Business ideasPets
Start a pet sitting business.
Every holiday, owners need someone they trust with their pets. You look after them. Your team takes the bookings and finds the owners.
- Where
- Owners’ homes near you
- Sells
- To pet owners nearby
- Busiest
- Christmas, Easter and the summer holidays
- You do
- Visit, feed, walk and stay
- Your team
- Website, bookings, posts, reviews, email
Why it works
More homes have pets than ever: about 15.5 million dogs now live in UK homes, up from 12.5 million in 2021, with the biggest rise among people in their twenties and thirties. Every one of them needs care when their owners travel.
What you need to start
- Insurance for pet care
- A first-aid kit for animals
- A meet-and-greet before every booking
- A safe way to hold keys
- A notes sheet for each pet
- A phone for daily photo updates
Some councils license home boarding. Check yours if pets stay in your home.
Who does what
You
- Meet each owner and pet
- Do the visits and stays
- Send a photo every day
- Decide in your Review
Your team
- Name, logo and look
- The website and bookings
- Posts and reviews
- Emails and reminders
A sample launch plan
- Day 1You send one line about your pet sitting.
- Week 1You pick a name and a look from three.
- Week 2Bookings open for the Christmas holidays.
- Week 4Your first Review: what sold, and what to try next.
Things to watch
Holidays fill fast.Open Christmas dates early and keep a waiting list.
Keys and alarms.Label keys with a code, never an address, and note every alarm code.
Your one line could be
Change it to your own words. That is all your team needs to begin.