Pet Care

What is the business? Pet Carers is a franchise business that provides local communities with various services in Pet Care and welfare. Services include dog walking, home boarding for dogs and house visits for cats and small animals.

Investment required: Total investment of £9,880. SPECIAL OFFER - up until the end of May 2008 you can buy a Pet Carers franchise for £5,380!

Earning Potential: From £20k per annum.

Is there training/support for franchisees? Yes, Pet Carers (Franchise) Ltd will provide detailed and carefully structured training for all aspects of the business such as animal handling, promotion and running your own business. Support will always be available to Franchisees thereafter.

Best suited to: Animal lovers who are used to dealing with or have owned their own pets. Each Franchise can be tailored to suit the needs and lifestyle of each Franchisee such as part time or full time. You can choose to simply offer a dog walking service or cat/small pet visits or dog boarding - or two of the services or all three - the choice is yours.

For more information: Please contact Susan Pitcher 08458 735826 or email her - franchise@petcarers.co.uk. You can find out more about the company here - www.petcarers.co.uk

Name: Lindsay

Location: Tewksbury, Glos

Family: Yes - one daughter aged 7

How often do you work?
Full time, everyday

How does the job fit around your family life?
My daughter is at school during 8:50 - 3:15pm, I find most people want their dogs walked during 11am and 2pm, these are the core hours due to people wanting the day broken up for their dogs. I find that small animal and puppy visits can fit around school times with ease too.

How much roughly did the franchise cost you?
I paid the promotional price that is being sold for currently which is £5380.

What did that investment buy?
I got a lot for my money, I got four days intensive training which covered the financial and business side of the franchise such as how to work through your accounts and use the Pet Carers database and how to promote successful;, hands on practical training as well as theory, dog walking with a professional handler/trainer covering animal and dog handling with some dog psychology, behaviour and clicker training giving me sound basic knowledge on how a dog thinks. It also covered a complete explanation of their self written manual with support and first aid. The cost also included corporate clothing, stationery, a brand new fully kitted, sign written vehicle and on top of all of that I get 24/7 support from a professional friendly team. Caroline and Sue are always on hand for help and advice which makes buying a franchise all the more worth while. Plus, I am my own boss!

Do you get support/training?
Yes, as much or as little I feel I need.

Are there on-going costs?
Yes, the obvious such as vehicle running costs, further stationery and promotional material needs just as you get with any business or franchise but I have yet to purchase those as I am still using my initial supply. There are no hidden costs.

How much do you earn?
I have been trading for just 2 months and so far I am bringing in a average of £1200 per month and I know it will increase as I grow. I am getting lots of interest and many calls for new business so it is going really well.

Do you advertise?
Yes, where ever I can such as local shops and the post office, local advertising magazines and the yellow pages.

What is the best thing about Pet Carers for you?
Being outdoors and working with animals which have always been my dream. Also, being able to fit the job around my family and not have to worry about childcare during holidays as my daughter loves to come with me. I can still earn over weekends with visits and boarding, maybe even walks if I want to. I'm not tied to office hours and I'm in control of my own business, I love being my own boss.

Are there any downsides to the job?
Frizzy hair on a rainy day. Seriously, the only downside would be not be not wearing glamorous clothes to the office clothes but sometimes I like that.

Would you recommend this franchise opportunity to other Mums?
Most definitely, 100%. I wish I done it sooner.