Doggy Buddies ’n Boarders or “DoggyBnB” is a new app for those in need of pet care in a hurry. It offers a fast way to find reliable pet care via a pet-centric social network of trusted family and friends. Adam Pokornicky is the cofounder of DoggyBnB, and he has an 8-year-old Cavapoo named Maggie.
Last summer, Pokornicky wanted to go away on a spontaneous trip with friends. “I had four hours to find somebody to watch Maggie,” he said. “I have a bunch of friends who will take care of her, but this time I couldn’t get a hold of anyone. In the past, I had taken Maggie to a kennel once, but she came back with her tail between her legs. I don’t know if it was from being in a crate or the other dogs or separation anxiety, but whatever it was, she acted timid and unlike herself, so I knew I wasn’t going to do that again.”
When he couldn’t find anybody within those four hours that day, he had to forego the trip. “After that, I wanted to figure out a fast way to contact all of the people I trust to take care of Maggie, but I wanted to contact them all at once instead of texting, emailing or calling each person separately,” he said.
Pokornicky had seen collaborative efforts in many companies, like Goober Networks, Lift and Airbnb. He knew he wanted a system that “made good use of this paradigm shift and one using geo-location technology, social-media networking and crowdsourcing.” So, that is how he came up with DoggyBnB.
What It Is
It’s an app that revolves around the idea that those who love you most are best equipped to take care of your pets. This app is user-friendly and taps into your existing network of trusted contacts. It is a site for pet owners and animal lovers who understand that pets are cherished family members.
How It Works
Pet owners go to the DoggyBnB website, download the app and then create a social profile. After that, just like on all other social-media platforms, you build a network. The difference here is that you are building a network of trusted “buddies” and “boarders.” Those are the phrases for the key players in the DoggyBnB framework.
When seeking help, pet owners send out a “woof,” which is a targeted request for pet-care services. “Woofs” can be a request for walking or feeding a pet, short or extended pet-sitting or house-sitting. You decide what type of compensation to offer in exchange. So, in the woof you state what you need and what the compensation will be. You can offer anything from $1 and up. “You don’t have to offer money, but you’ll get more responses if you do,” Pokornicky explained.
Sniff Out a Playdate for Your Pooch …
An additional feature called “Sniffer” uses GPS to locate dog owners within close proximity who are looking for playmates for their dogs. Sniffer can filter preferences by a dog’s weight, gender and age of the owner. Users will see a selection of dogs and their owners who are nearby. If there’s mutual interest, the owners can message each other and set up a playdate.
… and Maybe One for Yourself
Sniffer was set up for dogs and their owners to find pooch playdates, however, cofounder Dan Joldzic said that the app also helps dog owners to spark a connection that may lead to friendship and more.
“The app is a less-awkward way of asking other dog owners if you can meet up so your dogs can play together,” he told DNAinfo New York, in an article comparing DoggyBnB to the dating app Tinder. “But,” he said, “it’s for dogs and dog lovers.”
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Dorri Olds is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.
