy. It is a broad incumbent overlapping with Heart + Paw across veterinary, grooming, pharmacy and pet care retail.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: VCA is a nationwide network of animal hospitals and specialty centers owned by Mars Petcare. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Heart + Paw's general practice veterinary services at scale.

Direct peers

• Petfolk: Petfolk operates a chain of modern, membership-oriented veterinary clinics offering wellness plans and integrated care, overlapping with Heart + Paw on multi-service clinic format and subscription wellness programs.
• Dogtopia: Dogtopia is the largest dog daycare franchise in North America, with off-leash open-play daycare, boarding and spa services. It directly competes with Heart + Paw's Play (daycare) and Stay (boarding) services and is also expanding into wellness-adjacent offerings.
• Bond Vet: Bond Vet is a venture-backed modern veterinary clinic chain with walk-in availability and tech-enabled operations, directly competing with Heart + Paw's physical clinic model and East Coast customer base.
• Small Door Veterinary: Small Door is a membership-based veterinary care startup with a technology-forward clinic experience. Its annual membership and integrated care model closely parallels Heart + Paw Care Plans.
• WellHaven Pet Health: WellHaven is a PE-backed veterinary hospital group that grows via partnerships with veterinarian owners, mirroring Heart + Paw's co-ownership model and multi-clinic expansion approach.
• Modern Animal: Modern Animal is a venture-backed, membership-based veterinary clinic brand built around a modern experience and an annual/ monthly plan. It directly competes with Heart + Paw's Care Plans and multi-service clinic positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heart-and-paw
• Instagraminstagram.com/heartandpaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/heartandpaw

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heart + Paw