// Pets at Home has taken a stake in Tailster, and will aim to generate 50% of revenue
// The pet supplies retailer enters the £1 billion a year pet-minding market with this move
// Pets at Home will offer Tailster’s services to its 4.4m VIP loyalty scheme customers
Pets at Home has acquired a stake in dog-walking and pet-sitting service Tailster.
This is the pet supply retailer’s first move in entering the £1 billion a year pet-minding market, which includes dog walking and cat sitting.
The purchase of the stake is also part of Pets at Home’s strategy to generate 50 per cent of revenue from pet services.
Pets at Home will offer Tailster’s services to its VIP loyalty scheme customers, which currently amount to 4.4 million.
Customers can access Tailster’s 26,000 registered carers and owners across the UK to track their pets’ activity via GPS.
Meanwhile, dogs account for 75 per cent of the pet minding market due to their greater care needs, with over £500 million being generated from dog walking alone.
“We are delighted to be able to announce this exciting new partnership with Tailster,” Pets at Home chief executive Peter Pritchard said.
“It is a win-win deal, good for both businesses but especially good for owners searching for someone they can trust to look after their much-loved pet.
“I’m sure our 4.4 million active VIP members will love this easy access to convenient walking and boarding services.”
Tailster chief executive Indy Sangha said: “We’ve spent the past few years consolidating a previously fragmented market worth over £1 billion per year, and we’re delighted to be able to now offer this to Pets at Home customers.
“Not only do the team at Pets at Home share our vision about how we can bring our services to UK pet owners and drive the growth of our business, but they also share many of our values of putting pets first, and the customer at the heart of what we do.”
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