Wag!: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Wag! launched in 2015 and describes itself as the company that invented on-demand dog walking. The app debuted in San Francisco that April, letting owners book a walker on short notice and follow the walk by GPS, and the model spread quickly to other markets. The company operates as Wag! Group Co.

The platform has expanded well beyond its original service. Pet parents can book on-demand or recurring dog walks, drop-in visits for dogs and cats, in-person one-on-one training sessions, overnight boarding in a caregiver's home, and in-home sitting. A Wag! Premium subscription removes service fees and adds discounts and free access to Vet Chat, a 24/7 chat with a licensed pet expert. The company also runs adjacent pet services and media properties, including wellness plans, a pet insurance comparison tool, the pet products retailer Maxbone, and the review sites Dog Food Advisor and Cat Food Advisor. On its own site, Wag! reports more than 16 million services completed, more than 1 million pet parents, more than 500,000 pet caregivers, and more than 16 million meals donated.

Wag!'s corporate structure has changed significantly in recent years, and candidates should understand the current picture. The company became publicly traded in August 2022 through a business combination with CHW Acquisition Corp., after which it was renamed Wag! Group Co. and listed on Nasdaq under the ticker PET. In July 2025 it filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 petition and sold its prescription management and e-scribing software assets to MWI Veterinary Supply Co. The US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware confirmed the plan of reorganization on August 29, 2025, and the plan was consummated on September 1, 2025. Wag! emerged as a privately held company wholly owned by Retriever LLC, its secured lender, with its shares delisted from Nasdaq and prior equity interests cancelled. The platform continued operating through the process. Garrett Smallwood serves as chief executive officer, alongside president and chief product officer Adam Storm and chief financial officer Alec Davidian.

Company culture and employee programs:

Wag!'s workforce has two very different halves. The larger group is the pet caregiver community, made up of independent contractors who set their own schedules, choose which bookings to accept, and are paid through the platform. Wag! markets flexibility, instant pay, GPS tracking, automated report cards, and live chat with clients as the core of that experience, and notes that booked services may be covered by its property damage protection. The second group is the corporate team: software engineers, product managers, designers, data analysts, trust and safety staff, customer support, marketing, finance, and operations. Pay, engagement terms, and any benefits differ sharply between contractor and employee roles, so applicants should be clear about which they are pursuing.

Yes. Companies in the pet care and online marketplace industry, including Wag!, are legally permitted to conduct background checks on applicants and platform participants, provided they follow applicable federal, state, and local law. In the United States, consumer reports used for employment purposes are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires clear disclosure, written authorization, and a defined adverse action process. Those obligations generally apply when a platform orders a consumer report on a prospective worker, including an independent contractor.

Wag! is generally reported to require a background check before a pet caregiver can offer services through the platform, which is consistent with standard practice among in-home and pet care marketplaces. Caregivers often enter a customer's home unaccompanied and take charge of an animal, so identity verification and criminal history review are typical screening steps. The exact scope of a Wag! background check may vary by role, by state, and by whether an applicant is joining the caregiver community or applying for a corporate position.

The two paths look different. Prospective pet caregivers download the app or apply online, create a profile, and complete an onboarding sequence that generally includes identity verification, a background check, and a pet safety assessment before the account is approved to accept bookings. Applicants must be adults. Corporate candidates apply through the company's careers channels, complete a recruiter screen, and interview with the hiring manager and team, typically with a take-home exercise or technical interview for engineering and product roles. A conditional offer usually precedes any employment background check.

Timing depends on which searches are ordered, how quickly courts respond, and how many jurisdictions a person's history touches. Marketplace onboarding checks are often completed within a few business days so caregivers can start accepting bookings quickly, while records spread across multiple counties or states can take longer. Candidates who want more detail on what typically drives the timeline can review background check turnaround times.

The company decides the scope. For a pet care platform, a background check may include some or all of the following:

Caregivers and employees should read the disclosure and authorization screens or forms they are given, since those documents identify the searches that will actually run.

Lookback windows depend on the search type and the law of the state where the person lives. Under the FCRA, consumer reporting agencies generally may not report most adverse non-conviction information older than seven years, with exceptions for higher-salary positions and certain record categories. Several states impose tighter limits, including restrictions on reporting older convictions. Because Wag! operates across many states, two applicants with similar records can see different results depending on where they live.

Wag! does not publish a detailed policy on applicants with felony records, and outcomes in this category are typically assessed case by case. Relevant considerations generally include the nature and seriousness of the offense, how long ago it occurred, evidence of rehabilitation, and how the record relates to the responsibilities involved, which for caregivers include unsupervised access to homes and animals. Many states and cities have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that limit when an employer may ask about criminal history during the application process. Applicants should answer honestly and be prepared to discuss their background.

Applicants are asked to provide written consent before a background check is run, presented during app onboarding for caregivers or as a standalone disclosure form for corporate candidates. Expect to supply a full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address history, and to verify your identity with a government-issued ID. Caregivers should also be prepared to complete the platform's safety assessment and profile requirements. Accurate information keeps searches pointed at the right jurisdictions and avoids delays in approval.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act is the US federal law governing how consumer reporting agencies collect, use, and share background check information. It requires the party ordering a report for employment purposes to obtain written authorization first, to provide a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report and a summary of rights before finalizing a negative decision, and to allow the individual a chance to dispute information they believe is inaccurate. For a fuller explanation of how the FCRA works alongside Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance, see this introduction to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Caregivers on pet care marketplaces are generally required to be at least 18 years old, verify their identity, pass a background check, and demonstrate basic pet safety knowledge before they can accept bookings. Applicants typically build a profile with a photo, service area, availability, and rates, and they may be asked to describe their experience with animals. Because caregivers are independent contractors rather than employees, they handle their own taxes and have wide latitude over when and where they work. Requirements can differ by market, so applicants should review the onboarding steps shown in the app for their location.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Wag! may see and helps you identify potential inaccuracies before they affect your application or caregiver approval. In one secure report you can review:

Create your report in minutes at Checkr Personal Background Checks. To showcase verified credentials proactively, build a free Checkr Profile you can share with clients, recruiters, or prospective employers.

Check your report status in the Candidate Portal. Or visit the Checkr Help Center for FAQs, dispute steps, and to contact support.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.