If animals happen to be a passion of yours and you would love to start your own business, consider combining both ideas into a new pet business. During the pandemic, many people have either lost their jobs, had their hours cut, or are otherwise struggling to bring in a livable wage.

Luckily, pet businesses are still booming. This is especially true during the pandemic as many people took on more pets to help the hours go by faster. With so many people owning pets, often multiple ones, a pet business is sure to be a success!

If you would like to start your own pet business during the pandemic and share your love for pets and provide them a pampered life, read on for a few very profitable ideas from the dog experts of The Pampered Pup.

Tank or Cage Designer

Dogs and cats are not the only pets that people own. Many pet owners would rather have an exotic animal to take care of, such as a gecko lizard, bearded dragon, or a snake. Others enjoy smaller animals, such as guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, or birds. However, it’s often a more difficult process to keep small or exotic animals, especially when it comes to their living situations. If you have the knowledge, consider becoming a tank or cage designer. Not only will this help your customers tremendously, but it is also a business idea that doesn’t have a lot of competition. Your customers can hire you to design the right tank environment for their cold-blooded reptile or create a fun playground for their little fuzzy friend.

Pet Transportation    

Pet transportation involves transporting a customer’s pet to and from one location. For example, someone who is in the process of moving from one state to another may not have the room to bring their animals, especially when they own large or multiple dogs. It can also be a stressful time for pet owners who need to move their pets along with the rest of their belongings. That is where your business comes in handy. You must be licensed with the USDA before beginning your business, and you will need a large vehicle to transport some of the larger animals. It’s the perfect business idea during the pandemic as many people are having to move for new jobs or better housing and have trouble bringing their pets along. Your business can also take pets to and from the airport for customers who need help with travel.

Yard Cleaner

There is one aspect of dog ownership that no one enjoys- picking up after them. You can rest assured that you’ll do well when you advertise your yard cleaning services to dog owners that have yards that constantly need to be cleaned. This is a great business to start because it requires minimum start-up costs. You’ll need a quality waste scooper, environmentally-friendly waste bags, and a place to get rid of the waste once you are done. Other than that, you’ll simply need to start advertising your services to the right people. You’ll be surprised to find out just how many dog owners are ready and willing to pay someone else to do their dirty work.

Virtual Trainer

We’re all stuck at home during the pandemic, so why not use the time to start your own virtual training channel on YouTube or TikTok? If you have the skills needed to train any type of animal, put them to use by starting your own channel online. This allows pet owners the opportunity to learn what they need by watching your videos from the comfort of their own homes. Once you build up an audience, you may even decide to offer other services, such as custom dog treats or apparel. Your loyal viewers will be happy to buy your merchandise, and you’ll have the opportunity to bring in more of an income.

Pet Portrait Designer

Are you great at art? Do you enjoy drawing or painting for hours at a time? Now is the time to use your talents to create pet portraits for everyone who is using their downtime to care for their pets. You’ll find a lot of pet owners willing to shell out cash for a custom portrait of their beloved pet. You can offer various sizes and designs to appeal to everyone. Best of all, no one has to leave their home during the pandemic for your business to work. Make sure to advertise around the holidays as pet portraits make amazing gifts for pet lovers.

Home Boarding Service

Many pet owners aren’t thrilled with leaving their pets with a commercial boarding facility when they leave for pleasure or business. They may feel much more comfortable leaving their pets with someone who can care for them 24/7 in their homes. You can start your own home boarding service and offer your home for pet owners who need boarding services for days or weeks at a time. Remember, you don’t have to advertise only to dog and cat owners. Expand by offering to take care of fish, guinea pigs, ferrets, lizards, and other small animals. You can also offer to come to the home of your customer every day if they are not comfortable moving their pets to your home.

If you are really dedicated, considering combing multiple pet businesses into one. For example, you may be able to pet sit a neighbor’s dog while painting a portrait for an online customer while keeping up your virtual training videos. With around 85 million pet owners living in the United States, you are sure to have more customers than you can handle.