Pet Boarding- Know Before You Buy These Pet Franchises

 

If you are considering pet franchises, then you may think that a pet boarding business is perfect, especially since the pet industry is booming. The idea of playing with animals all day long seems like a dream come true. There are many additional services these companies tend to offer which can help to bring in extra income. However, this does not mean that it will automatically make money. Here are a few of the things you should  think about with these pet franchises.

 

The Difference Between Pet Boarding and Doggie Daycare

One of the biggest misconceptions in the pet industry is that pet boarding and doggie daycare are the same thing. Doggie daycare is intended to watch the pet during the day while the pet parents are at work, much like day care facilities care for children. At the end of the day, the pet parent picks up the dog. Pet boarding on the other hand is designed for long term stays, such as when people go on vacation. This could be one night, a week or even longer.

 

What This Means to Owners of These Pet Franchises

There are many differences between pet boarding and other pet franchises right off the bat. For instance, there is a significant amount of equipment needed for pet boarding, which increases the amount of the startup fees. It also increases the maintenance costs as you will either have to maintain the equipment or replace it regularly. While the average amount of money spent per customer is significantly higher than with other franchise opportunities, the costs and the amount of competition can make it difficult to see a good return on investment with these pet franchises.

 

The High Cost of Ownership

With pet boarding the costs are significantly higher than other pet businesses. You will need to have more staff to cover a greater amount of the day. The staff you hire will need to be more specialized, such as trainers or those with training experience to work with the dogs in your care. You will also have to be on call all the time in case there is an overnight issue with the pets in your kennels. You will also need to keep additional insurance and, depending on where the pet franchises are located, licenses to protect you as well as your customers.

 

Final Verdict on Pet Boarding

One of the biggest competitors in this industry is veterinarians. Most offer pet boarding in their facility and the majority of pet parents prefer to have their vet board their pets because they feel safer. This creates an added layer of difficulty to pet boarding as a viable pet franchise. This does not mean that it cannot be successful, just that it does not have the same chance to be successful as something like Splash and Dash pet store franchises.