Going away? Bed and Biscuits will help find a pet sitter

For pet owners, finding the right care can be a challenging and worrisome part of going out of town.

Bed and Biscuits offers the chance to easily search for the most convenient pet sitters in a neighborhood, seeking to provide online booking and a peace of mind that a pet is cared for while the owner is away.

“We’re making it a priority to create a simple, easy and efficient platform where pet owners can search, book and pay for a sitter that fits their specific needs,” said cofounder and CEO Colin Moncton.

The D.C. startup provides the following featured services for pets: overnight stay, house sitting, daycare and dog walking. As a result, Moncton said, pet owners can avoid the crowded, expensive kennels while they’re away at a work trip, family vacation or dealing with last-minute travel plans.

The idea behind the startup came in May 2017 when Colin Moncton and his twin discovered the opportunity to build an online community in hopes of solving a growing problem for pet owners.

“With a strong interest in the new idea of a shared economy, we wanted to make life easier for busy pet owners in the city by giving them a better way to find a pet sitter in their area while also saving them money,” Moncton tells Technical.ly D.C.

For pet owners hesitant about the safety of their pet, the startup runs a background check on all pet sitters, along with 24/7 customer support. Along with safety and support, services include premium insurance with vet bills covered up to $25,000 per claim following a $500 deductible.

Bed and Biscuits pet sitters also have they ability to set their own rates and on average, overnight stay rates are cheaper than the rates you would see at a local kennel.

While there are other “Airbnb for pets” services such as Rover, Bed and Biscuits is looking to enter the market with an easy-to-use site that does not have a 5-7 percent booking fee for customers, Moncton said. Additionally, Bed and Biscuits sitters retain 85 percent of their earnings.

While the platform has already been in use locally and its Twitter account has been providing some great dog photos, Bed and Biscuits is officially launching this month.

Don’t forget to stay cool this summer 😎 pic.twitter.com/GPRJa9Kx1m

— Bed and Biscuits (@bnbiscuits) July 9, 2018