Fuzzy raises $44 million
Digital pet care company Fuzzy has raised $44 million in a new round of funding led by Icon Ventures, with existing investors Greycroft, Matrix and Crosscut participating. The company also secured investment from owners of veterinary clinic groups in US, UK and Germany, and from high profile individuals including Mark Vadon (former Chairman of Chewy) and Jose Feliciano (founder of Clearlake Group).
Founded in 2016, Fuzzy provides 24/7 live chat and telehealth, ship-to-home prescriptions, vet-curated items in its e-commerce marketplace, educational content, and programs for nutrition, training, and obedience, an approach that saves pet parents “up to $750 a year on healthcare expenses.” Fuzzy also offers pet insurance powered by Boost Insurance.
Alongside its digital platform, Fuzzy is growing its veterinary clinic program, which is currently operational in 25 locations. This program works with clinics to deploy and utilize telemedicine for their patients.
“Pet care has become so prohibitively expensive that it’s leading to some shockingly sad statistics around euthanasia and pet abandonment. With the explosion of pet adoption we’ve also seen veterinary clinics be overrun, causing scarcity of appointments and veterinarian burn out. We believe the industry has to find new ways to address the strain on veterinarians and use technology to deliver care efficiently, where possible. Fuzzy is making it possible for veterinary clinics to free up their schedules and use their time more productively.” – Zubin Bhettay, co-founder and CEO of Fuzzy.
“We’ve heard from veterinary clinics that their staff are drained and the hours they are working are unsustainable. Fuzzy opens up their schedules, allowing low-margin triage and basic care to happen online, refocusing the in-person care on more involved procedures.” – Dr. Cherice Roth, chief veterinary medical officer at Fuzzy.
“Fuzzy is rethinking how pets and their owners receive veterinary care in a way that’s improving outcomes, as well as relieving strain on the veterinarians themselves. We believe telemedicine and Fuzzy’s always-on approach to care will transform pet ownership for millions of households across the U.S. and the globe, very similarly to how telemedicine has reshaped human patient and doctor care for the better.” – Tom Mawhinney, general partner at Icon Ventures.
