Make Money on Pets

The month of February I'll be offering a money-making tip every weekday. Here's the one for today:

Make money on various services for pet owners.

My kids are actually thinking about doing this one. We live in a neighborhood and there are TONS of opportunities to make money off of people who have pets. For instance:

• Walk a dog(s) for a flat rate per hour.

• Pick up dog poop from a yard.

• House sit a dog while owners are on vacation (this is where the "big money" is -- it's almost highway robbery what kennels charge to board animals). Lots of room for add-on sales here too if you keep the dog at your house.

• Learn pet grooming skills and travel door-to-door.

• Cat washing service. (Ha! Just joking.)

Anything else anyone can think of? Anyone doing something like this?

Comments

[Laura S.]

After kenneling our dog for our last vacation, I thought about dog sitting. The main reason I'm leery of doing this is that I would be afraid something would happen to the dog. What would be the financial responsibility if the dog got out and got lost or hit by a car? That goes for pet grooming also. What if you nicked the dog and it got infected? The only "safe" option is the picking up poop and I'd have to make A LOT of money to do that one.

[tg]

Not specifically related to services to provide, but I know a guy who breeds and sells Pomeranian puppies (little fuzzy & yappy rat-lookin dogs). The puppies are akc(?) registered, and have all their papers, 1st shots, etc.

I can't stand that type of dog, but apparently lots of other people like them - he usually doesn't have too much trouble selling all of the puppies, and it blows my mind how much people pay, and how far they are willing to travel to pick up one of the dogs.

I think he said depending on how many are born per litter, he can usually make between $3000 and $4000 (or more) per year (cash).

To me, its not worth dealing with the yappy dogs, though.

[Jane]

Laura S.,

If you don't like the kennel but don't want to go to kids because of the reasons you suggest. Check out your phone book for a local professional pet sitter. I use one because I travel for work a lot. She is a former Vet Tech and it is her personal business she calls herself a Pet Nanny. Her ads say licensed and insured (although I don't really know where you go to be insured as a pet nanny, I'm assuming general business insurance's)

It actually costs me less to have her come to my home 2X a day for my cats than it would be to board them and they don't have to leave home.

[thomas]

I actually wish someone would wash and brush our cat. I'd make back whatever I spent through the America's Funniest Videos winnings :)

[Christy]

I saw a story about a local boy (about 12yo) who created a dog toy out of fleece (he makes them by hand), and sells them (for $5), with a portion of profit ($1) going to an animal charity. Seems like he is good at promoting his product, his website shows 564 sold. Pet accessories can be a big seller.

[rdub98]

I tried a Cat Bathing service, but the hair kept sticking to my tongue.

[Christy]

Eeeww! lol!!

[Andy]

I heard of a guy, I think in NYC, who walked dogs and made six figures per year doing it. He would walk 8 dogs at a time and do it for 8 hours a day. He had people on waiting lists to hire him because he came so highly recommended. I guess he also did some kind of dog training in conjunction, at least enough to make them walk nice with 7 other dogs.

I'm not sure how many people the story went through before it got to me, so I may be unknowingly exaggerating. :)

[Hank]

You could always stud your dog if you had a pure bred.

[Expat Finance]

I don't think you should limit it to just dogs! I've pet sat dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, snakes, fish, lizards, and birds. It's obviously important to have experience, but if you know how to deal with any of these exotic pets and can advertise specifically for that on craigslist, you can get a ton more jobs.

[Rachel Q]

tg - Breeding dogs for money is a famously bad idea. I'm a veterinarian. All it takes is one emergency c-section to lose a whole lot of money very fast.