Businesses for Boomers: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking
October 30, 2008 by Jean Murray
Over at Home Biz Notes, Mary Emma Allen talks about a business Baby Boomers might enjoy having: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking. If you are an animal lover like me, this would be a great idea for a business. I agree with the the comment, though, that walking dogs in Iowa in the winter might not be a lot of fun, but you never know.
Here are some considerations for starting a pet sitting/dog walking business:
You can set up this type of business simply, as a sole proprietorship. Then all you need to do is get a business license and a business checking account, and you can start advertising and taking clients. You don’t need to be a corporation to avoid liability, but you might consider setting up as a limited liability company (LLC).
You don’t need a lot of money to start this business, which you can work from your home. Your biggest expenses will be (1) gas and auto expenses, and (2) advertising, both of which are deductible. You probably don’t need a bank loan, if you can afford to print out your advertising flyers or brochures yourself.
Advertising and marketing are local. Determine what area you want to serve, draw a circle around it on a map, and consider how you will reach these people to let them know of your service. You might want to put up a flyer at your local grocery store, or go to the veterinarians in the area and ask if you can put brochures in their waiting room.
If you’re really serious about this new business (and you should be), consider becoming an “accredited” pet sitter. Go to the website of Pet Sitters International and learn more about being accredited. This accreditation will give you more credibility with your clients and you will learn about the responsibilities of this new business. (They also offer business liability insurance for pet sitter businesses.)
One question that might have crossed your mind relates to liability insurance, in case one of your clients files a liability claim against you. You might want to consider joining the Pet Sitters Associates, LLC, which offers what looks like business liability insurance coverage for a reasonable amount.
One more Pet Sitter organization to look in to: the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. They also offer bonding and liability insurance, as well as networking opportunities with other business owners.
Figuring out what to charge is difficult – not so little that you don’t get a reasonable return for your time, but not so much as to turn people off. Check the three organizations above to see if they have suggestions, and search out other pet sitters in your area.
The biggest drawback (other than walking dogs in the winter in Iowa) will be, of course, the clients. You will be working with some great people and some not-so-great ones. Same with the pets. Some you will love, some not. But you’ll probably have to keep working with them, to pay the bills. But this is true in any service business.
If you decide to get into pet-sitting, let me know. I would be happy to help you with questions and give you marketing/advertising ideas.
Image source: PicApp
Do I need to have a business license to start Pet Sitting.
Gail, that would be something to check out with your town or state. Each area has different rules and regulations for businesses.
If you brought pets to your home, you’d probably be more restricted, depending on the zoning in your area…or the rules in your condo or housing comples. If you go to someone else’s home to care for their pet, you wouldn’t have to be concerned about regulations in your area. And they wouldn’t be conducting a business from their home. You would simply be stopping by to give a service.
Whether you need business licensing in your county or state will depend on the rules there for small businesses.