friends for pets

What friends for pets does

Friends for Pets is a UK-based pet care services company founded in 2008 in Somerset by Becca Wilson, an MSc-qualified animal behaviour and welfare specialist. It operates a franchise model in which local area managers and vetted, DBS-checked pet carers deliver dog walking, doggy day care, home boarding, pet visiting, house sitting, horse care, small pet boarding, and specialty offerings such as 'Dogs at Weddings' to individual pet owners across 17 territories in South West England, South Wales, and South East England. The company is the registered trade name of RWJW Limited (Companies House 07773122), is founder-owned, has no institutional funding or public listing, and generates revenue primarily through per-service and recurring bookings priced by quote, with deposits and cancellation policies for boarding work. The legal entity and its sister brands — The Pet Academy (accredited pet first aid and animal care training) and The Pet Care Partnership (a 2025-vintage B2B licensing and compliance support platform for pet care businesses) — constitute a small ecosystem around the consumer franchise. Operations rely on standard business systems rather than a proprietary technology platform; there is no app, no API, and no disclosed AI capability.

Name

friends for pets

Legal name

RWJW Limited

Website

https://friendsforpets.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Friends for Pets is a UK pet care franchise founded in 2008, delivering dog walking, daycare, home boarding, pet visits, house sitting, and horse care through 17 franchise territories across South West England, South Wales, and South East England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pet Care Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Holiday & Extended-Trip In-Home Pet Sitting (HSANAEAJ)

Keywords

• Pet care services
• Dog walking
• Pet boarding
• Pet sitting
• Animal welfare

Headquarters

HQ city

Shipham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dog Walking Services: Regular dog walking services charged per walk or as recurring bookings. Customers pay for individual or package walking sessions.
2. Doggy Day Care: Day care services for dogs, providing care during working hours while owners are away.
3. Home Boarding: Home-from-home dog boarding where dogs stay with vetted pet carers. 50% deposit required for bookings made over 30 days in advance.
4. Pet Visiting: In-home pet visits for cats and small animals while owners are away.
5. House Sitting: Pet carer stays in client's home to care for pets. Subject to cancellation policies and deposit requirements.
6. Horse Care: Specialized care services for horses, providing peace of mind for horse owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Friends for Pets is a franchise-based pet care service provider delivering dog walking, doggy day care, home boarding, pet visiting, house sitting, horse care, small pet boarding and dogs-at-weddings services to individual pet owners across the UK. Services are delivered by locally-managed, DBS-checked, insured pet carers matched to each pet after a free introductory home visit.

Product overview

Friends for Pets is a UK-based pet care service company operating since 2008, offering a franchise model of pet care services. The core offering consists of dog walking, doggy day care, home boarding, pet visiting, house sitting, horse care, small pet boarding, and dogs at weddings services—all delivered through a network of local franchisees and pet carers. The company also supports the broader pet care industry through The Pet Care Partnership (a licensing and training support platform for pet businesses) and The Pet Academy (a sister company providing pet first aid and animal care training courses). Services are personalized based on pet personality matching and delivered by insured, DBS-checked, locally-managed pet care professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Pet Academy: A sister company offering online pet first aid courses, animal care training, and professional development for pet care providers. Founded by Becca Wilson.
• The Pet Care Partnership

Products and services

• Dog Walking Professional dog walking services delivered by local, DBS-checked, insured pet carers, tailored to each dog's personality, energy levels and specific needs, with both solo and group walk options.
• Doggy Day Care
• Home Boarding (Dog Boarding)
• Pet Visiting
• House Sitting
• Horse Care
• Small Pet Boarding
• Dogs at Weddings
• The Pet Care Partnership Sister initiative offering expert guidance on licensing and regulations, training and educational resources, a supportive community of pet care professionals, and ongoing advice and mentorship for new and established pet care businesses in the UK.
• The Pet Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6000 pets cared for since 2008

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Pet AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company offering pet first aid and animal care training courses. Tash serves as Head of Training and certified Pet First Aid Instructor. Provides online and virtual classroom courses for pet carers and pet owners. Special offers (50% off) are regularly promoted through Friends for Pets newsletters.
• The Pet Care PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative set up by Becca Wilson to help and support pet businesses with licensing, training, and guidance. Provides expert guidance on licensing and regulations, training resources, and a supportive community for pet care professionals.
• Cliverson InsuranceminorOthersInsurance provider partner ensuring coverage for pet care operations.
• Maxwells AccountantsminorOthersGuest speaker at Friends for Pets annual conference, providing business advice and guidance to franchisees.
• Drone SARminorOthersGuest speaker at annual conference, providing insight into drone technology used for search and rescue operations, including helping reunite lost pets with families.
• Tug-E-Nuff ToysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet toy supplier offering 10% discount to Friends for Pets customers using code FRIENDSFORPETS.
• Husse Pet Food & TreatsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPet food supplier offering 15% discount to Friends for Pets customers using code FFPets15.
• Hope RescueminorOthersAnimal rescue centre in South Wales. Friends for Pets made a donation in 2024 Christmas to support their work rescuing and rehoming animals.
• Holly Hedge Animal SanctuaryminorOthersLocal independent charity that rescues and rehomes unwanted, abandoned and often mistreated cats and dogs. Friends for Pets made a donation to support their work.
• Cinnamon TrustminorOthersCharity providing volunteer dog walkers for those who are no longer able to walk their own dog and cannot afford a dog walker. Friends for Pets franchisees completed a charity walk up Pen-Y-Fan to raise funds.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wag!: US-headquartered on-demand dog walking and pet care platform. Similar service categories to Friends for Pets but operates via a tech platform rather than a managed local franchise network; serves as a directional indicator of where the UK market could evolve.
• Rover: Global online marketplace for pet sitting, dog walking, boarding and house sitting. Active in the UK with a scaled platform model that competes for the same customers and sitters as Friends for Pets, though broader in category.

Regional players

• DogBuddy (Barkibu): European dog walking and pet sitting marketplace active across continental Europe; comparable business model and product categories to Friends for Pets but focused on EU markets rather than the UK.
• Pawshake: International pet sitting and dog walking marketplace with a presence in the UK. Competes in the same booking categories (walking, sitting, boarding) as Friends for Pets but via a platform model and primarily across continental Europe.

Emerging players

• TrustedHousesitters: Subscription-based house sitting and pet care marketplace with global reach including the UK. Directly competes with Friends for Pets' house sitting and pet visiting services via a platform/listing model rather than managed carer network.
• Tailster: UK online marketplace connecting pet owners with local dog walkers and pet sitters. Targets the same UK customer base as Friends for Pets with a tech-enabled booking experience that contrasts with Friends for Pets' manual phone/email enquiry model.

Others

• The Pet Academy: Sister company of Friends for Pets offering pet first aid and animal care training courses online. Included as a peer because it is part of the same founder ecosystem, shares brand, and represents the adjacent education/training vertical in pet care.

Direct peers

• Barking Mad: UK home-from-home dog boarding franchise network with a near-identical service offering (home boarding, daycare, dog walking) and franchise-based GTM model. Operates across the UK with established franchise infrastructure, making it the closest like-for-like competitor to Friends for Pets.
• We Love Pets: UK pet care franchise offering dog walking, pet sitting, home boarding and small animal care through a local franchisee network. Direct competitor in the same product categories, business model, and customer base as Friends for Pets.
• Petpals: Long-established UK pet care franchise providing dog walking, pet sitting, home boarding and small animal care via local franchisees. Competes directly with Friends for Pets in overlapping service lines and franchise-based delivery model across the UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FriendsforPets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-for-pets
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendsforpetscheddar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 friends for pets