Start Your Pet-Sitting Business

Book excerpt: Americans love their pets. More than a quarter of all American households have dogs or cats. And then there are parrots and parrotfish, guinea pigs and pot-bellied pigs, iguanas and anacondas. If you love animals, you can start a profitable business caring for pets when their owners go on vacation. A pet-sitting business is easy to start and inexpensive to run. You can board pets in your home, visit pets in their homes, manage a staff of pet-sitters or even combine pet-sitting and house-sitting for greater profit. Plus, you can offer add-on services like grooming and walking. Learn everything you need to know to be a success, including: * Tips on animal feeding, grooming and exercise * Medical care information and resources * Insurance, regulatory and legal liability issues * What toys and supplies you need to make your job easier * Startup basics like writing a business plan and managing your finances If you love animals, don't delay. Learn how to turn your passion into profit.