While the idea of a pet sitting business may some odd to many, it is actually a very lucrative industry. The home-based & commercial pet sitting industries are literally exploding in popularity in the U.S. and abroad.

Currently, pet sitting businesses are one of the easiest, less riskiest & most profitable businesses to start as there are no substantial costs to look after pets. Over 40 million U.S. households own at least one dog, and Americans spend over $34 Billion a year caring for their animals. In addition, over 47 Million U.S. households own more than one pet.

The statistics and market trends speak for themselves. The fact is owning a home-based or commercial pet sitting service can generate anywhere from several thousand to several hundred thousand dollars in additional income, regardless of which region or country you reside in.

There is a fast-growing trend, not only in the U.S., but Canada, and other countries to find a loving, caring pet sitting service in their area, and in most cases, price isn’t much of a factor. Many surveys have been conducted, and pet owners are choosing independent pet sitting services over the mainstream kennel.

Think about it? Why would a pet owner drop their little companion off at a kennel where they are caged for most of the day, while they are off at work or on vacation. A pet that is not cared for equally as it is accustomed to, whether it be for a day or several days can impose a damaging psychological effect.

For about the same price, more or less, a pet owner can look to Magazines, Newspapers, Direct Mailings or the Yellow Pages where they can bring their pet to a loving, caring place such as a home pet sitting service. Not a jail cell.

As a pet sitting business owner, referrals will come gradually in a concerted manner. The most difficult part during the start-up phase of this kind of business is finding the first five to ten clients. After that, the client referral snowball will begin as your clients will refer others to your business and pretty soon, you’ll need to hired help to take care of all of the pets.

Please keep in mind, that there are numerous types of services you can provide, such as visiting the owners home to take pets for walks when they are absent, or by keeping a watchful eye over the pet owners home by not only caring for their animals but also watering their plants, maintaining their aquarium, performing security checks, or mowing their lawn. In addition, you can arrange for doggie-day-care outings and arrange for dogs to play in the parks. You can also provide taxi services to the veterinary appointments and grooming visits, and also deliver pet food to homes & other places.

Before the first year is out, a home based business could pull $100k USD income, while a commercial pet sitting service at a public location can generate up to $500k USD and more.

You are ultimately the one that determines how much money you’ll make in the business as you’ll be the one that attracts clients.

If you take an active approach, you will soon learn that owning and operating a pet sitting business can be extremely profitable.

If you are a little apprehensive about diving into this kind of business because you don’t know how to attract new clientele, do not worry. Start-Up costs for this business is minimal to non-existent using various forms of advertising, including:

1.) Listing your Business in the Yellow Pages, 2.) Distributing Flyers in the mail or door-to-door at places of businesses or residential areas, 3.) Community T.V. Bulletin Boards, 4.) and Web Sites which you can develop for FREE plus many others.

From Internet Advertising, to Radio & T.V. Pay-Per-Lead Programs, to Direct & Co-Operative Coupon Mailings, we can honestly say that it will be easy to find new clients as demand is high.

As far as hard costs go, there really is none, except Pet Food and maybe a few special leashes.

As a pet sitting business owner, you will need to learn the business inside and out, including day to day operations, marketing techniques, the skills you need to know for short and long term success, avoiding costly mistakes, zoning issues “for commercial businesses“, essential resources, etc.

If you’ve been looking to start your own business, and be your own boss, with a minimal risk and virtually no startup costs, with a potential to earn six-figures a year doing what you love, then a pet sitting business may be just for you.