Dakar pet sitting: a new service in 2026
Pet sitting (animal care at home during owner absence) emerges in Senegal between 2023 and 2026. Target: upper middle classes + diaspora returning to Senegal on vacation needing animal care during travels.
Pawfectly Dakar, platform launched March 2024, contacted me in May 2024. 120 missions/month. Thirteen months later: 850 missions/month (×7), 65 active partner pet sitters. Here is the mechanism.
H2: App platform + partner pet sitters
Mobile app with geolocation, pet sitter profiles (photos, offered services, rates, reviews), direct booking, integrated payment (Wave/OM/Stripe), real-time mission tracking (pet sitter photos), post-mission rating.
Offered services:
- 1h walk: 5-10 KFCFA
- Day care (2x daily visits to owner home): 12-22 KFCFA / day
- Night care at pet sitter: 18-35 KFCFA / night
- Long stay care (5+ days): regressive rate
- Special care (medication, specific food): +20-50%
H2: Platform investments
| Item | Upfront | Monthly recurring |
|---|---|---|
| iOS + Android app + backend development | 22,000,000 to 38,000,000 FCFA | 880,000 FCFA |
| Brand book + identity | 1,500,000 FCFA | — |
| Pet sitter recruitment marketing | 4,500,000 FCFA | 850,000 FCFA |
| Owner acquisition marketing | — | 1,500,000 FCFA |
| Animal damage insurance (collective) | 2,000,000 FCFA | 280,000 FCFA |
| 2 community managers | 200,000 FCFA | 1,100,000 FCFA |
Upfront investment: 30-47 M FCFA. Monthly recurring: 4.6 M FCFA. Business model: 25% Pawfectly commission on each mission. For 850 missions × 15 KFCFA average basket × 25% commission = 3.2 M FCFA / month. Break-even approaches month 12-18.
FAQ
How to recruit trusted pet sitters?
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Process: online application + ID verification + Zoom interview + moral reference (2 people) + emergency behavior training. Selection ~30% of applications. Continuous owner rating (rating < 4.2 ⇒ exclusion).
What insurance for pet sitting?
Animal damage insurance (covers vet care if accident): 2-5 M FCFA / year. Pet sitter liability insurance (covers damage caused by animal to third parties): 1.5-3 M FCFA / year. Critical insurance investment for platform trust.
How much do pet sitters earn?
75% of the mission (Pawfectly keeps 25%). Active pet sitter 12-20 missions/month × 12 KFCFA net = 100-240 KFCFA / month (income supplement, not main activity).
Main targets?
Diaspora (40% of volume - they return to Senegal 2-6 weeks and need care), expatriates (25%), traveling working executives (20%), daily working executives (15%).
Differentiation vs neighbor care?
Pro pet sitter trained + insurance + traceability + real-time photos reassure (vs friendly neighbor without guarantee).
Let's talk about your case
If you want to launch a pet sitting platform in Dakar, we can design the app and strategy. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
