How to Start a Pet and House Sitting Business

Like Pets? This Profession is for You!

A Pet/House Sitting Service can be a very profitable business. According to www.petplace.com, Americans own approximately 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 148 fish, and 16 million birds. Considering that many of these families plan vacations and weekend getaways, there is a great need for pet caretakers. Many pet owners leave their dogs and cats at kennels, but (for the most part) most animals would prefer to be at home. That's what pet sitters are for! If you are thinking of starting a pet-sitting service, the following steps might help you launch this fun, but sometimes hectic business.

1. Decide if a Pet-Sitting Career is for You

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you truly enjoy working with animals?
Do you have experience with pets?
Are you willing to work holidays, weekends, and odd hours?
Are you motivated?
Do you understand this is not a "get rich quick" business?
Do you have reliable transportation?
Do you have some extra money to invest in the business?

If you answered "yes" to all of the questions, the a pet-sitting business might be for you! It is a necessity that you have experience, and enjoy being around animals. As with launching any business, you must be very motivated. You also need to have some extra money to pay for advertising, insurance and more.

You might also visit a pet-sitting forum such as http://www.thepetsitters.org/forum/ and http://www.forum.pet-sitters.biz/ to help get an idea of what pet-sitting is all about.

2. Contact Your Local SBA

The next step is to call your local small business administration (visit http://www.sba.gov/) for advice on getting the business off the ground. They will help you plan your business, get necessary licenses, market it and more. You can attend classes/workshops or receive one-on-one business counseling. Another site to try is www.asbdc-us.org.

3. Decide on a Business Name

Now it's time to name your "baby". Try to come up with a cute and eye-catching name. It could be something like "Purrfect Pet Sitting" or "Tender Touch Pet Sitting", etc.

4. Join Professional Organizations