Many people dream of starting their own business one day or wish they could spend all day hanging out with dogs, cats, or other animals. By opening a pet-focused small business, these ideas don’t have to be mutually exclusive. You may be reluctant to take the final steps to make your dream a reality, and that’s understandable. Starting a business is intimidating, and you might have financial concerns. One of the things likely stopping you is the thought that there’s no way you could make a living doing something you love. Fortunately, that’s not the case. If you love animals and the independence being a small business owner offers, these five pet business ideas might be for you.
Make Pet Accessories
People love their pets, and they often treat them like family members. That’s not an off-the-cuff observation or assumption. Data back it up. The global pet accessories market is on track to be worth 22 billion dollars by 2023, and that number will continue to rise. There has never been a better time to start making pet accessories. The options for what types of products you produce are nearly limitless, creating a pet accessory business, especially appealing. Whether you’re making Cat Scratchers or collars, Halloween costumes for pets, growing and selling pet-friendly plants, or even designing or building patios for cats (called catios), put your design, sewing, construction, or crafting skills to good use. The pet accessory industry could be a lucrative option for you.
Pet Sitting
If you aren’t confident in your craft skills, don’t worry. There are still plenty of pet business ideas available to you. Pet sitting, for example, is a fantastic and hands-on way to share your love with pets while still making money. Depending on your preferences and living situation, you could either take in pets and watch them while they’re at your home, or go to your client’s home to take care of the pet. In many cases, the supplies necessary to take care of the animal will be provided, so start-up costs are minimal. All you need is an understanding of how to care for cats, dogs, or whatever type of pet you decide to specialize in caring for. Keep in mind that pets like birds and reptiles that are considered exotic may have exacting care requirements and require an experienced caretaker.
Dog Walking
With dog walking, you can hang out with dogs and spend time outdoors. The only thing you need to get started in the dog walking business is your first client. Given how busy many people are between work, school, parenting, and other responsibilities, someone who needs their dog let out at lunch shouldn’t be hard to come by. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are 76,811,305 dogs in the United States, all of whom need to go for a walk several times a day. Keep in mind that some dogs don’t walk well on a leash or interact well with other animals or people. Always get to know an animal’s temperament before introducing them to a new situation, and be sure to follow local regulations regarding pet waste pick-up.
Pet Photography
Pet photography is another creative, pet-related field. Because photography is such a competitive industry, partly because of the wide availability of high-quality cameras in smartphones, you will need something to set you apart from everyone else. A cutting edge digital camera, a gift for creating the perfect lighting, or even the ability to get an animal to look at the camera can all help you stand out from the crowd.
Even if you aren’t the one taking the photographs, there still might be a photography niche out there for you to take the portrait of your pet. If you know how to use photo editing software, editing pet photos could be the perfect business idea for you. You might be editing so that an animal’s eyeshine in the camera flash is less apparent, or you might be manipulating a photo so it looks like Fido is deep-sea diving or walking on the moon. Whatever the case, people will pay handsomely for quality photos of their pets. Even better, photography and photo editing skills are transferable. If there’s a slow season for pet photography, you can photograph or edit photos of other subjects too.
Pet Grooming
Many dogs and some cats have high-maintenance grooming needs. Others enjoy a day at the spa or live in a climate where intensive grooming is necessary for their comfort. Still other unfortunate animals, usually dogs, get sprayed by a skunk and smell so bad that they need professional help getting back to normal. If you have the proper brushes, clippers, scissors, and an area for bathing the pets in question, you could start a pet grooming business from almost any location.
No matter where you are in your career or what skills you have, there’s a business idea out there that will let you work with pets and succeed professionally. All you need to do is find the best option for you and get started.
Groomer grooming dog -DepositPhotos
