Petco Expands Rover Partnership to Offer Boarding, Sitting, Walking and Daycare

Petco customers will soon be able to book pet sitting, walking and boarding services for their animals through the popular Rover app or website directly through Petco, the two companies announced Tuesday.

Rover, founded in 2011, allows pet owners to book pet sitting, dog walking, in-home boarding, drop-in visits, doggy day care and other services. With the expanded Petco partnership, pet owners will soon be able to go to petco.com and book those services directly.

First-time users can get a one-time $10 discount on services, and members of Petco's Vital Care program, a paid annual program that gives pet owners a comprehensive wellness plan, will receive a one-time $20 discount on their bookings beginning this spring.

In turn, Rover will use its platform to educate its users on the benefits of Petco's Vital Care program. The program includes routine veterinary exams and discounts on grooming visits.

Total Retail's Take: The partnership is the latest in a number of initiatives Petco has recently announced. Last week, the company announced it would bring its pet supplies and services to the stores of home improvement retailer Lowe's; and in September, it expanded its PupBox subscription services. This new partnership with Rover targets a new customer demographic for Petco, which has greatly expanded its offerings over the past few years.

Petco, the largest U.S. retailer of pet products and services, is continuing to build upon its mission of becoming a health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents and Petco partners — a mission statement that launched the pivot of what was previously known as a traditional pet retailer. Further service offerings will help to differentiate Petco from increasing online competitors in the pet category, most noticeably Chewy.com.