pawpaw Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 I was wondering if any of you own a grooming business or a pet setting business because i wanted to get an idea of how many types of permits etc are needed. i know all cities are different but i just wanted a general idea. my mother and i are going to try and open a pet sitting service we are writting out the long long to do list and seeing just where we stand. so please give me your imput! Thanks so much ~pawpaw~ :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Kat Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Hi there I petsit, but I wouldn't call it a business. Here no legislation is needed in Northern Ireland so sorry I can't assist you as I'm imagining you are in the usa. Good luck! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_Cassie Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 I don't own a small business of my own, but, I do work at a dog grooming and boarding facility...both are small business owned and operated out of the person's houses. These are just a few things I have heard them mention. In Canada first you have to find out if your neighborhood is zoned for small business...at least here where I live you have to take it to city counsil and document a letter for their review...they then request you send a letter to all your neighbors and get their permission...of course some times most areas are zoned for hair stylist, crafts, pottery etc. but, when it comes to keeping animals at least where I live you have to get permission first. I would strongly advise you take a few animal care courses and first aid for dogs...you will also have to have the premises inspected to insure they are correct for keeping pets...they usually will inspect your establishment every once in awhile...at least in my area they do. I would talk with other boarding facilities in your area to find out what they had to go through...are you planning on having day care or over night stays as well? I just want to advise you also...when you open a boarding facility in your own home...get a seperate phone line for your business...you wouldn't beleive the strange hours people will call...we have had a few calls at 3:00am to cancel a booking! :o (we checked the time of the call...we didn't actually take the call :lol: ) your time is never your own any more...the dogs have to be attended to morning and evening 7 days a week if you have a boarding facility..a doggy day care would not be like that. I am currently taking care of the boarding facility while my boss is away...all I do is worry about the dogs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsefeathers! Posted November 9, 2003 Share Posted November 9, 2003 I own a grooming studio and work out of two locations, primarily a vet clinic where I lease space and I do a little grooming for select clients in my home. As pointed out, a lot depends on where you are located. Requirements can vary widely from location to location. I am in Georgia, US, and a kennel permit is required by the GA Dept Of Agriculture as well as local business licensing. I agree with Cassie... classes on safety, handling and first aid, and continuing education (seminars, trade show, symposiums) are a must for ANYONE wanting to work with animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 I am a Pet Sitter in Massachusetts. There isn't as much involved as stated in the previous responses. Mainly because with pet sitting, you usually go to the clients home. You don't conduct business out of your own home, so you don't need to have a zoning permit, or get neighbors permission. Start up costs involved with pet sitting: Liability Insurance, Bonding (optional), Town license (to conduct biz in that town, usually about 25.00). Then you spend some time/money on advertising. When first starting out, making your own fliers is the cheapest, best way of generating business. Other expenses you might run into: Service Mark or TradeMarking your business name. Professional Membership (PSI, NAPPS, etc.) And possibly purchasing a contract agreement to use. The next step,once you start getting calls is the way you sell yourself. People aren't just going to let anybody into their home. You have to act like a professional. I personally use a "presentation book" to sell me and my services. It has articles, copies of any certificates I have, including a copy of my insurance/bonding. some pics of my own fur kids, etc. Anyway, if you decide to become a pet sitter, the best investment you can make is to by the book "Pet Sitting For Profit" by Patti Moran. It walks you through the stages of starting a pet sitting business. Hope I helped. Good luck. Candy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferky1 Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Check out the site below, petsitters.com. The content of the site itself isn't that great, but the forum (message board) is filled with people who dog walk and pet sit for a living. While the board isn't as active and doesn't have as many members as dogomania, those people know everything about pet sitting and will no doubt be able to answer any question you can come up with. [url]http://www.petsitters.com/[/url] [Edit - I just checked out the petsitters forum for the first time in a long time. They have changed the format to a more user-friendly (like dogomania) format, but it looks like a lot of great advice and old posts haven't yet made the move. Don't be discouraged by the lack of info. Those people are chock-full of good advice] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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