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Tapping into the $13 billion pet market, Australian tech start-up Floofers is responding to the surge of new pet owners ushered in by the pandemic. With an industry transformed by the premiumisation of pet products and the humanisation of pets as family, the demand for flexibility, personalisation and regulated quality care has never been higher.
Founded in 2021, Floofers is an Australian app that connects pet parents with quality pet carers in their neighbourhood using innovative digital technology that makes it easy to plan for your pets when you are away.
Launching the mobile app in October 2022, the start-up has already had over 8,000 sign-ups from pet parents and carers on their books from across the country, with an 162 % increase in growth in just seven months.
For CEO, Rohit Vijayan, it was a less than ideal experience with a pet minding service for his beloved Groodle that inspired him to do more market research.
“While pets have been around forever, they have steadily grown to become family members.
Combine that with the fact that Australia has both a high percentage of pet ownership and one of the highest pet spends per capita, and you have a very viable start-up opportunity,” said Rohit.
More than 69% of Australian households own a pet, with the global pet industry poised to be a $501 Billion industry by 2027. Moreover, a recent report from Animal Medicines Australia (AMA) found that Australia had a substantial boom in pet ownership throughout the pandemic, with $30 million being spent on dogs and cats alone in 2021. [1]
Rohit says "What we've found is that many pet parents who welcomed a pet into their home during Covid tended to be people who work longer hours, which might be why they didn’t have a pet prior,” says Rohit.
More than 69% of Australian households own a pet, with the global pet industry poised to be a $501 Billion industry by 2027. Moreover, a recent report from Animal Medicines Australia (AMA) found that Australia had a substantial boom in pet ownership throughout the pandemic, with $30 million being spent on dogs and cats alone in 2021. [1]
Rohit says "What we've found is that many pet parents who welcomed a pet into their home during Covid tended to be people who work longer hours, which might be why they didn’t have a pet prior,” says Rohit.
"Now that those people are back in the office or taking a holiday they may be entering a new chapter of their lives as pet parents with new challenges - requiring new solutions that are being offered by Floofers."
The safety and wellbeing of pets is a major concern for pet parents when they travel or work long hours. Kennels and boarding hotels lead to stress on the pet, taking it away from the usual routine, environment and eating habits, as well as exposing it to unknown animals and diseases.
The safety and wellbeing of pets is a major concern for pet parents when they travel or work long hours. Kennels and boarding hotels lead to stress on the pet, taking it away from the usual routine, environment and eating habits, as well as exposing it to unknown animals and diseases.
There is also a lack of regulatory oversight on pet care within Australia, leading to players with less/no compliance or poor ethics.
With a focus on strict regulation, all Floofers pet carers are ID checked, police checked and have attained 100% in their online pet carer assessment, which includes a vigorous online course.
With a focus on strict regulation, all Floofers pet carers are ID checked, police checked and have attained 100% in their online pet carer assessment, which includes a vigorous online course.
Being with a trusted carer means the pet remains in its usual environment, routine and feeding habits, reducing stress and avoiding extra travel-related anxiety. In addition, every service booked on the platform is covered by top-tier insurance and premium support from a friendly, hands-on customer service team.
Features and benefits for pet owners:
✔️ Browse and contact pet sitters and dog walkers straight from the app
✔️ Get regular updates from your booked pet carer
✔️ Stress-free and secure payments for each booking
✔️ Get a map of your dog's walk and a personalised note from your sitter or dog walker
Features and benefits for pet sitters and dog walkers:
✔️ Enjoy the lowest service fees in the industry
✔️ Getting paid is simple and secure with the Floofers app
✔️ Seamlessly manage your profile and all of the services you provide
✔️ Easily send photos and messages to pet owners with just a few taps
To visit Floofers, head to floofers.com.au
Use Code FLOOF10 to get $10 off * when you book your first pet care service at Floofers.
* only for bookings of minimum $25.
Follow Floofers on Facebook www.facebook.com/Floofersofficial and @floofersau
[1] animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au
About Rohit Vijayan
Rohit Vijayan is a hands-on chief executive officer (CEO) with 16+ years of experience and expertise in business development, banking, automotive, insurance and hospitality industries. Before Floofers, Rohit worked as a Digital leader at one of the big four banks in Australia and also ran a consulting business in Australia and UK.
To fund Floofers, Rohit sold his assets to pull together the money he needed and has surrounded himself with a team of digital, marketing, brand, sales experts and advisors who together have plans to secure seed funding and grow the business further in 2023.
MEDIA RELEASE, February 2023
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