The Benefits of Starting a Pet Kennel Business
Pet kennels offer an essential service. When owners are unable to watch their pets for an extended period, they may drop off their pets at a pet kennel. A pet kennel is a commercial business that boards and cares for owners’ pets. Owners can drop off their pets before traveling out of town, and they can pick up their pets upon returning. Starting a kennel business, in fact, offers several attractive benefits.
Boarding Is the 4th-Highest Expense Among Dog and Cat Owners
Owners aren’t afraid to spend money on boarding services. One survey found that boarding is the fourth-highest expense among dog and cat owners. Dog owners collectively spend $228 billion on boarding services each year, whereas cat owners spend $78 billion on boarding services. That’s more than treats, toys, supplements and even grooming services. By starting your own pet kennel business, you can tap into this market.
Play With Pets
You’ll have the opportunity to play with pets on a daily basis when running a pet kennel business. When owners drop off their pets, they’ll probably want you to play with them. Pets, particularly dogs, are social creatures that crave human interaction. Human interaction eases stress while making dogs feel more comfortable in an otherwise strange and unfamiliar environment. To help dogs acclimate to your pet kennel business, you can play with them. Taking them on walks, playing fetch or simply petting them will typically lower their stress levels so that they feel more relaxed.
Easy to Get Started
Starting a pet kennel business is easier than you may realize. You don’t need a degree or any other formal education. In most states, you just need a license to start a pet kennel business. Most states require pet kennel businesses to have a license. In Georgia, for example, you’ll need to obtain a license from the state’s Department of Agriculture. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has an Animal Protection Section that regulates licensure for pet kennel and other pet-related businesses.
Licensing fees typically vary depending on the maximum capacity of a pet kennel business. Pet kennel businesses that can accommodate more pets will have to pay more for a license than those that accommodate fewer pets. In Georgia, the license fee is only $100 for pet kennel businesses with a maximum capacity of 20 pets. The license fee is $400, on the other hand, for those with a maximum capacity of 80 or more pets. Regardless, you don’t need a degree or any other formation education to get started.
High Level of Customer Loyalty
You can expect a high level of custom loyalty when running a pet kennel business. Assuming you properly care for owners’ pets, they’ll likely continue to use your pet boarding kennel in the future. Pet owners don’t want to jump from one kennel business to another. Rather, most of them will stick with the same kennel business.
Of course, you’ll still need to market your pet kennel business so that owners know about it. While customer loyalty levels are high in the pet kennel industry, marketing is still necessary. A comprehensive marketing strategy will spread the word about your pet kennel business so that owners choose it. And after attracting owners, many of these owners will continue to use your pet kennel business.
Cross-Selling Opportunities
Starting a pet kennel business will create cross-selling opportunities. You can still sell boarding services. Boarding services are the main source of revenue for pet boarding businesses. Whether an owner needs you to board their pet for a single night or several weeks, you can charge the owner a boarding fee. However, you can offer other products and services to pet owners.
Cross-selling is the promotion of products or services that you think pet owners may be also interested in purchasing. You can partner with a professional groomer, for example, to offer grooming services. While their pets are boarded, some owners may purchase a grooming service. The professional groomer can visit your pet kennel business to groom these pets. You can also cross-sell branded toys and apparel. Branded toys and apparel are particularly useful because they serve as marketing assets. Whether it’s a chew toy or a dog shirt, the branded product will help owners remember your pet kennel business’s name.
Plenty of Room for Expansion
There’s plenty of room for expansion in the pet kennel industry. After solidifying a foothold in your current region, you can expand your pet kennel business into new regions. You don’t have to limit your business to a single facility. Rather, you can open multiple kennel facilities, each of which in a different region.
Expansion requires a financial investment. Assuming your first kennel facility is a success, though, you’ll likely have the necessary funds for expansion. And by doing so, you’ll be able to target pet owners in new regions while simultaneously capitalizing on their high level of customer loyalty.
