How it works The science Pricing Safety Our mission About FAQ Join waitlist →
Coming to a city near you

Dog care shouldn't be a luxury. We're fixing that.

Your dog needs to run. Someone in your city needs exactly that.

A community platform connecting dog owners with Pals who genuinely want to walk, run, play, or just hang out with a dog. Both sides benefit. Science proves it.

Join the waitlist See how it works →
90M+
dogs in the US who deserve better than being left alone all day
$2.3B
what private equity paid for Rover in 2024, funded by pet parents
$400/mo
what 5 walks a week costs on Rover or Wag today. PawPal will be $19/mo at launch (founding rate)
$0
what it costs to be a Pal. Community doesn't need a commission
Background checked*
Pet insurance required*
Social ID verified*
Community-first
*Verification standards apply to every Pal at activation. PawPal is pre-launch.
How it works
Two sides.
One community.

Pick your side. Both win. Swipe through to see exactly how PawPal works, for pet parents and Pals alike.

9:41
Good morning 🌤
Find Biscuit's Pal
Search Pals near you...
Available now nearby
M
Marcus R.
0.4 mi away · Mission District
FREE
Morning runs Big dogs Certified
J
Jamie L.
0.8 mi away · Noe Valley
$12/hr
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🐕
Biscuit
Golden Retriever · 3 yrs · SF, CA
About Biscuit
"I just got a new job, but it's 5 days a week in office. I really can't afford dog sitting right now, and the guilt from leaving Biscuit alone every day is unbearable. He loves to run and has so much energy. He just needs someone to be his person during the day."
⚡ High energy 🏃 Loves to run 🐕 Dog friendly Solo walks only
Vaccines up to date
Pet insurance verified
Owner identity confirmed
M
Marcus R.
Pal · 24 yrs · Mission District, SF
About Marcus
"I have a dog back home in Texas. I had to leave her when I moved to SF for school. I really miss having a dog around. Someone to run with in the morning. Someone who's just happy to see you. I'm not here to make money. I just want that feeling again."
🏃 Morning runner 🐕 Big dogs Volunteer Weekday mornings
Enhanced background check
2 social accounts verified
Dog safety certified
Annual re-screening active
🐕
M
You've been matched!
Biscuit & Marcus are a great fit.
Proposed first session
TypeMorning run
LocationDolores Park, SF
Duration45 min
Live session
Biscuit is out! 🏃
🐕
Photo check-in · 2 min ago
Marcus says:
"Biscuit is absolutely crushing it on the Dolores loop. He says hi 🐾"
23 min
Time elapsed
1.8 mi
Distance covered
💚
Biscuit's having a blast. You'll get a final photo and rating request when the session ends.
For pet parents
Your dog gets out.
You breathe easier.
Verified community members who actually want to run with your dog. Affordable, safe, and on your terms.
1
Build your dog's profile: breed, energy, personality, vaccines
2
Verify your pet insurance, required for every owner
3
Browse Pals, message directly, choose who feels right
4
Do a Meet & Greet first. You approve every match
5
Get photo check-ins, rate and review after every session
For Pals
Show up for a dog.
Feel better doing it.
Science shows that time with dogs, whether you're walking, running, playing, or just hanging out, reduces stress, lifts mood, and eases loneliness. Volunteer or get paid. Either way, you both win.
1
Pass your background check. Mandatory, no exceptions
2
Connect 2 social accounts for real identity verification
3
Complete our dog safety certification
4
Choose your path: volunteer free or subscribe monthly
5
Get matched, Meet & Greet, then walk, run, play, or just hang out
Pricing
Pet parents pay less.
Pals pay nothing.
PawPal's revenue comes entirely from pet parents. Pals are always free, because the community is the product, not a subscription.
Pay per session
For occasional use, no commitment
Varies
set by Pal · no monthly fee
  • Book background-checked Pals on demand
  • Choose community volunteers or paid Pals
  • Photo check-ins every session
  • Meet & Greet before every first session
  • Rate & review after each visit
  • Tip your Pal after any session. 100% goes to them
Founding rate. Price goes up at launch
Unlimited
For busy pet parents who need regular help
$19
per month · founding member price
  • Unlimited sessions: walks, runs, play, hangouts
  • Priority matching with top Pals
  • Access to community volunteers at no extra cost
  • Photo check-ins every session
  • Multi-pet support
  • $19 locked in forever. Regular price will be $29/mo
  • Tip your Pal after any session. 100% goes to them
Community volunteers
Matched with a background-checked Pal at no cost
$0
no cost · community-powered
  • Matched with background-checked volunteer Pals
  • Same background check & certification as paid Pals
  • You approve every match
  • Photo check-ins every session
  • Rate & review after each visit
  • Tip your Pal after any session. 100% goes to them

All members complete a full background check before their first session. Verification costs are covered by PawPal.

Safety & trust
We don't just check boxes.
We close the gaps.
Rover checks once. Wag checks once. Neither checks again. PawPal is being built differently.
Pre-launch note: the safety standards described below reflect what every Pal will complete before activation when the platform goes live. PawPal is currently building toward launch.
Industry standard
Rover
Sold to private equity for $2.3B · takes 31% commission
One-time background check via First Advantage or Checkr
National sex offender registry search
Enhanced check optional (county court records)
No annual re-screening after hire
No social media identity verification
No pet insurance requirement for owners
Members enter your home unsupervised
No mandatory dog safety certification
Industry standard
Wag!
$83.9M revenue · takes up to 40% commission
One-time background check via Vetty (Pals pay $25–65)
10-question dog safety quiz
In-app GPS walk tracking
No annual re-screening. Checked once, never again
No social media identity verification
No pet insurance requirement for owners
Members enter your home unsupervised
A Wag contractor charged with animal cruelty had passed their check
Our standard
PawPal
Community-first. Safety always.
Enhanced background check, mandatory and not optional
Annual re-screening for all active members
2 social media accounts connected for real identity
Pet insurance verification required for all owners
Mandatory dog safety & handling certification
Meet & Greet required before first session
Public walks only. No unsupervised home access
Community rating & review after every session

Rover & Wag verification data sourced from Rover.com, PetCareIns.com, and KTVU Fox 2 investigation.

Backed by research
Dogs + people.
The science is real.
Every stat below is linked to a published study. This is why PawPal exists.
10 min
Just 10 minutes with a dog produces a measurable drop in cortisol, your body's primary stress hormone. Proven in a randomized controlled trial.
Washington State University · AERA Open, 2019 ↗
23M
American households brought home a new pet between 2020 and 2022, roughly one in five. When offices reopened, that infrastructure of being home was never built into a workweek.
ASPCA National Survey, 2021 ↗
80%
Of working dog owners report feeling guilty about leaving their pet during the workday. 86% consider their dog a member of the family. The closed-door tax is real.
Barkbus Survey, 1,000 Employed Dog Owners ↗
20-22%
Of dogs experience some level of separation anxiety, even pre-pandemic. Behaviorists report increases since routines shifted. Anti-anxiety medication for dogs is now routine.
NIH Wellness · Veterinary Behavior Research ↗
24% lower
Dog owners have a 24% reduced risk of all-cause mortality compared with non-owners. A meta-analysis pooling nine studies and nearly 4 million people confirmed the effect.
AHA · Circulation Quality and Outcomes, 2019 ↗
Loneliness buffer
Regular time with a dog buffered the impact of isolation on loneliness, even during COVID-19, with measurable lasting effects on mental health.
NIH · Animals Journal, 2021 ↗

Time with a dog stacks several wellbeing effects at once: movement, time outdoors, and companionship. The studies above are not medical advice.

Woman and dog sitting together looking at the coast
About PawPal
Built for every dog owner
doing it on their own.

PawPal exists because dog care got expensive, lonely, and complicated. It doesn't have to be.

And for every overwhelmed pet parent, there's someone in their city who'd show up in a heartbeat: someone living in a small space, missing a dog, wanting that connection without the commitment. PawPal connects both.

The cost of doing nothing
Rover or Wag, per walk
$20-30
5 walks/week on Rover
~$400/mo
PawPal unlimited
$19/mo*
potential monthly savings vs Rover
*Founding rate, at launch. Subject to change before launch.
$380+
Sourced from Rover.com and Time To Pet, 2024–2025
Our mission

Dogs bring people together. That's always been the point.

Neighbors used to look after each other's dogs. Runners brought a pup along for the trail. Someone always knew whose dog needed company that afternoon. That spirit never left. It just got priced out. PawPal is bringing it back.

Read the founding story →
Building our waitlist
Be the first to know
when we launch.

PawPal is building a community of pet parents and dog lovers across the country. Sign up now for early access, founding member pricing, and updates as we launch city by city.

No spam, ever. Just launch news and early access invites.
Launching city by city. Sign up to be first in yours.