Rover.com: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Rover was founded in 2011 by Greg Gottesman, Aaron Easterly, and Philip Kimmey, and was formally incorporated as A Place for Rover, Inc. Gottesman conceived the idea after a negative experience leaving his yellow Labrador at a kennel, believing pet owners deserved a better alternative to kennels or relying on friends and neighbors. Gottesman pitched the concept at a Startup Weekend event in Seattle in June 2011, and Aaron Easterly, a Microsoft and aQuantive veteran, joined as CEO later that summer. The Rover.com website launched in December 2011, followed by a mobile app in August 2012 that added features such as direct messaging, photo sharing, and check-in confirmations.

Rover expanded its services beyond dog boarding and sitting to include dog walking, doggy day care, and drop-in visits, along with care for cats and other pets. In March 2017, Rover acquired competitor DogVacay in an all-stock deal, and the company later expanded internationally into Canada, the UK, and Western Europe. Rover went public on the Nasdaq in 2021 through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, before being taken private again in February 2024 when Blackstone acquired the company for $2.3 billion. Rover remains headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

It's important to understand that Rover itself does not directly employ the pet sitters and dog walkers who provide services through its platform; these individuals operate as independent service providers who create profiles, set their own rates, and are booked directly by pet owners through the marketplace. Rover's own internal workforce, separate from the independent sitters and walkers, includes software engineers, trust and safety personnel, customer support staff, and marketing teams who operate and maintain the platform.

Company culture and employee programs: From its earliest days, Rover prioritized trust, safety, and reputation mechanics, including background checks and insurance protections, as core to overcoming the "stranger danger" barrier inherent in connecting pet owners with new caregivers. Rover has continued to build guarantees around vet care and property damage protection for bookings made through its platform. Compensation for independent Rover sitters and walkers is set by each individual provider rather than through a standard employee pay structure, so those interested in becoming a provider should review Rover's own onboarding materials for current details.

Yes. Rover has stated that background checks and identity verification are a foundational part of its trust and safety approach for sitters and dog walkers joining the platform, given that these individuals will be entering pet owners' homes or caring for their pets without direct supervision.

The process for becoming a Rover sitter or dog walker typically includes creating a profile, completing identity verification, and undergoing a background check before a profile becomes fully visible and bookable to pet owners on the platform.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical background check for a pet care platform sitter or walker may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe depending on the type of record and jurisdiction.

Eligibility decisions for individuals with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis by Rover, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to providing in-home pet care and access to a client's home. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that may apply differently in the context of independent contractor platform screening.

Applicants can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how background check information can be used in screening decisions. It requires that individuals be notified before a check is run, provide written consent, and receive specific notices if a decision is made based on background check results.

What if I disagree with something in my background check?

Under the FCRA, if you believe your background check report contains inaccurate information, you have the right to dispute it directly with the consumer reporting agency that prepared the report. The agency is generally required to investigate the dispute, typically within 30 days, and to correct or remove any information it cannot verify as accurate. If Checkr conducted the background check, dispute instructions are included in the notification sent to your Checkr candidate account.

Can I see a copy of my own background check report?

Yes. Under the FCRA, if a background check is used to make an adverse hiring decision, you are entitled to receive a copy of the report along with a summary of your rights under the law before the decision becomes final.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Rover may see during the sign-up process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Rover or another platform, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.