PAW PALS LTD

What PAW PALS LTD does

Paw Pals Ltd, trading as Paw Pals and legally Paw Pals Pet Sitting (UK) Ltd (registered in England and Wales), is a UK-based pet care franchise founded in 2005. The company operates through five independently run franchise branches located in Cheshire East, East Surrey, Eastbourne & Hailsham, Nottingham, and West Oxfordshire, each owned and operated by a local franchisee (for example, David and Tammy Lugsden in Cheshire East, Nicky Nettleton in Nottingham, Brian Ainge in East Surrey, and Darren and Phillippa Moxam-Collins in Eastbourne & Hailsham). Its headquarters is at Suite 204, Warner House, 123 Castle Street, Salisbury, SP1 3TB.

The core offering is direct-to-consumer pet care services, including one-to-one and small group "buddy-walk" dog walking, cat sitting and feeding, small animal boarding (rabbits, guinea pigs), in-home pet and house sitting, overnight pet and house sitting, and puppy visits. The franchise also markets add-on services such as pet transportation to vets and groomers, hand-painted pet portraits, wedding-day dog services, and pet food sales and delivery. Operations are service-based with no proprietary technology platform, mobile app, or AI components disclosed; customer acquisition runs through a central website (paw-pals.co.uk) with a branch locator, branch-specific Facebook pages, and a blog publishing pet care advice and local area content.

The business model is professional services revenue on a pay-as-you-go basis, with pricing handled privately through direct consultation at each local branch rather than via published rate cards. There are no disclosed enterprise or B2B customers; the customer base consists of individual pet owners and working professionals across the five operating regions. The company is privately held, has no venture capital or private equity backing in the source material, has not raised funding rounds, and has no disclosed M&A activity. The company registered as a Data Controller with the UK Information Commissioner's Office in December 2017 and operates under GDPR-compliant policies.

Name

PAW PALS LTD

Legal name

Paw Pals Pet Sitting (UK) Ltd

Website

https://paw-pals.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Paw Pals is a UK pet care franchise founded in 2005, operating through five independently run local branches that provide dog walking, cat sitting, pet and house sitting, and small animal boarding directly to individual pet owners and working professionals across Cheshire East, East Surrey, Eastbourne & Hailsham, Nottingham, and West Oxfordshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Personal Services (7200)

akta.pro primary industry

Pet Errands & Pet Care Coordination (HSACAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Long-Term/Extended-Stay Boarding (HSANADAJ), Veterinary Appointment Transport (HSANAIAD)

Keywords

• Pet care services
• Dog walking
• Pet sitting
• Pet boarding
• Franchise pet care

Headquarters

HQ city

Salisbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Pet Care Services Revenue: Paw Pals generates revenue through direct service fees for pet care including dog walking, cat sitting, small animal boarding, pet sitting, and pet transportation. Services are priced per visit or per booking with no public pricing disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paw Pals is a full-service pet care franchise operating across multiple UK locations. The company delivers professional pet care services including dog walking (one-to-one and small group buddy-walks), cat sitting and feeding, pet and house sitting, small animal boarding, overnight sitting, puppy visits, dog home boarding, pet transportation, wedding dog services, pet portraits, and pet food delivery. Services are provided by local franchise branches staffed by insured, first aid trained, and police checked pet care professionals who deliver tailor-made care following pets' usual routines.

Product overview

PAW PALS LTD is a full-service pet care franchise operating across multiple UK locations (Cheshire East, East Surrey, Eastbourne & Hailsham, Nottingham, West Oxfordshire). The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of pet care services centered around dog walking, cat sitting, and small animal boarding as core offerings, supplemented by overnight sitting, puppy visits, pet portraits, pet transportation, wedding dog services, and pet food delivery. The service model emphasises one-to-one care and small group 'buddy-walks' for socialisation, with all services available in the comfort of pets' own homes or in a 'home from home' environment. The company operates through franchise branches, each staffed by local pet care professionals with extensive experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dog Walking Service Professional dog walking service offering one-to-one walks or small group buddy-walks for socialisation. Dogs are walked exclusively on their usual routes, with additional services including towelling off muddy paws and treat provision. Designed for individual pet owners whose dogs need exercise and stimulation while the owner is at work or otherwise occupied.
• Dog Home Boarding Home boarding service where dogs stay in a home from home environment with local pet sitters rather than in traditional kennels. Designed for pet owners who want their dogs cared for in a domestic setting during their absence.
• Cat Sitting and Feeding Cat sitting services providing care in the comfort of the cat's own home, including feeding, water changes, litter tray cleaning, playtime, and medication administration if needed. Designed for cat owners needing reliable in-home care for their cats while away.
• Pet and House Sitting In-home pet and house sitting services where carers visit to provide pet care, maintain the home routine, and provide home security by making the property appear occupied. Designed for pet owners who need both pet care and home security during their absence.
• Small Animal Boarding Boarding services for small pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and other small animals, providing accommodation in hutches and runs with daily care, feeding, and cuddles. Designed for owners of small pets needing holiday or extended care.
• Overnight Pet and House Sitting Overnight pet and house sitting service with daytime visits included, providing round-the-clock care for anxious or elderly pets requiring constant companionship. Designed for owners of pets needing continuous in-home presence.
• Puppy Visits Specialised puppy care service covering feeding, potty breaks, playtime, basic training reinforcement, and socialisation during crucial early development stages. Designed for puppy owners needing frequent daytime visits and structured care.
• Pet Portraits Hand-painted watercolour pet portrait service capturing the unique personality and charm of pets, working from photographs to produce custom professional paintings as gifts or memorials. Available as a Cheshire East branch add-on service.
• Pet Transportation Pet transport service providing safe collection and delivery to vet or groomer appointments with text updates on appointment outcomes. Designed for pet owners who cannot transport their pets themselves.
• Wedding Dogs Specialised wedding day dog services including collection, transport to venue for photos, and comprehensive support to ensure smooth wedding day logistics. Designed for couples wanting their dogs included in their wedding day.
• Pet Food Sales and Delivery Pet food shopping and delivery service sourcing usual foods and treats at competitive prices with free delivery for regular clients during routine visits. Available as a Nottingham branch add-on service.

Named customers10 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

Integration1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• PetBacker: Global online marketplace for pet services including dog walking, boarding and pet sitting. Competes in the same service categories as Paw Pals across multiple international markets.

Direct peers

• TrustedHousesitters: UK-founded platform for house and pet sitting, including dog and cat care while owners travel. Overlaps with Paw Pals' pet and house sitting service in both customer base and value proposition.
• Tailster: UK online marketplace for booking trusted local dog walkers, boarders and pet sitters. Directly competes with Paw Pals in the same UK local dog-walking and pet-sitting segment.
• Rover: Global online marketplace connecting pet owners with pet sitters, dog walkers and boarders. Directly comparable to Paw Pals in core services (dog walking, pet sitting, boarding) but operates as a tech-enabled platform versus Paw Pals' franchise model.
• BorrowMyDoggy: UK-based platform that matches dog owners with local borrowers for walks, sitting and holiday care. Same core dog-walking and pet-sitting use cases as Paw Pals, but uses a community/marketplace model.
• Wag!: US-based on-demand dog walking and pet care platform. Comparable to Paw Pals on dog walking and pet sitting, though operating at much larger scale via an app-first model.
• DogBuddy (now part of Rover): European dog-sitting marketplace originally serving Spain, Italy, Germany and other EU markets, now integrated into Rover. Directly comparable to Paw Pals on dog boarding and walking services across European pet owners.
• Cat in a Flat: UK-based platform connecting cat owners with local cat sitters for visits and feeding. Direct overlap with Paw Pals' cat sitting and feeding service within the UK market.

Broad incumbents

• Pets at Home: UK's largest specialist pet retailer and care provider, with veterinary services (Vets4Pets), grooming salons and in-store pet care. Adjacent incumbent offering pet-adjacent services to a broad UK pet-owner base.

Regional players

• Gudog: European dog walking and pet sitting marketplace operating primarily in Spain and continental Europe. Comparable service offering to Paw Pals but in different geographies, illustrating the European competitive set.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PawPalsUKLtd
• Facebookfacebook.com/PawPalsPetSittingUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paw-pals-uk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 PAW PALS LTD