Dragons’ Den star who scored £50,000 investment accuses rival of ripping off business

A Dragons’ Den contestant, who impressed the BBC show’s panel, is suing a business for copying her indoor dog toilet company.

In 2022, Rebecca Sloan, 39, secured a £50,000 investment from Steven Bartlett, 32, for a 20% stake, after receiving offers from four bankers.

She used the cash to develop her company Makeality’s product Piddle Patch, an environmentally-friendly litter tray made from grass for dogs.

However, Makeality has accused Laurencia Walker-Fooks’s firm, City Doggo, of ripping off her product. The firm has denied the allegation.

City Doggo is behind Oui Oui Patch, a real grass indoor dog toilet.

In a High Court battle, Makeality has accused City Doggo of selling ‘a similar product under the sign “Oui Oui Patch” since November 2020,’ The Times reports.

Makeality entered the trademark for Piddle Patch in 2016.

The company is suing for damages for trademark infringement and “passing off”, which is when someone deliberately or unintentionally passes off their goods or services as those belonging to another party.

Citty Doggo denies the allegations.

Makeality also asked the judge to injunct City Doggo from marketing Oui Oui Patch.

During the hearing, the court heard that City Doggo admitted using versions of Piddle Patch in its marketing. It promised this would not happen again.

The case has now been sent to the small claims category.

It was transferred from the intellectual property division because it was not deemed complicated enough to be heard in that court. It also did not exceed the £10,000 claim threshold.

On City Doggo’s website, Walker-Fooks, 34, said she devised Oui Oui Patch because her dog Tinkerbell would ‘constantly refuse’ to use the plastic pads and sometimes found it ‘challenging’ to take her to the park to use the toilet.

Sloan explained on Piddle Patch’s website that she was struck by the idea of using a grass litter tray to ‘replicate the outdoor experience indoors’ when visiting a park.

Metro has contacted Piddle Patch and City Doggo for comment.

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