UK-based dog walking and sitting service HouseMyDog has merged with Gudog, a Spain-based rival backed by telecommunications company Telefónica’s Wayra accelerator subsidiary, TechCrunch has reported.
Founded in 2012, Gudog has developed an online marketplace that operates in Spain, France and Germany, and which enables pet owners to find, book and pay for a sitter or walker for their dogs.
HouseMyDog provides a similar online-based service that connects dog owners with service providers including dog sitters, walkers and day care providers. The merged company will cover the UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium, with 25,000 walkers and sitters.
Gudog collected approximately $250,000 in a 2014 funding round that included Wayra and European Union Agency for Network and Information Security, as well as several unnamed private investors.
Wayra, the Spain and Latin America-focused accelerator network of Telefónica, had invested an undisclosed amount in Gudog the year before. HouseMyDog had received approximately $240,000 in a crowdfunding campaign in September 2017.
James McElroy, co-founder of HouseMyDog, told TechCrunch: “While today’s announcement makes strategic sense in combining our market share to accelerate our growth, we are also delighted to be working with a team that shares the same values and vision for the future of pet services in Europe.”