Canada’s first dog-walking app has launched on Vancouver Island and it’s quickly gaining momentum.
The ‘GoFetch’ app originated in Vancouver back in April, then launched in Edmonton and Calgary, before coming to Victoria.
"With the wave of the sharing and on-demand economy, we saw a perfect market fit to launch Canada's first dog walking marketplace. You can think of us like Uber for dogs,” co-founder Willson Cross told CTV News.
The app matches dog owners with dog walkers.
Walkers set their own prices and subscribe for $5.99 per month – GoFetch does not take a cut from any of the walks. The walker also undergoes an application process, including a background check.
"Safety and peace of mind for our users is our number one priority,” Cross said.
There's also general liability insurance of $1 million that’s provided for each transaction.
Owners can choose between a 15 minute, 30 minute and an hour walk. The walk is tracked through a GPS and the owner receives live updates during the stroll, including when the dog plays with another dog or goes to the washroom.
The app was launched by Cross and Paul Ratchford after they realized there was a gap in the Canadian market for pet lovers.
According to Cross, the user base tends to be millennial, young professionals who lead a busy lifestyle.
He said after launching in Vancouver, the two founders saw a large appetite from people on the island.
As of Friday, there were around 20 walkers in Victoria’s downtown core. Cross said a lot of applicants are in the process of being vetted, which takes about three to five days.
Cross noted the business is growing rapidly and they are looking at expanding across Vancouver Island.
He said the next big city the business will launch in is Toronto, before expanding to the U.S.
"Every dog owner we speak to, we are told that GoFetch is the safest, easiest, and funnest way to get your dog walked,” Cross said.
You can read more about GoFetch here.
