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Start a Lucrative Side Hustle in the Booming Pet Industry With These 5 Pet-Related Businesses Pair your love for animals with these franchise concepts to make extra money.

By Clarissa Buch Zilberman Edited by Carl Stoffers

Key Takeaways

  • The pet industry is booming, with significant spending on pets in the U.S., presenting lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in pet-related businesses.

For many pet lovers, turning their passion for animals into a profitable side hustle is a dream come true. It helps that the pet industry continues to flourish, with Americans spending over $136 billion on their pets in 2022, according to the American Pet Products Association.

If you're considering diving into the world of entrepreneurship with a side hustle, franchising in the pet industry could be a "paw-some" choice.

But with every business-related decision, make sure to do your due diligence in franchise research and reflect on what may be the best possible business opportunity for you. To get started, here are five pet-related franchises to consider, ideal for combining your entrepreneurial initiative with your love for animals.

Related: This Founder Launched a Kickboxing Gym Staffed by All Women During The Pandemic — Now It's Been Acquired by Mayweather Boxing

1. DoodyCalls

We don't always think about the stinky side of pet ownership—but believe it or not: it's a side in which you can use your entrepreneurial spirit. DoodyCalls is a mobile pet-waste management company that offers a low overhead, passive income opportunity that can be managed at any time of the day.

This allows franchisees to cater to a wide range of clients, providing a much-needed solution for pet owners who love their dogs but dislike or are not able to clean up after them. Aided by Authority Brands, DoodyCalls has the resources needed to own a business, including training to not only prepare franchise owners but also support franchise owners year-round.

2. Aussie Pet Mobile

If you have a knack for making pets look their best and you want to be an entrepreneur on the go, then a mobile pet grooming franchise like Aussie Pet Mobile may be the perfect fit.

Aussie Pet Mobile prides itself on providing flexible, quality and expert grooming care services to their clients—and as a franchisee you will be joining the largest brand in mobile pet grooming. Franchisees are equipped with a protected territory, ample training and support, the grooming van and all you need to scale your business.

Related: 10 Tips to Go From Employee to Boss, From Franchisees Who Did It

3. Zoom Room

Trying to stay away from costly boarding or doggy day care facilities? Then Zoom Room could be a good fit. Zoom Room is an elite indoor dog training franchise that focuses on expert training, socialization and selective pet product sales.

What sets Zoom Room apart as a franchise, however, is its focus on low startup and ongoing overhead costs, making it ideal as a side hustle.

Zoom Room requires a smaller facility footprint than other pet-related franchises, and since owners accompany their dogs at all times (at the end of the day, you are training people, not just dogs), there may be less liability associated with your venture.

4. Pet Supplies Plus

You may not initially associate a pet supplies store with being a side hustle. In fact, pet supplies stores will probably involve a heavier initial investment than a mobile grooming business would. But once you get a Pet Supplies Plus franchise off the ground, you will reap the benefits as if it were a side hustle. Combine your passion for animals with a full service supply store with proprietary products, a streamlined shopping experience and a grooming facility to build out your franchising aspirations. Pet Supplies Plus is a proven, award-winning brand that wants to set its franchisees up for success from the get-go.

5. Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming

Are you a foodie and an animal lover? You can combine those two passions with a Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming franchise. At Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, a simple pet grooming experience is transformed with a large selection of treatments accompanied by high-end tasty treats.

Woof Gange Bakery & Grooming will set you up for success with local and national marketing support, pre-opening support (like creating a business plan) and on-the-job training.

Related: Find Out Which Brands Have Ranked on the Franchise 500 for Longest, Earning a Spot In our New 'Hall of Fame'
Clarissa Buch Zilberman

Entrepreneur Staff

Freelance Writer, Editor & Content Marketing Consultant

Clarissa Buch Zilberman is a writer and editor based in Miami. Specializing in lifestyle, business, and travel, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Realtor.com, Travel + Leisure, and Bon Appétit, among other print and digital titles. Through her content marketing consultancy, By Clarissa, she leverages her extensive editorial background and unique industry insights to support enterprise organizations and global creative agencies with their B2B, B2C, and B2E content initiatives. 

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