At Swifto, we are passionate about expanding our family of dog walking and pet sitting companies while maintaining the core values and personalized care that each business brings to its community. We understand that selling a business can be a big decision so we aim to make the transition as smooth and reassuring as possible.
Back in 2019, we began acquiring dog walking and pet sitting brands, all while maintaining the existing routes and staff to ensure consistency for both our dog walkers, sitters, and their pets. Here are some of the brands we've acquired in New York City since then:
Then in 2024, we began purchasing larger dog walking and pet sitting brands outside of New York City, starting with two located in Charlotte, North Carolina. We wanted to share the experiences of their former owners, Pat from Wagz 'n Whiskerz and Terry from Little Friends, who trusted us to take over their companies. In addition, we included a video of Heather. a former team member and client at Wagz 'n Whiskerz, that has since transferred over to Swifto.
Pat’s Story with Wagz 'n Whiskerz
Pat, the former owner of Wagz 'n Whiskerz, chose to sell her company to Swifto in April of 2024. Pat’s decision was driven by a desire to retire and ensure that her beloved business would continue to provide excellent care to its clients under new ownership.
Watch the video below to see Pat explain what makes it so we here at Swifto can take over Wagz ‘n Whiskerz but still keep the local community feel. Pat also shares some heartfelt parting words for the hundreds of clients she had over the years.
Terry’s Story with Little Friends
Following Pat’s successful transition, Terry, the previous owner of Little Friends, also chose to sell her company to Swifto. Like Pat, Terry was driven by a desire to retire and wanted to ensure her business continued to uphold the same standards of care and service, leading her to hand it over to Swifto.
Watch the video below to hear Terry's thoughts on why Swifto was the right choice and how she feels about the future of the company.
Heather’s Story with Wagz 'n Whiskerz
In this video, Heather Feik, a former pet sitter and client of Wagz ‘n Whiskerz who has since transitioned to Swifto, shares her experience with the transition from both a sitter and customer perspective. She also offers her thoughts on whether she recommends former Wagz ‘n Whiskerz customers to make the move to Swifto, and more!
Our Process
While there are many moving parts and considerations when deciding to sell your business, we have taken all the necessary steps to ensure that the process is streamlined and seamless.
From the initial discussions, contracts, and legalities, to the announcement to clients and team members, in-person meetings and onboarding, to the actual migration of all data, we have the resources, people, and technology in place to make this happen. The transition takes around 30-60 days in total.
We work with you and your team to create a detailed transition plan that prioritizes the well-being of your clients, pets, and employees. This plan includes communication strategies, operational handovers, and system transfers. We ensure we transfer over all dog walkers and pet sitters on your team and that we keep the routes and schedule the same. In both acquisitions featured above, all the dog walkers and pet sitters remained and nearly all of the clients transferred. Additionally, all team member's schedules remained the same. Finally, the management team of both companies also transferred over. As we integrate your business into the Swifto family, we maintain open lines of communication and provide continuous support to ensure a seamless transition. We send out numerous emails to both your clients and team members which all keep them posted through the steps of the transition. Once the migration is a success, we will remain available to assist you with any questions or concerns if things come up!
Rest assured, we will be there to assist every step of the way! Our goal is to keep you and everyone on your team informed and to ensure that your clients and team feel confident in the change.
If you have any questions about our process or are interested in selling your dog walking and pet sitting business, don’t hesitate to reach out! :-)
