Wagit is an online booking platform for dogs and their humans, WagIt sniffs out the best places to go for drinks, food and grooms in London and lets you easily book them online. But more than that, they are a community and are changing the way dog parents are welcomed in society.
Nadia’s background is in hospitality, specifically online reservations. But when Lola came into her life. She found it really difficult to book places to go with her. She’d look online but the choice was limited and when turning up at a venue that claimed to be dog friendly, they'd sit them at the back next to the bins or even force them to sit outside even if it was raining.
There is no law or any health and safety regulations that ban dogs from being in premises where food and drink is served or sold; however they must not enter areas where food is prepared, handled or stored, for example the kitchen. It’s up to the owner of establishments that serve food and drink whether they’d like to welcome dogs to join in the fun or not.
Law: Food Hygiene Regulations 2013, under EU Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Annex II “I explained this to a restaurant once and they were surprised...I said if they are worried then they could set some rules like “no more than 3 dogs at the same time” or “no dogs after 6pm”. Why keep out people who want to spend money in your restaurant?”
And with groomers there was actually no way to book online, furthermore they never answered their phones or took ages to reply to emails! Booking a haircut for Lola was harder than getting into The Ivy! And had a longer waitlist!
Nadia kept thinking there must be a better solution.
There was definitely a gap in the market for dog owners. There was no comprehensive solution that gave them all the information they needed plus the ability to book online. Particularly during the lockdowns, Nadia realised how important Lola was for her and that it would be tough to leave her home alone once restrictions were lifted. With over 2million people in the UK getting a dog she knew she’d not be the only one having that thought. That’s when she decided to get started with Wagit, which was founded in June last year, and since then has gone from strength to strength.
The website allows people to search and book pre-approved dog friendly venues. They have Restaurants, Gaucho, Pachamama’s, Humble Grape, Hilton Hotels, Groomers - all already bookable on the platform. The private hire cab company Addison Lee chose WagIt as exclusive partner for their dog bookings.
They have now launched a section called Experiences where you can find fun things to do with your dog, like go on a Veluba Tour or buy tickets to a doggy Lido.
“We launched during lockdown because we knew this was a service that dog parents would love and that puppy parents would absolutely need once restrictions were lifted. “
WagIt helps owners find & book the best dog experiences in their city!
“We make life for dog owners (and as a result, dogs!) enriched, simple, and stress-free. Because when our dogs are happy, we’re happy too. “
Nadia and Lola’s favourite places to go…
For brunch with the girls - M Victoria for their Six-legged Brunch https://wagit.uk/listing/m-victoria-street/
When we are feeling fancy - Afternoon Tea at The Egerton Hotel https://wagit.uk/listing/egerton-house-hotel/
Sunday chilling - The Regent in Balham https://wagit.uk/listing/the-regent/
