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Venture Capital News: DogVacay Barks to $6M in Series A

2012-11-13
LOS ANGELES, CA, Leading national pet services marketplace, today announces the close of a Series-A financing with a $6 million investment from Benchmark Capital.
DogVacay (http://www.DogVacay.com) the leading national pet services marketplace, today announces the close of a Series-A financing with a $6 million investment from Benchmark Capital. This round comes after previous funding from First Round Capital and the technology studio Science Inc. Bill Gurley, general partner at Benchmark and board member of Zillow (Z), OpenTable (OPEN), and Uber (among many others), joins DogVacay's board of directors. Bob Kagle, also a general partner at Benchmark and an early investor in eBay, will be deeply involved as an advisor.

Since launching in March, DogVacay's revenue has grown 60% month-over-month. It is now the largest and highest quality marketplace provider of home dog boarding and pet services in the country.

"With Benchmark behind us, we are poised to achieve our goal of becoming the household name in pet care services. Bill Gurley and Bob Kagle bring a deep understanding and history of success with consumer marketplaces, not to mention a passion for dogs. We are ecstatic to have them as part of the DogVacay pack," said founder and "Top Dog" Aaron Hirschhorn.

Bill Gurley remarked, "DogVacay is a remarkable two-sided marketplace. The consumer has an experience that is an order of magnitude better than the traditional solution, and simultaneously the supplier (sitter) receives substantial incremental income with relatively little investment. This powerful win-win for both parties creates a sustainable flywheel effect. DogVacay's amazing earlier traction and trajectory is reminiscent of many of the successful marketplaces business we have backed."

Bob Kagle added, "Aaron has developed a wonderful service that offers pet owners real savings, compelling convenience and genuine peace of mind. Knowing that the family pet is in good hands is priceless. It is a privilege to invest in Aaron and his vision for a uniquely humane pet services enterprise."

The funding enables DogVacay to continue building a top-notch team and user experience, while expanding into more areas and eventually overseas. Over the next few months, DogVacay will expand into mobile, and make additional services like dog walking, training and pet daycare available nationwide.

About DogVacay

DogVacay is a community marketplace that provides a superior alternative to the kennel. The service connects pet parents with experienced local sitters who care for dogs in their own homes. Customers can make reservations for their pets with confidence and peace of mind - DogVacay provides complimentary insurance, 24/7 emergency veterinary care, world-class customer service, and daily photo and video updates. The service is currently available across the US and Canada.
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