Last updated on June 13th, 2024
Pet tech startup DogSpot has eight of its dog houses at Quality Food Center stores throughout the Seattle, Washington, area, giving shoppers a safe place to keep their dogs while they’re in the store.
DogSpot’s app-connected dog houses are lockable, self-sanitizing, camera-monitored and temperature-controlled, providing dogs a safe and comfortable place to wait while their owners shop at the grocery store, where pets are not allowed due to health code regulations.
The camera feed, or Puppy Cam, allows customers to keep an eye on their dog while in the store. The structure provides shelter from the rain and the temperature control allows for heated floors in the colder months and air conditioning in the summer.
“People who have dogs get it—you don’t get a dog to leave them cooped up inside all day. The best part of their day is going out on walks around town, heading to the dog park and spending time with you,” said DogSpot co-founder and CEO Chelsea Brownridge. “We’re making it possible to say, ‘Wanna go for a walk?!’ more often and more safely than before.”
QFC will be the first grocer in the Pacific Northwest to bring the houses to its stores. The partnership between the two companies was formed with the understanding that there are more dogs than children in Seattle and that 97% of dog owners consider their dogs family members.
Upon the launch of the DogSpot houses in late May, the service will be offered free of charge to QFC customers at the select stores.
“QFC is leading the way in new innovations that span health, fitness and fresh food, and now we’re proud to pioneer DogSpot because it enables us to champion our four-footed community as well,” said Suzy Monford, president of QFC. “Our primary goal is to offer a friendly, uplifting shopping experience for all of our customers, no matter their situation. These DogSpot houses at our stores will offer a safe and comfortable shelter for our customers’ dogs and eliminate a barrier to shopping that pet owners often run up against.”
Seattle will be DogSpot’s largest city network. Brooklyn-based DogSpot is currently in the midst of national expansion, with 60+ dog houses across 14 states and counting. They’ve recently announced plans to place 300 more houses across the U.S. by early 2019.
DogSpots will be available at QFC stores in Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Ballard, Wallingford, University Village, Kirkland and Redmond in late May (specific locations can be located in the DogSpot app). Seattle-based dog owners can download the DogSpot app today and sign up in advance.
Founded in Brooklyn in 2015, DogSpot has created a first-of-its-kind pet safety amenity, shaped like a dog house, that allows people to safely take their dog with them while running errands.
