The New Trend of Pet Sitting

If you are looking for a way to subsidize your income as you look for your next job, one area you might want to consider is pet sitting.

The New York Times reported that, “Pet-sitting services have flourished as the number of household pets, and the amount of money that Americans spend on them, continue to grow. This source went on to report that, “There are pet-sitting franchises, like Fetch! Pet Care, but many pet sitters are individuals or couples operating on their own. The charge for a single visit to a pet ranges from $10 to $22, depending on the location, and $45 or more for overnight care.

Pet Sitters International, a trade association, said one-third of its 8,000 members made $40,000 a year or more caring for pets in the pets’ homes.” Not a bad income if you are between careers. Make no mistake about it . This type of income earning activity could lead to a full time business. This is exactly how many businesses are started. The idea of earning a little extra income suddenly blossoms in a full time effort.

The advantage to running your own part time pet sitting business includes flexibility of work hours, little or no office politics, and unlimited earning potential. Another distinct advantage is you can work right from your own home. Since most times you would visit the pet at the home of the owners, you don’t need to rent a building or an office space. All you need is a spare bedroom with a desk and a telephone and you are in business. The New York Times also reported that, “Nearly two-thirds of American households have a pet, and last year they spent an estimated $47.7 billion on them, an increase from $17 billion in 1994, according to a survey conducted in 2009 and 2010 by the American Pet Products Association, in Greenwich, Conneticut.”

By engaging in your own part time pet sitting service, you can get a taste of being self employed, and this could give you the opportunity to decide if you want to go into it full time or just keep it part time. It is an amazing phenomenon how Americans are looking at their pets today. Two-adult households tend to view pets almost as if they were children when it comes to providing care, attention and activities. They talk baby talk to them, worry about them and splurge on them. So when it comes to finding a dependable and trustworthy pet sitter, they are willing to spend the extra money for the peace of mind they get when they are away from them. Pet sitting may not be your cup of tea for full time employment, but it can certainly serve as source of steady income to help tide you and your family over, until a “real job” comes along.

Tom Borg is president of Tom Borg Consulting, LLC. He is a business consultant, speaker, coach and author. Please see more of his blogs at constructionjobforceblog.com and view additional job postings at Nexxt.