How to Make a Career Out of Caring for Animals

Who says that you can’t turn your passions into a profitable pet-related business? Your love for animals can be a great start to a beautiful and rewarding career.

The pet industry is slowly but surely gaining momentum and owning a pet-related business can be a great opportunity for you. When it comes to choosing what kind of business you want to start, various options are still in their infancy, waiting for someone with great ideas.

If caring for animals is something you feel passionate about and love doing, then why not make a career out of it? Check out all the possible businesses and you may find something you like.

Pet sitters/walkers

We’ve all at some point in our lives done some sort of sitting – babysitting, house sitting, etc. But what about pet sitting? Have you ever considered taking care of someone’s pet for them?

Pet sitting is an actual profession and if you love taking care of animals, it can be a perfect profession for you. As the name itself suggests, pet sitting implies you taking care of your client’s pet while they are away. Your job as a pet sitter is to walk, feed, play, and take care of the pet you’ve been entrusted with.

Similarly, pet walking requires you to take your charges for a walk in their usual walking time. Usually, it’s the dogs that require walking, but as of recently walking a cat on the leash is becoming very popular. For example, you can walk one dog or a group of them, depending on the number of charges you have.

Both of these professions are still very young and new, but there is a niche for these kinds of jobs for sure. The need for professional pet sitters and walkers is slowly rising and you can certainly make a successful career of it.

However, it’s not a secret that taking care of pets or walking them isn’t without problems. Some animals are real trouble-makers and accidents happen. To protect yourself and your business, look into pet business insurance.

Pet grooming

Pet grooming, especially dog grooming, is one of the most popular careers for animal lovers. It’s a career that involves constant interaction with animals and if you’re one of those people who love spending time with animals, this career is ideal for you.

Additionally, it’s a flexible career when it comes to working schedules, which is a plus. As a groomer your responsibilities include bathing dogs or other pets, removing and cutting matted hair, drying the coat, trimming nails, cleaning teeth and ears, and so on. Imagine a beauty salon, but for pets.

If your goal is to own a pet grooming business you should know that to get more clients you should have a valid pet business insurance policy. To your clients, their pets are very important as they are practically parts of their family – this is exactly why it’s crucial to have any sort of insurance in case something goes wrong.

Dog trainer

Being a dog trainer is a truly rewarding job. Your love for dogs and people skills can serve you well in this type of business. Training a dog requires not only instructing canines but training their owners how to live and interact with them too.

Many people really want to have a dog without knowing how to deal with or interact with it. Many times due to these problems, dogs end up in shelters or on the street.

As a dog trainer, your responsibility is to approach both the dogs and their owners with patience and understanding and in that way help them identify any behavioral problems, help owners train their dog, and simply create a nice and welcoming environment in their home.

If you think you can handle this kind of job, and if feel like you can meet all the requirements of this job–then go for it! Become a professional dog trainer and offer your services.

Pet-related business in retail

The pet retail industry is strong and economically resilient so it’s no wonder that it a popular business opportunity. Different kinds of animals need different kinds of supplies and equipment and you know how people love shopping for everything in one place.

You can open a pet supply shop and even combine it with grooming or pet-sitting services. You could be selling all kinds of pet supplies while having a pet spa.

Apart from doing the sales, you could also be advising costumers so you’d need at least a bit of knowledge on nutrition, behavior, and the overall health of pets in order to create a successful pet-related business.

If you enjoy interacting with costumers and love all kinds of animals, this type of business may just be the one for you.

Conclusion

You know how that saying goes: “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.“ If you love caring for animals then make a career out of it. Yes, it’s true that for some of these businesses you’ll need more than just the love for animals, but if you truly care about them and if you want to make a successful business out of it, nothing will stop you! Keep in mind that these were merely some of the possible pet-related business, there are many more to choose from.