Simplifying pet sitting
bookings for busy pet owners
Simplifying pet sitting
bookings for busy pet owners
This project was centered around turning everyday pet sitting struggles into a simple solution—helping owners find sitters that actually work for them and their furry friends.
This project was centered around turning everyday pet sitting struggles into a simple solution—helping owners find sitters that actually work for them and their furry friends.
ROLE
ROLE
ROLE
Product Designer | UX/UI Desinger
Product Designer | UX/UI Desinger
DURATION
8 Weeks
8 Weeks
YEAR
2023
2023
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Finding reliable pet sitting services can be surprisingly difficult — especially for dogs with behavioral or anxiety-related needs. While many platforms exist, over 75% of dogs don’t qualify for traditional pet sitting due to behaviors deemed "undesirable."
Finding reliable pet sitting services can be surprisingly difficult — especially for dogs with behavioral or anxiety-related needs. While many platforms exist, over 75% of dogs don’t qualify for traditional pet sitting due to behaviors deemed "undesirable."
Finding reliable pet sitting services can be surprisingly difficult — especially for dogs with behavioral or anxiety-related needs. While many platforms exist, over 75% of dogs don’t qualify for traditional pet sitting due to behaviors deemed "undesirable."
Introducing Furever Care
Introducing Furever Care
A mobile application that connects pet owners with verified, local sitters who are equipped to accommodate each pet’s unique needs and behavioral traits, ensuring professional and reliable care in the owner’s absence.
A mobile application that connects pet owners with verified, local sitters who are equipped to accommodate each pet’s unique needs and behavioral traits, ensuring professional and reliable care in the owner’s absence.
A mobile application that connects pet owners with verified, local sitters who are equipped to accommodate each pet’s unique needs and behavioral traits, ensuring professional and reliable care in the owner’s absence.
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
DEFINING THE PROBLEM
Why Most Dogs Are
Excluded from Pet Sitting Services
Why Most Dogs Are
Excluded from Pet Sitting Services
Up to 85% of dogs show behavioral issues—44% anxiety-related, 30% aggression-related—impacting owners as well. Over half report ownership regrets, a quarter cite limited care options, and nearly 40% miss travel due to lack of suitable sitters. Most pet care services aren’t built to support these dogs, leaving owners of pets with special needs with few reliable options.
Up to 85% of dogs show behavioral issues—44% anxiety-related, 30% aggression-related—impacting owners as well. Over half report ownership regrets, a quarter cite limited care options, and nearly 40% miss travel due to lack of suitable sitters. Most pet care services aren’t built to support these dogs, leaving owners of pets with special needs with few reliable options.
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
As the sole UX/UI designer, my goal was to create a solution that connects pet owners with nearby, verified sitters. By matching based on each pet’s unique needs and behavioral traits, the product helps owners feel secure knowing their pets are in capable hands.
As the sole UX/UI designer, my goal was to create a solution that connects pet owners with nearby, verified sitters. By matching based on each pet’s unique needs and behavioral traits, the product helps owners feel secure knowing their pets are in capable hands.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Study Highlights & Key Takeaways
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
Study Highlights & Key Takeaways
Study Highlights & Key Takeaways
Pet ownership in the U.S.
44.5% dogs
29% cats
26.5% other
Pet ownership by age in the U.S.
33% Millenials
25% Gen X
24% Baby Boomers
18% Other
Average user spending
$912/year for dogs
$653/year for cats
66% of Americans own a pet in the U.S. - that’s about 86.9 million U.S. households
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
Pet ownership in the U.S.
44.5% dogs
29% cats
26.5% other
Pet ownership by age in the U.S.
33% Millenials
25% Gen X
24% Baby Boomers
18% Other
Average user spending
$912/year for dogs
$653/year for cats
66% of Americans own a pet in the U.S. - that’s about 86.9 million U.S. households
Rover and Wag! dominate the pet care space, but both have notable drawbacks—Rover lacks rebooking flexibility while Wag! is pricier and prevents repeat bookings. Rover still leads with affordability, ease of use, and thoughtful design. In contrast, Fetch Pet Care offers the weakest digital experience, with a confusing, poorly designed app that forces users to rely on its mobile website.
Rover and Wag! dominate the pet care space, but both have notable drawbacks—Rover lacks rebooking flexibility while Wag! is pricier and prevents repeat bookings. Rover still leads with affordability, ease of use, and thoughtful design. In contrast, Fetch Pet Care offers the weakest digital experience, with a confusing, poorly designed app that forces users to rely on its mobile website.
Interviews Highlights
To better understand users, I surveyed younger pet owners without children—primarily women aged 18–29 living in suburban areas.
Key findings:
60% of respondents in this group are likely to use a pet-sitting service
50% have canceled or changed plans due to lack of care
Income was not a factor, highlighting how pet owners—especially those with special-needs pets—prioritize care regardless of cost
Most seek help during work hours, travel, or nights out, treating their pets like family.
Unleashing Key Pain Points
Through secondary research, surveys, and interviews, I uncovered recurring challenges pet owners face when finding and booking sitters. These insights directly informed and prioritized our MVP features.
Interviews Highlights
To better understand users, I surveyed younger pet owners without children—primarily women aged 18–29 living in suburban areas.
Key findings:
60% of respondents in this group are likely to use a pet-sitting service
50% have canceled or changed plans due to lack of care
Income was not a factor, highlighting how pet owners—especially those with special-needs pets—prioritize care regardless of cost
Most seek help during work hours, travel, or nights out, treating their pets like family.
Unleashing Key Pain Points
Through secondary research, surveys, and interviews, I uncovered recurring challenges pet owners face when finding and booking sitters. These insights directly informed and prioritized our MVP features.
Built-in Chat
Built-in Chat
Built-in Chat
Enables real-time communication between owners and sitters, easing concerns about pet health, safety, and care updates.
Enables real-time communication between owners and sitters, easing concerns about pet health, safety, and care updates.
Enables real-time communication between owners and sitters, easing concerns about pet health, safety, and care updates.
Ratings & Reviews
Ratings & Reviews
Ratings & Reviews
Builds trust by allowing owners to choose verified sitters based on other users’ experiences.
Builds trust by allowing owners to choose verified sitters based on other users’ experiences.
Builds trust by allowing owners to choose verified sitters based on other users’ experiences.
Simple Scheduling
Simple Scheduling
Simple Scheduling
Provides flexibility and ease when managing bookings, helping owners align sitter availability with their own schedules.
Provides flexibility and ease when managing bookings, helping owners align sitter availability with their own schedules.
Provides flexibility and ease when managing bookings, helping owners align sitter availability with their own schedules.
Pet Profile
Pet Profile
Pet Profile
Lets owners share critical information about their pet’s behavior, routines, and special needs, enabling sitters to provide personalized, attentive care.
Lets owners share critical information about their pet’s behavior, routines, and special needs, enabling sitters to provide personalized, attentive care.
Lets owners share critical information about their pet’s behavior, routines, and special needs, enabling sitters to provide personalized, attentive care.
Sitter Reservations
Sitter Reservations
Sitter Reservations
Simplifies the process of finding and booking sitters, ensuring owners can secure care in advance.
Simplifies the process of finding and booking sitters, ensuring owners can secure care in advance.
Simplifies the process of finding and booking sitters, ensuring owners can secure care in advance.
Standby Sitter
Standby Sitter
Standby Sitter
Reduces frustration from last-minute cancellations by automatically suggesting or assigning a trusted alternative sitter.
Reduces frustration from last-minute cancellations by automatically suggesting or assigning a trusted alternative sitter.
Reduces frustration from last-minute cancellations by automatically suggesting or assigning a trusted alternative sitter.
I developed a user persona to ground my design decisions in real needs and behaviors—shifting the focus away from personal assumptions and toward a user-first perspective.
Anxious Angela and Distressed Jess are strong persona examples because they represent real, distinct user needs and pain points. Angela highlights challenges faced by busy, time-constrained pet owners who struggle to find reliable care, while Jess illustrates the concerns of owners with senior or medically sensitive pets. Together, they capture diverse motivations, frustrations, and emotional drivers that directly inform the design of pet-sitting solutions.
I developed a user persona to ground my design decisions in real needs and behaviors—shifting the focus away from personal assumptions and toward a user-first perspective.
Anxious Angela and Distressed Jess are strong persona examples because they represent real, distinct user needs and pain points. Angela highlights challenges faced by busy, time-constrained pet owners who struggle to find reliable care, while Jess illustrates the concerns of owners with senior or medically sensitive pets. Together, they capture diverse motivations, frustrations, and emotional drivers that directly inform the design of pet-sitting solutions.
I developed a user persona to ground my design decisions in real needs and behaviors—shifting the focus away from personal assumptions and toward a user-first perspective.
Anxious Angela and Distressed Jess are strong persona examples because they represent real, distinct user needs and pain points. Angela highlights challenges faced by busy, time-constrained pet owners who struggle to find reliable care, while Jess illustrates the concerns of owners with senior or medically sensitive pets. Together, they capture diverse motivations, frustrations, and emotional drivers that directly inform the design of pet-sitting solutions.
IDEATION & INFO ARCHITECTURE
IDEATION & INFO ARCHITECTURE
Turning Pawprints to Pixels
Turning Pawprints to Pixels
With user needs defined, I applied the “How Might We” framework to turn key challenges into actionable design opportunities. I mapped user flows to visualize tasks and interactions, guiding early sketches that evolved into mid-fidelity wireframes. These were refined into high-fidelity designs emphasizing clarity and usability. I also developed the app’s information architecture to ensure intuitive navigation aligned with user goals.
With user needs defined, I applied the “How Might We” framework to turn key challenges into actionable design opportunities. I mapped user flows to visualize tasks and interactions, guiding early sketches that evolved into mid-fidelity wireframes. These were refined into high-fidelity designs emphasizing clarity and usability. I also developed the app’s information architecture to ensure intuitive navigation aligned with user goals.
How Might We
make it easier for users to find sitters who match their availability needs?
How Might We
create a smooth and secure flow for users to book and pay after receiving a sitter’s confirmation?
How Might We
support clear and timely communication between users and sitters to simplify the reservation process
As a user, I want to find a sitter that can watch my pet for a selected duration.
As a user, I want to find a sitter that can watch my pet for a selected duration.
As a user, upon receiving a confirmation of a reservation, I want to book and pay for a sitter.
As a user, upon receiving a confirmation of a reservation, I want to book and pay for a sitter.
As a user, I want to communicate with the sitter and set up a reservation.
As a user, I want to communicate with the sitter and set up a reservation.
Through iteration and testing, I discovered that communication was crucial to users’ decision-making, leading chat to become a central feature in the booking flow. Because bookings only finalize after sitter approval, this flow was designed conditionally—appearing only when a sitter accepts a request.
Through iteration and testing, I discovered that communication was crucial to users’ decision-making, leading chat to become a central feature in the booking flow. Because bookings only finalize after sitter approval, this flow was designed conditionally—appearing only when a sitter accepts a request.
MID-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
HIGH-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
USABILITY TESTING
USABILITY TESTING
Validating the Experience
Validating the Experience
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with five participants, beginning with wireframes and then the high-fidelity prototype, which helped identify key usability issues and guide meaningful design improvements.
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with five participants, beginning with wireframes and then the high-fidelity prototype, which helped identify key usability issues and guide meaningful design improvements.
Reflections & Final Takeaways
Reflections & Final Takeaways
Key Learnings
Key Learnings
Personas must guide empathy and design choices
Personas must guide empathy and design choices
Initial persona was assumption-based; research identified Gen Z as the true audience and shifted direction
Initial persona was assumption-based; research identified Gen Z as the true audience and shifted direction
Users needed transparency and flexible booking paths
Users needed transparency and flexible booking paths
Impact on the Design
Impact on the Design
Reworked the booking flow for sitter approval and flexible entry points - chat or profiles
Reworked the booking flow for sitter approval and flexible entry points - chat or profiles
Built features aligned with real behavior: in-app reservations, chat-based bookings, deeper profile exploration
Built features aligned with real behavior: in-app reservations, chat-based bookings, deeper profile exploration
Biggest Lessons
Biggest Lessons
Validate assumptions early
Validate assumptions early
Follow user insights—even when it means major changes
Follow user insights—even when it means major changes
Designing for edge cases builds trust and usability
Designing for edge cases builds trust and usability
Thank you for taking the time to read this case study!
Thank you for taking the time to read this case study!
Thank you for taking the time to read this case study!