About us
Good pet care shouldn't cost this much — or this much stress.
Finding a pet sitter you actually trust is hard. Boarding is expensive. Leaving your dog or cat with a stranger you found on an app is stressful — for you, and for them. Tailmate is a neighbourhood fix for a neighbourhood problem.
How Tailmate works
Tailmate is a community swap. Pet owners in Toronto take turns caring for each other's animals — no money changes hands between members. Instead, we use Tail Credits: every hour you give earns credits you can spend. You host my dog for a weekend; I walk your cat while you travel.
The only fee is a small membership — $10 / month or $80 / year— which keeps the platform running and the community safe.
Two ways to belong
Pet owners
Join to swap care with neighbours you can trust. Post your pet's profile, browse nearby hosts, and exchange care using Tail Credits. Your pet stays in a real home with someone who genuinely cares — not a cage at a boarding facility.
Pet Lovers
You don't need a pet to be part of Tailmate. If you love animals and have time to walk, sit, or host, the Pet Lover path is for you — completely free, forever. Every hour you give, once the owner confirms it, is counted as an Impact Hour. Hours are not money. For every hour, Tailmate sends 10 cents to a partner shelter, in your name, on the 1st of every month.
What we stand for
Reciprocity
Care is a two-way street. Tail Credits only flow when both sides contribute — no free riders, no passive consumers.
Trust first
Member reviews after every exchange, and a Meet & Greet before every first sit. Trust isn’t a feature — it’s the foundation.
No money between members
There is no cash on the platform. Credits represent time given, not dollars spent. That keeps everyone equal.
Community impact
5% of every membership goes to shelters. And for every confirmed hour a Pet Lover gives, Tailmate sends 10 cents to a partner shelter. Caring for a pet here helps rescue another.
Our mission
Tailmate is about rebuilding something we've lost: neighbourhoods where people actually look out for each other — and each other's animals.
Every swap makes the community a little stronger. Every Impact Hour helps a shelter animal find a home. We're proud to be a small part of that.
Ready to meet your tailmates?
Pet owners: choose your membership plan. Pet Lovers: join free, no credit card needed.
Join the waitlist →Questions? Email hello@tailmate.org — Tailmate Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada.