HEY POOCH: CONNECTING CAPE TOWN’S PET OWNERS WITH TRUSTED PET CARERS

Founded by Dr Melanie Scholtz and Francois van der Elst, Hey Pooch is a Cape Town-based pet care service that connects pet owners with vetted pet boarders, daycare providers and dog walkers. After founding the company in October 2019, Hey Pooch launched to the public in June 2020 and started showing signs of success within the first two weeks.

Tell us a bit more about your business and what it offers? 

Our mission is to have pets stay in homes with loving and capable carers instead of conventional kennels so that they can receive the care and attention they deserve. Think Airbnb for pets.

In which sector do you provide a service?

We’re in the pet service sector within the growing gig economy.

What important role does your company play in Cape Town?

It provides an easy way to supplement your income by looking after pets, ensuring that pet owners have peace of mind and that their pets are safe.

What factors did you consider before you chose Cape Town? 

Cape Town is the tech lead of the country, so early adopters for a new gig economy platform are here. Capetonians are also known for their outdoor and active lifestyle, a factor which could potentially provide a good pool of dog walkers.

What challenges, if any, have you experienced in setting up your business?

Making sure the developers stick to the timeline. Investors are scarce.

Have you had any interactions, positive or negative, with the City of Cape Town in setting up or running your business?

No, not yet.

What’s next? What is the future of your business?

It has been a little slow with the pandemic. But since people have started coming out of lockdown, the need for our service has increased. We plan to expand to the rest of South Africa by the end of the year.

For more information: www.heypooch.co.za