Barking Mad
Barking Mad is a UK pet-care franchisor operating a 60+ franchise network that matches dogs with vetted host families for home boarding, supported by an internal CRM and a Kidderminster head office. Founded in 2000 and part of Franchise Brands plc since 2016, it serves dog owners across the UK and Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersKirkby Lonsdale, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Barking Mad does
Barking Mad Ltd is a UK-based pet care franchisor that has operated a dog home boarding network since its founding in May 2000 by Lee Dancy in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria. The company matches dogs with vetted, independent host families who provide one-to-one in-home boarding while owners are away, supported by a collection-and-delivery service and supplemented with doggy day care, dog walking, puppy boarding, wedding dog sitting, pet taxi services and Pet Plan Insurance. Head office functions (Marketing, IT, Finance, Business Development) sit in Kidderminster with 11 full and part-time staff serving a network of 60+ franchisees across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, all operating under exclusive territories. Barking Mad has been part of the Franchise Brands plc group since 2016 and is ISO9001 accredited, fully compliant with Animal Activities Licensing regulations, and a member of the Pet Care Franchise Association.
The technology backbone is an internally developed FIDO (Franchisee Intranet Data Operator) system providing franchisee data storage, bespoke invoicing and online cashflow tracking, layered with a conventional martech stack (Google Analytics, Hotjar, DotDigital, Bing UET, Facebook pixel, LinkedIn). Revenue is generated two ways: one-time franchise licence fees of £4,995-£9,995 + VAT for new franchisees, and ongoing service revenue earned by franchisees from dog owners on a per-dog, per-day basis (£30-£37 daily rate plus collection, registration and multi-dog fees). Franchisees retain the majority of service revenue and remit fees to the franchisor, while also building their own host-family networks as the supply-side of the two-sided marketplace.
Barking Mad firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Barking Mad
- Legal name
- Barking Mad Ltd
- Website
- https://barkingmad.uk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Barking Mad is a UK pet-care franchisor operating a 60+ franchise network that matches dogs with vetted host families for home boarding, supported by an internal CRM and a Kidderminster head office. Founded in 2000 and part of Franchise Brands plc since 2016, it serves dog owners across the UK and Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Barking Mad industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Care Services
- NAICS
- Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)
- akta.pro primary industry
- In-Home/Family-Style Boarding (Boarding in Provider’s Home) (HSANADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- In-Home Dog Daycare (HSANAFAJ), Pet Errands & Pet Care Coordination (HSACAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Barking Mad is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kirkby Lonsdale
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Barking Mad business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees: Barking Mad generates revenue by selling franchise opportunities. The full franchise costs £9,995 + VAT, with various pricing options starting from £4,995 + VAT. The franchise fee covers the initial franchise licence, comprehensive training programme, bespoke CRM software, business equipment including uniform, marketing collateral, business cards, letterheads, doggy holiday suitcases and branded dog tags.
- Dog Home Boarding Services: Franchisees generate revenue by providing dog home boarding services to dog owners. Prices vary by location and service type - daily boarding rates range from £30-£37 per dog, with additional fees for collection/delivery (£40-£55), registration meetings (£35-£50), and multiple dogs. Franchisees retain earnings from service provision after paying franchise fees to the franchisor.
- Host Family Network: Franchisees recruit and manage a network of host families who provide dog boarding services. Hosts are not employees but independent providers who receive payment from the franchisee for their hosting services. The franchisee coordinates bookings, transport, and customer communications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Full Franchise Package |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-Level Franchise Option |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dog Home Boarding - Staines & Windsor |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dog Home Boarding - Cotswolds |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dog Home Boarding - Newcastle & Tyne Valley |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
Barking Mad product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Barking Mad provides one-to-one dog home boarding services across the UK and Republic of Ireland by matching dogs with carefully vetted host families who provide care in their own homes. The franchisor sells franchise territories to entrepreneurs (£9,995 + VAT) and franchisees then deliver the dog boarding and ancillary pet care services to individual dog owners, including collection and delivery, trial stays, and ongoing photo/text updates.
Product overview
Barking Mad is a pet care franchise company offering a portfolio of dog care services centred around its core Dog Home Boarding product, where dogs stay with carefully vetted host families. The company operates a franchise model with over 60 franchisees across the UK and Ireland. Key services include Dog Walking, Doggy Day Care, Puppy Boarding, Wedding Dog Sitting (Furry-tail Wedding Package), Pet Taxi Services, and Pet Plan Insurance. The franchise opportunity provides entrepreneurs with a proven business model including training, bespoke CRM software, the FIDO internal intranet system, and comprehensive support. The company was established in 2000 and is part of Franchise Brands plc.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dog Home Boarding One-to-one dog home boarding where dogs stay with carefully selected host families in their homes; includes chauffeur collection and delivery, trial stays and regular photo/text updates. Aimed at UK dog owners seeking a kennel alternative while they are away.
- Doggy Day Care Services Daytime dog care for owners needing temporary care for their pet during the working day, delivered by the local franchise network.
- Dog Walking Service Professional dog walking service provided by local franchisees for dog owners needing regular or one-off walks.
- Wedding Dog Sitting (Furry-tail Wedding Package) Specialist dog sitting service for weddings, allowing dogs to attend ceremonies and receive care throughout the event, targeted at owners who want their dog present on the day.
- Puppy Boarding Boarding service tailored to puppies with their specific care, routine and socialisation needs, delivered by vetted host families.
- Pet Taxi Services Transportation of dogs to and from their host family, including pick-up and drop-off services, typically charged as an add-on to boarding.
- Pet Plan Insurance Insurance coverage provided through a partnership with Pet Plan, giving protection for dogs while in Barking Mad's care.
- Barking Mad Franchise Opportunity Franchise business opportunity allowing entrepreneurs to run their own local Barking Mad dog care business, including training, CRM software, business equipment and ongoing support; full franchise fee £9,995 + VAT with options from £4,995 + VAT.
Quantifiable outcome
- 12 host families and 80 customers can generate circa £35,000 in income for franchisees
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Barking Mad
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Barking Mad technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Barking Mad partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pet Care Franchise Association (PCFA)coreBarking Mad is a member of the Pet Care Franchise Association (PCFA) who work to improve animal welfare standards in the pet care industry. This membership demonstrates commitment to operating to the highest standards and staying current with industry regulations.
- DEFRA / Government Regulatory BodiescoreBarking Mad works in compliance with Animal Activities Licensing (AAL) regulations introduced in October 2018, which replaced multiple animal establishment regulations. The company follows guidance from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) on commercial dog boarding regulations.
- Dogs For GoodcoreOfficial charity partnership initiated in early 2018, with Barking Mad becoming the official charity. The partnership involves fundraising to sponsor puppy training, with Prince the yellow Labrador sponsored as a result of community fundraising efforts. Dogs For Good trains assistance dogs for children and adults with autism, physical disabilities, special educational needs and dementia. Barking Mad franchisees and customers participate in events like Dogtober to raise funds.
- Franchise Brands plccoreIn 2016, Barking Mad became part of Franchise Brands plc, joining existing franchisors ChipsAway, Ovenclean, Metro Rod, Metro Plumb and Willow Pumps. This provides access to a network of over 600 franchisees internationally and franchising experts in areas like Marketing, IT, Finance and Business Development.
- Local Veterinary PracticesminorFranchisees work with local veterinary practices for emergency care when dogs in their care need veterinary attention. The Pet Schedule includes provisions for emergency vet treatment authorisation.
- Pet Plan InsuranceminorBarking Mad offers Pet Plan Insurance as part of their service offering, providing insurance coverage for dogs in their care through a partnership with the insurance provider.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Barking Mad competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Mad Paws: Australia's leading pet sitting and dog boarding marketplace. Strong functional parallel to Barking Mad's home boarding concept but operating in a different geography.
- Pawshake: Online marketplace for pet sitting, dog walking, and home boarding, with a strong user base in Australia and Europe. Comparable marketplace-based home boarding model to Barking Mad, but predominantly serving non-UK markets.
- DogBuddy (Rover Group): European dog boarding and day care marketplace, now part of the Rover Group. Comparable in service offering but primarily operating in continental Europe rather than competing head-on in the UK.
Direct peers
- BorrowMyDoggy: UK platform that matches dog owners with local borrowers for walks, holiday care, and companionship. Closely comparable to Barking Mad's host family model but free-to-use for owners, putting it in direct competition on price-sensitive segments.
- Rover: Global online marketplace for dog boarding, sitting, and walking, connecting pet owners with independent sitters. Direct competitor to Barking Mad's home boarding model, though operating as a platform rather than a vetted franchise network.
- TrustedHousesitters: UK-founded membership platform for house and pet sitting, with a large UK user base. Comparable as a home-based pet care alternative to kennels, though it bundles house sitting with pet care.
- We Love Pets: UK pet care franchise offering dog walking, pet sitting, home boarding, and other services through local franchisees. Closely mirrors Barking Mad's franchise-led, multi-service model across the UK.
- Bruce's Doggy Day Care: UK doggy day care franchise with multiple owned and franchised locations. Direct peer in the UK pet care franchise category, with a centre-based rather than home-based model.
- Tailster: UK-based online marketplace for pet sitting, dog walking, and home boarding. Directly competes with Barking Mad in the home boarding space, but uses a marketplace model rather than a franchise network.
Broad incumbents
- Pets at Home: UK's largest pet supplies retailer, also offering in-store grooming, vet services, and dog day care at select locations. A broader incumbent in UK pet care, with overlapping service lines but a very different retail-led model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Barking Mad social profiles
Digital presenceBarking Mad compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Barking Mad financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Barking Mad leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Barking Mad funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Barking Mad 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 Barking Mad
What does Barking Mad do?
Barking Mad provides one-to-one dog home boarding services across the UK and Republic of Ireland by matching dogs with carefully vetted host families who provide care in their own homes. The franchisor sells franchise territories to entrepreneurs (£9,995 + VAT) and franchisees then deliver the dog boarding and ancillary pet care services to individual dog owners, including collection and delivery, trial stays, and ongoing photo/text updates.
Is Barking Mad a public or private company?
Barking Mad is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Barking Mad founded?
Barking Mad was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Barking Mad based?
Barking Mad is headquartered in Kirkby Lonsdale, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Barking Mad make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees are the primary driver. The others are dog Home Boarding Services and host Family Network.
Who are Barking Mad's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Mad Paws, Pawshake and DogBuddy (Rover Group). Direct peers are BorrowMyDoggy, Rover, TrustedHousesitters, We Love Pets, Bruce's Doggy Day Care and Tailster. Pets at Home is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Barking Mad have an API?
No public API is recorded for Barking Mad.
What industry is Barking Mad in?
Barking Mad's product category is Pet Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSANADAF, In-Home/Family-Style Boarding (Boarding in Provider’s Home), with a secondary code of HSANAFAJ, In-Home Dog Daycare. Its NAICS code is 81291.