Redefining Pet Travel, One Trusted Trip at a Time
All the best stories begin with a Covid puppy
When Lauren and Joseph Getts struggled to safely bring home their new puppy during the pandemic, they realized countless other pet owners were facing the same problem. That frustration sparked an idea. Within a year, DogHop® was born, a company dedicated to safe, sustainable, and compassionate pet transport.
In 2021, Lauren and Joseph decided it was time for a “Covid puppy” of their own (why not, everyone else is doing it!?). They picked out their new family member, a sibling for their dog Dexter, but in trying to get him home from the breeder, they struggled to find transport options that were safe and reliable.
The cargo bay of an airplane was out of the question, and they knew after reading horror stories that a trip in a shared van wasn’t something they wanted for their new pup. It was through their challenge with their new puppy that they developed the vision for DogHop.
Their dream was to build a sustainable company that prioritized comfort and care for other pets while giving their humans peace of mind.
Degrees don’t come with hands-on experience
Lauren and Joseph are an entrepreneurial couple that bring vision, expertise, and education to the table. Lauren has a degree in communications and a long career in branding and marketing across both nonprofit and corporate sectors. Joseph has a degree in business and entrepreneurship and has years of experience managing teams, building operational systems, and supporting startups.
But when it comes to running a successful small business, a degree doesn’t always mean you have all the answers!
Lauren works directly with the SBDC through her role at the Greater Manchester Chamber and has witnessed firsthand how they help small businesses succeed, so she didn’t wait and reached out right away to get guidance from the start. They were matched with business advisor, Hollis McGuire.
Talk about the perfect fit! They couldn’t have been matched up better; Hollis has a background in the breeding and dog show world and immediately understood the unique challenges of the industry. She brought incredible insight, strategy, and resources to the table from the get-go.
Even with both of their backgrounds, Lauren and Joseph share that “When you’re starting, you don’t realize how hard it is. Doing it for yourself is very different than studying it.”
Hollis became their stabilizing guide, offering insight, support, and perspective as they built DogHop to reflect their values and ethics.
It’s important to Lauren and Joseph to build a business that can do the greatest amount of good possible and genuinely help people and their pets.
“There’s nothing more rewarding than watching a dog arrive safely in the arms of someone who’s been anxiously waiting for them, whether it’s a family welcoming a new puppy or a pet parent reuniting with their best friend after a cross-country move. Those moments remind us why we do this.” - Lauren Getts
After launching, their work with the SBDC deepened even further as Hollis introduced them to the LeAF Program, which provided them with five hours of pro bono legal support from Abridge Law. The opportunity came at the perfect time as they’re expanding nationally and knew they needed to take steps to protect their intellectual property. Through the LeAF Program, they secured a federal trademark for DogHop, which provided them and their clients peace of mind and a strong foundation to keep growing.
“The SBDC has saved us time, money, and given us confidence in the steps we’re taking.” - Lauren Getts
Because of SBDC's help, Lauren and Joseph have been able to scale not just quickly but also purposely and adhere to their values of sustainability and compassion.
Hollis has been able to connect them with breeders as well as guide them in how to package their offerings for clients and breeders alike.
Joseph said he appreciates Hollis’ encouragement, but also her honesty. She welcomes their ideas and, with energy and passion, but also is quick to ensure they’re taking viable steps forward and helps them refocus when they get off track. She’s a sounding board and helps them get through the tough times and challenges.
Their adventure is only beginning
Lauren and Joseph are proud of what they’ve built since 2021. They love the freedom they feel as they build from a place of sustainability, compassion, transparency, and exceptional customer service. They continue to strive to ensure every pet parent feels heard, informed, and cared for.
They currently offer two trusted services:
- Private, door-to-door ground transport in fully electric vehicles
- Flight companion program for smaller pets
They travel throughout the contiguous US and Canada to transport pets, starting or ending in the Northeast. Their clients include individuals and families who are getting a puppy from a breeder, adopting from afar, relocating, or in need of rehoming their pet.
They’re working to grow and add additional vehicles to their fleet as they serve more areas of the country. They’re in the process of partnering with flight companions to offer travel for small-breed dogs and cats. With the addition of the flight companion service, their website will be updated to include an innovative “instant flight quote” to provide pricing for their fur-loving clientele.
Hiring flight companions will be a milestone for Lauren and Joseph. They’re hoping that decisions like this one, along with the careful guidance of the SBDC, will elevate DogHop to being the number one Pet Transport service in the US.
Giving back to the planet and those coming alongside them
Sustainability at the core of their vision, DogHop partners with One Tree Planted to help reforest the earth and combat the negative effects of climate change. They give back by planting trees for every ground transport and flight they take. They’ve also committed to using electric-powered vehicles from the beginning.
And don’t forget the importance of giving back to others in the community and entrepreneurs coming alongside and behind them! Lauren reminds business owners of the importance of surrounding themselves with trusted partners and supporters.
“The SBDC is a free resource every business owner should take advantage of!” - Joseph Getts
There’s no easy playbook for what they’re doing with DogHop. Having the SBDC in their corner has helped them make intelligent, grounded decisions when it mattered most.