A Message to the Wag Community - Coronavirus Precautions and Safety Updates

Last Updated: March 16, 2020

We know the novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") is on many of our minds. As we all continue to monitor the situation very closely, we wanted to reach out and share that pet caregivers are still available for walks, sitting and boarding on the Wag! platform. 

The health and safety for pet caregivers, pet parents and their dogs are and always will be our highest priority. In situations such as this, we understand that we need to evolve the Wag! platform to help do our part to best serve you and the community as safely as possible. 

Fortunately, the World Health Organization says “currently, there is no evidence that pets such as dogs and cats have infected humans with Covid-19.” For your informational purposes, we have posted notes below from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how pet parents and pet caregivers can best ensure each other’s safety. 

As your trusted platform in dog walking, sitting and boarding, we know safe care for your animals helps ease anxiety in trying times and are committed to bring joy to you and your dogs in a way that promotes, rewards and recognizes wellbeing. We currently serve 4,600+ markets, and in response to the virus’s spread beyond these markets, we are exploring the expansion of our services to enable everyone who needs  petcare services to have access.

We ask that Pet Parents and Pet Caregivers follow the guidance of the CDC and the below tips to help prevent the further spread of the virus:

• Pet Caregivers, if you feel sick, please stay home; don’t request services on the platform.
• Pet Parents, if you or a household member feel sick, please help keep Pet Caregivers safe. Our in-app chat feature allows you to communicate a safe hand-off of your dog without personal contact. Updated home access notes can allow Pet Caregivers to prepare. 
• Further, when a Pet Caregiver shows up, limit interaction. Have the dog ready, with harness and leash on, to make it a simple handoff. 
  
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water or clean hands by using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, including immediately before and after a service is completed.
• When coughing or sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who has a fever and/or cough, and please seek medical care if you have a fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing.

We are prepared to navigate these challenging circumstances with the Wag! community’s health and safety in mind. Our services will continue, along with 24/7 customer support, and we thank you in advance for working with us to ensure the platform operates as safely as possible. 

Garrett Smallwood

CEO, Wag!