Rover.com Launches In-Home Pet Grooming Service In Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Rover.com, the world’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, has launched a professional in-home pet grooming service in Austin, officials announced Monday.

Nearly half of dog owners use professional grooming services on a routine basis but the salon environment — what with its unfamiliar surroundings filled with unknown dogs — can be very stressful for some pets, Rover.com officials noted in a press advisory. What's more, traditional grooming options can be inconvenient, as many lack online scheduling, and require the pet be dropped off and picked up several hours later.

To participate in the Rover.com program, all groomers must have professional experience and pass a Rover grooming safety evaluation and background check. Like dog walkers and sitters on the Rover platform, groomers value their ability to build their own client base and have access to 24/7 support. The ability to provide one-on-one care for pets, flexibility in scheduling and a balanced payment structure are also significant selling points for groomers.

Prices vary based on breed and weight, but all of Rover’s grooming options include a bath, brush-out, ear cleaning, nail trimming and gland expression. Plus, all groomers come equipped with a pop-up salon, so they set up where the owner prefers and clean up completely when finished, officials added.

Customers are now able to book grooming through Rover in only Seattle and Austin with additional markets launching later this year, according to company officials.

“At Rover, identifying new ways to address the needs of modern pet parents is a key priority,” Alison Rutty, Rover’s director of new business lines, said in a prepared statement. “When talking to our customers, a common theme we heard was that the professional grooming options on the market today are not only inconvenient, but can also be really stressful for their pets. As a result, many pets aren’t groomed as often as they should be. By reversing the traditional model, we’ve made grooming simple for pet parents and comfortable for pets.”

Added Aaron Easterly, CEO of Rover: “We think that the world sorely needs a high-quality, hassle-free grooming offering in the market today. By eliminating the hassle of traditional grooming options, we are making it easier for people to be amazing pet parents.”

Jordi Montes of Seattle offered a groomer's perspective since she's been with Rover: “I used to groom 6 to 7 dogs each day in my salon, and now I’m doing 3 dogs and making the same amount of money."