Mars Petcare has purchased Whistle, a startup that makes smart dog collars that track a pet’s location and fitness, for approximately US$117 million, according to reports.
“Whistle is excited to join the Mars Petcare family. This opportunity connects the industry’s global and technology leaders, enabling a new era of pet care,” Whistle said in a report. “Mars Petcare and Whistle shared a core belief around the importance of pets in our lives, and we look forward to connecting nutrition, health care, and technology to improve the lives of pets and their families.”
Whistle’s GPS pet tracker allows pet parents to track their pet’s fitness with a collar that tracks steps taken. Owners can set their pet’s fitness goals, track progress and compare information to other dogs. The collar also contains a location-sharing tool that can help find a pet if it gets lost.
“We are excited about the opportunity our investment will bring us to in this new area of pet care technology,” Mars said in a statement.
Whistle, which has been called the “Fitbit for dogs,” is backed by DCM Ventures, where Whistle CEO Ben Jacobs served as an entrepreneur-in-residence. Other partners include Nokia Growth Partners, NBA player Carmelo Anthony and rapper Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones.
