Great Jobs for Pet Lovers
Great Jobs for Pet Lovers
Pet Sitter
Pet owners travel but can’t always take their pets with them, so there’s always a need for someone who can replace them temporarily at home. You can offer home and pet services, including: walking or exercising the pets; feeding them; cleaning up after them; administering medication; and light household duties.
Certification is available through the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, which recommends that you also get pet sitting insurance and bonding. Rates vary depending on how many services are needed, how many services you can provide and how many pets (and kinds of pets) are in the home. Some sitters do it all year round and earn over $30,000 a year.
Dog Walker
Here’s a job that’s also a great workout. Dog walkers can go for about 6 to 8 hours A DAY. If you’re stuck at work all day, it’s a good investment so your pooch can exercise and socialize. Some dog walkers offer obedience training, too.
The average dog walker can earn $40,000 – $60,000 a year according to DogTec, a leading consultant to dog-related businesses that also offers dog walker certification programs. Hourly rates can vary depending on whether the dog is walked alone or in a pack.
Pet Groomer
Groomers bathe, shear, comb and manicure your pet – and it is big business. Some operate out of their own homes, some are boutiques and some are on-the-go mobile units. The National Dog Groomers Association of America estimates that it could cost between $50,000 and $150,000 to set up your own business.
Regular grooming sessions can cost (on the low end) about $25 per hour. If you can also offer more upscale or specialized services (let’s say nail painting, for example), and you can handle about 50 to 60 dogs a week, your annual income could skyrocket to close to $100,000.
Pooper Scooper
First, did you even know there’s an Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (aka, APAWS)? And that they hold an annual industry conference? Well, yes, there is one, and yes, they do.
According to APAWS, there are an estimated 800 professional pooper scoopers in the United States and many earn up to $100,000 per year. Enough said.
Pet Masseuse
It may sound funny, but pet massage isn’t a luxury! Veterinarians sometimes refer pet owners to pet masseuses in order to help managing pain stemming from aging, injuries, surgery or disease.
You need proper training, insurance and familiarity with state regulations if you want to do this in the United States, according to the International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork, which represents “animal bodyworkers.” Hourly rates are akin to rates for massages for humans – anywhere from $25 to $150 per hour. Full-time pet masseuses can earn up to $60,000 a year.
Sources:
NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38171680/ns/business-careers/t/great-jobs-pet-lovers/
National Association of Professional Pet Sitters: http://www.petsitters.org/
Dog Tec Dog Walking Academy: http://dogtec.org/dogwalkingacademy.php
National Dog Groomers Association of America: http://www.nationaldoggroomers.com/
Association of Animal Waste Specialists: http://www.apaws.org/
International Association of Animal Massage and Bodywork: http://www.iaamb.org/
Image Credit: http://favoritedogwalkers.com/
July 11, 2013 – Animal Land Pet Movers – Blog – Arianna Licet Ariza
