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Pet Sitting business is booming internationally. In the United States
alone there are upwards of 63.2 million individuals who own a pet, or
two. Reports tell us that in America there are roughly 64 million dogs
and 76 million cats in households. These numbers support why the Pet
Sitting Business is on an upward swing. It is fast becoming one of the
best small business ventures that an individual can undertake. The Pet
Sitting business has been ear marked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor as a
small business industry that will thrive with the coming years, with
Pet Sitting services located throughout the states.
Pet owners world wide are breathing a sigh of relief that they
have this option for their pet when they travel. In the past when an
individual would travel for business, or a family would vacation, they
would rely on grandparents or relatives to see to the needs of their
pets. This is no longer an option for many people. Family’s don’t
always remain in the same community. Statistics show that it is common
for parents and siblings to live hundreds of miles apart. Once the
family option for pet sitting evaporated, people turned to their
neighbors. This was soon found to be a bad option for both the
neighbor and pet owner. Neighbors felt used, and the traveller felt as
if they were putting the neighbor out by asking the favor.
Some
individuals tried to travel with their pets. They assumed that it
would be best for their pet to not be separated from them. These good
intentioned pet owners soon realized the folly of their ideals when
they discovered that drinking water in some areas weren’t up to par,
leash laws were different in each area, and the chances of finding a
lost pet in a strange area were minimal. Extended car travel is not
good for a pet, either. Animals can quickly become dehydrated and
agitated when left in a locked car while the family is inside a
restaurant, or mall. The chances that a pet could possibly get hit by
an automobile rise every time a pet is taken into a public area, such
as parking lots or the city. Pets do not like being kept in a crate in
a hotel. They do not like being muzzled for barking or for snipping at
strangers. Pets just generally do not like being away from home.
Air travel is not pleasant for a pet, either. The cargo holds
on airplanes have erratic temperatures. There is no heat, and there is
no air conditioning. The sounds in these cargo areas also frighten
animals and make them skittish and nervous. Some pets even require
medication prior to flight. Taking your pet on a plane should only be
considered under extreme circumstances.
Pet owners soon
realized that while they were comforted by the presence of their pet on
a trip, the pet was out of its comfort zone and did not behave like its
usual self. The route of kenneling a pet was soon taken and though it
saved the day in a tight pinch, pet owners tended to know from the
start that this was not a good option for their pet. Their pets were
kept in small quarters. They were only allowed out a couple of times a
day for a few minutes to do their business. Being crowded in an area
with other barking and whining animals would leave a pet out of sorts
for days after their owner came home.
Options
were limited for a traveling pet owner. Some people gave up and simply
refused to have an animal if they were going to have to be away all the
time. That was until the Pet Sitting business made its arrival into
the small business industry.
True animal lovers were the first
to recognize the need for the Petting Sitting business. They were the
ones who took it the hardest when they were forced to see what their
pets went through when they were forced to travel with their owners, or
how they behaved after being picked up from a kennel after a week or
more away from home. Truthfully, these individuals could not enjoy
their trips for worry. These were individuals who hung a stocking for
their pet at Christmas, and made them a birthday cake on the pets
special day each year. These people saw the need and they stepped out
on a limb. They started a Pet Sitting service. Word spread like
wildfire and pet owners world wide started seeking these services in
their own area.
The
rapid growth and success of a Pet Sitting business come when the
business owner realizes that it is a business. A love for animals is
the foundation, but smart business sense is what will keep you
operating. There is only a minimal amount of cost in starting up a Pet
Sitting service. That is a major plus for anyone thinking seriously
about going into this animal care business. A budget should be laid
out to meet the costs of the outgoing business. Do not ever under
estimate these expenses. It is better to over estimate than to cut
yourself short. Set goals for six months, one year, three years and
five years. Try to stick to your plan to achieve these goals.
You
should research other Pet Sitting services in your area. Find out what
their strengths and their weaknesses may be. Learn what the going rate
for Pet Sitting is in your area. Be competitive in your rates. Just
because you may be doing what you love is no reason to do it for
pennies. On the other hand, no one is going to pay your Pet Sitting
business a small fortune, either.
You
have to be a people person. The reason you get into the Pet Sitting
business may stem from being an animal lover, but if you are not warm
and friendly with people you can forget about your Pet Sitting business
getting off the ground. Pet owners are particular about whom they let
care for their pets. If they sense that you are uncomfortable around
them, they will be wary of you. Try to develop your people skills if
you lack self-confidence in that area. You don’t want your shyness to
keep you from doing what you love. You don’t want to come off as a
phoney, but maintaining eye contact and being able to carry a
conversation with the pet owner without looking at your shoes will go a
long way.
You
should go out to the home and get acquainted with each pet and design a
list of duties that the client is wanting you to perform while they are
gone. The pet owner will familiarize you as to the habits, character
and personality of each pet. You should know what they like to play
with and what special nicknames they have. You should also ask the pet
owner for clues about their pet, or signs you should watch for in case
of illness. Some dogs may lay around and sleep all day. Others may not
settle for a moment. You should know what to expect from each pet in
the home. If they are not doing their usual activities that should
throw up a red flag to you. You should make sure that the client gives
you all the information on the pets in the home. You will need history
of illnesses, vaccination records, veterinary information, as well as a
place to contact the pet owner if needed. It is important that you are
given a key by the client and that you are not expected to retrieve it
from a hiding place. A possible thief could be watching the home and
may see you getting it and replacing it. That is a disaster waiting to
happen.
Besides walking the dog, feeding the bird, tending to the
cat, and playing with the pets, a client sometimes will want a Pet
Sitting service to do other things. The Pet Sitting business can offer
many services for the traveler, besides pet care. The first one being
home security. You can pick up the mail, newspaper, water the potted
plants, and do a thorough walk through of the home to make sure that
everything is as it should be for your client. Simply opening the
curtains on one visit and closing them on the next will give the home a
lived in look. These services are in addition to pet sitting. The
possibilities are endless as to what a Pet Sitting service can offer
the client.
The
Pet Sitting business is booming. Everyone is happy. The small business
owner gets to do what he loves for a living . . . being around
animals. The traveler can enjoy their trip knowing that all is well on
the home front. The pets get to stay in their own home, around their
own things, eating their own food, and they get to go out and play like
they usually would on their regular routine.
Copyright © 2005, Ian White, pet-sitters.biz |
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