Bengaluru | December 10, 2025: Dr. Paws, India’s most design-led and empathetic veterinary clinic chain, has raised ₹29.3 crore in its Pre-Series A round, led by Chiratae Ventures, with participation from existing investor Sauce, prominent angels, and venture debt from Trifecta Capital and Stride Ventures. The raise marks an important milestone in Dr. Paws’ mission to deliver warm, trustworthy, and clinically excellent pet healthcare across the country. 

Dr. Paws will deploy the capital to expand its clinic footprint across Bengaluru with 9 new clinics planned by 2026 and to enter new markets including Hyderabad and Pune. The company will also launch new business lines, including at-home veterinary services and Dr. Paws’ own-label products across functional treats, supplements & food. Additionally, 

Dr. Paws will enhance its technology capabilities by leveraging AI to improve medical outcomes, elevate customer experience, and strengthen training and upskilling for veterinary teams, while building a strong leadership team across headquarters and new city operations. 

Founded by Udit Gadkary and Rakesh Santhapur, Dr. Paws addresses a fundamental gap in Indian veterinary care: fragmented services, inconsistent quality, and environments that often create stress rather than comfort. With rising pet ownership, families increasingly seek reliability, empathy, and medical excellence. Dr. Paws delivers this through its design-led clinics, transparent care experience, and commitment to the highest medical standards – anchored by Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Girish Kumar V.K., one of Bengaluru’s most respected veterinarians with 16+ years of experience. 

“We’ve had a great year and a half of operations across our 3 clinics since we opened our doors, with strong financial performance and 5.0 ratings enduring in our original clinics since Day 1. With this funding we’re excited to double-down on our clinic growth and enter new business lines. Our goal to make pet care friendlier, easier and more empathetic will continue to guide everything we do.” 

– Udit Gadkary, Co-Founder, Dr. Paws 

India’s pet-care market is undergoing rapid expansion, driven by a surge in urban pet ownership and growing expectations around quality healthcare. Yet veterinary supply remains underdeveloped, with few organised players delivering consistent standards. Dr. Paws has emerged as a category-defining brand offering an empathy-first, clinically rigorous, and high-trust model. 

Key highlights include: 

• 3 clinics live in Bengaluru, all operating 24×7 
• 2 new clinics under construction 
• 30,000+ appointments and 800+ surgeries completed 
• 5.0-star ratings in original clinics since launch
• Clinics achieve operational profitability within 5 months 

“Trust is the cornerstone of pet healthcare – it’s what enables clinical confidence, repeat behaviour, and long-term loyalty before a brand can truly become the go-to destination for a family’s entire pet-care journey. In this rapidly growing pet-care market the founders stand out not just because they are pet parents themselves, but because they combine empathy with strong operational rigor, clinical quality focus, and design-led experience building. We’re excited to back Dr. Paws as they build one of India’s most trusted, high-quality pet-care platforms.” 

– Anoop Menon, Consumer Tech Lead, Chiratae Ventures 

“Petcare is one of the fastest growing consumption sectors with a surge in pet adoption across urban centers. Healthcare supply has not kept pace unfortunately, leading to a huge gap. Udit and Rakesh are building a conscious, empathy-first veterinary business focused on quality above all. This reflects in the exceptional consumer satisfaction they are recording. We are happy to back their vision from day zero.” 

– Manu Chandra, Founder, Sauce 

About Dr. Paws 

Dr. Paws is India’s leading empathy-first veterinary care platform, offering 24×7 clinics, surgeries, diagnostics, preventive care, and at-home services. Rooted in warmth, trust, and the highest medical standards, Dr. Paws combines clinical excellence with design-led environments to deliver a superior experience for pets and families. The company is headquartered in Bengaluru and is rapidly expanding across India. 

For media enquiries, please contact: marketing@drpaws.care

By: Sandhya Bharti