14 Business Ideas For Pet Lovers In 2024

Updated: July 15th, 2024

Are you a pet lover and also interested in starting a business?

Maybe create and sell dog treats, or accessories (leashes, bowls), or maybe even build an app?

The pet industry is currently valued at $99B

Here are some ideas (with examples) of businesses in the pet industry.

Here they are:

1. Start a pet store

Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.

You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.

The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 238 days (?)

How I Started A 6-Figures Business Selling A Dog Accessory

Mechanical engineer and avid bike rider Mike Leon turned his hobby of creating a safe bike-to-leash attachment for his service dog into a 6-figure business, shipping from hundreds to thousands of 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow Leashes per year to dog owners, military and law enforcement, and search and rescue teams.

Read by 14,353 founders

2. Start a dog treat business

Dog treats are a cornerstone of the dog food market. If you enjoy baking and love dogs, you can combine these passions to create healthy, natural, and tasty treats for your furry friends.

As a dog treat entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to make delicious canine confections that are both good for dogs and enjoyable to eat.

Focus on ensuring your products meet the nutritional requirements and will be safe for their consumption, and consider introducing specialty services like custom birthday cakes and holiday gift boxes to provide an inviting niche.

Leverage online and local markets to transform homemade dog treats into a thriving and rewarding enterprise.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How This Couple Started A Healthy Dog Treat Business

Toronto-based Treats Happen saw a gap in the market for healthy dog treats, and now makes roughly $15K per month. Their biggest lesson? As a brand, they don't just sell on their website but want to be available on as many profitable channels as possible.

Read by 15,478 founders

3. Create an online course

An online course business involves creating and selling digital classes teaching specialized skills or knowledge to subscribed students.

As an entrepreneurial course creator, you identify educational gaps around topics you have expertise in and develop engaging video lessons and supplementary materials.

With flexibility around self-paced or cohort-based structures, building a student base provides passive income potential.

For founders who enjoy information-sharing, launching an online course platform presents a lucrative way to monetize your instructional talents with small startup costs by serving eager lifelong learners seeking convenient access to emerging subjects.

How much you can make: $275 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)

How long does it take to build: 88 days (?)

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4. Start a mobile veterinary service

A mobile veterinary service is just what it sounds like, your pet receives veterinary care in a car. A mobile unit is much cheaper than building a clinic.

As the number of pet owners is growing, there is also an increase in the number of pets that require check-ups and emergency services. If you are looking for a relatively low investment way to start a business, then starting a mobile veterinary service might be the right business for you.

How much you can make: $580,000/month

How We Started A Mobile Veterinary Service Serving Our Community

A mobile veterinarian built her business HousePaws on a community-based marketing approach, which helped her take the team from just herself to over 100 employees and more than 7 million dollars in revenue in less than 10 years.

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5. Start a pet store

Pet stores are retail businesses that sell animals and pet supplies. They are a leading industry category with sales of approximately $4.5B U.S dollars and positive sales growth of 2.7%.

You can set up a pet store in many places, like supermarkets, malls, or pet supply stores.

The first thing to do is to find a location for your store. A good place would be an area with many residential buildings, schools, and colleges as this will give you access to many customers. It would help if you also looked for a location near public transport as it will make it easier for people to come and visit your store.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 238 days (?)

How I Started A 6-Figures Business Selling A Dog Accessory

Mechanical engineer and avid bike rider Mike Leon turned his hobby of creating a safe bike-to-leash attachment for his service dog into a 6-figure business, shipping from hundreds to thousands of 1-Running-Dog Bike Tow Leashes per year to dog owners, military and law enforcement, and search and rescue teams.

Read by 14,353 founders

6. Start a dog walking business

Are you a dog lover? If so, you can turn your passion for animals into a profitable side hustle that allows you to earn extra income for your mortgage, a vacation, or paying off student loans.

As a dog walker, sitter, or boarder, you can earn an average annual income of between $10,000 and $30,000 by offering your services to dog owners in need of a caregiver for their furry friends.

To get started, register on a credible dog-walking app and create a compelling profile that showcases your experience, skills, and love for dogs.

With your dedication and expertise, you can help dog owners ensure their pets receive the care and attention they need while building a thriving business that fulfills your passion for animals.

How much you can make: $15,000 — $54,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $1,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 2 hours/week

How I Started A $54K/Month Pet Sitting And Dog Walking Business

Furry Fellas Pet Service LLC is a successful pet sitting and dog walking business that brings in over half a million dollars in sales per year, boasts 3,500-4,000 social media followers, employs 42 individuals and has been voted in the top 3 pet sitting/dog walking companies in the RI/MA area for eight years in a row.

Read by 20,745 founders

7. Start a cat treats brand

Got a knack for pampering pets? Starting a cat treats brand could be your next big move. At its core, this business involves creating and selling tasty, nutritious snacks tailored specifically for feline companions.

The market for pet products is continuously growing, and cat owners are always on the lookout for something new and healthy for their pets. By tapping into this niche, you can provide a range of treats that not only taste great but also contribute to cats’ overall well-being.

This business will require some groundwork, including researching recipes, sourcing quality ingredients, and adhering to pet food regulations. With dedication, you’ll create a product that stands out. Starting small with local markets or online platforms gives you the flexibility to scale as demand grows.

Taking the plunge into the pet industry offers a rewarding opportunity to combine passion and profit, with the added satisfaction of making pets and their owners happy.

How much you can make: $30,000/month

How I Built A Successful Company Selling Cat Treats Online

Cat Sushi went from repackaging tuna flakes to creating a unique pet treat brand by leveraging their connections to the pet industry and focusing on a beautiful design that set them apart from their competition.

Read by 13,099 founders

8. Start a digital agency

A digital agency’s task is to make a business reach its advertising, marketing, or technology-related goals. Anyone with enough knowledge and passion for digital marketing can start and run a profitable digital marketing agency. With the proper skill set, the right tools, and the right mindset, you can start a successful digital agency.

The global digital agency market reached a value of nearly $305B in 2020. The future growth prospects of the digital agency market are projected to be high due to the rising population of people consuming and creating content through digital channels.

How much you can make: $100 — $3,699,632/month

How much does it cost to start: $2,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)

How We Started A $100K/Month Company That Provides Transcription Services

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9. Start a CBD business

Cannabidiol, abbreviated as CBD, is becoming a household name, and its proponents believe this is for good reasons. Reports indicate that CBD treats several conditions, including chronic pain, inflammation, migraines, epilepsy, autoimmune diseases, and anxiety.

Market trend researchers indicate the CBD market will grow by a CAGR of 21.7 % over the next few years. Rising awareness of cannabidiol’s health benefits and its effectiveness in managing pain are some factors propelling the CBD industry’s growth.

Therefore, starting a CBD business in 2024 could be the best decision you are yet to agree to. Some high-potential CBD business ideas and opportunities include:

  • Become a CBD distributor.
  • Form CBD cooperatives.
  • Run a CBD podcast.
  • CBD marketer.
  • CBD blogger and reviewer.
  • Make and sell CBD bottles and containers.
  • Start a CBD subscription box service.
  • Start a CBD courier business.

How much you can make: $3,000 — $300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

How Two College Roommates Started An Online CBD Business

Plain Jane, an online CBD company founded by two college roommates, offers unique products and has generated over $20K a month in sales within five months, attracting and retaining customers through social media, authentic stories, and content.

Read by 17,982 founders

10. Start a dog treat business

Dog treats are a cornerstone of the dog food market. If you enjoy baking and love dogs, you can combine these passions to create healthy, natural, and tasty treats for your furry friends.

As a dog treat entrepreneur, you have the opportunity to make delicious canine confections that are both good for dogs and enjoyable to eat.

Focus on ensuring your products meet the nutritional requirements and will be safe for their consumption, and consider introducing specialty services like custom birthday cakes and holiday gift boxes to provide an inviting niche.

Leverage online and local markets to transform homemade dog treats into a thriving and rewarding enterprise.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,833,333/month

How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)

How This Couple Started A Healthy Dog Treat Business

Toronto-based Treats Happen saw a gap in the market for healthy dog treats, and now makes roughly $15K per month. Their biggest lesson? As a brand, they don't just sell on their website but want to be available on as many profitable channels as possible.

Read by 15,478 founders

11. Start a youtube channel

For anyone looking to start a successful YouTube channel, there are plenty of YouTube channel success stories that can be used as inspiration and encouragement. In addition, YouTube has an established monetization system and boasts incredible popularity, making it a potential platform for revenue generation.

In this article, we'll look at different approaches you can use to help promote your channel and grow your viewers. While there's no quick and easy way to success, you can take these tips to build your own YouTube Channel Success story. If you love content creation, you can capitalize on YouTube's popularity to earn extra income.

If you want to join the Youtube partner program to monetize your channel, you will need to reach a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.

How much you can make: $800 — $1,000,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $750 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How This Couple Makes $5K/Month Generating Content About Ways To Make Money Online

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12. Build an iPhone app

The iPhone is the most popular mobile device in the world. It has changed how we interact with information, entertainment, and communication.

The iPhone has also changed the way we interact with each other. Since its release in 2007, it has become a staple in most people’s lives. It is more than just a phone; it is a tool for staying connected to friends and family and creating new connections.

The iPhone app market is an ever-changing landscape of innovation: it’s not just about making something that works well; it’s about creating something that stands out from the crowd.

It would help if you had something that appeals to your audience to succeed in this market. This can be as simple as ensuring your app has a catchy name or as complex as developing an entire brand identity around your app’s functionality.

How much you can make: $150 — $2,000,000/month

How long does it take to build: 190 days (?)

Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week

How I Created A $60K/Month App That Collects In-Person Payments Through Stripe

Payment.co, an app built on top of the Stripe payment gateway for creating card-present charges, has grown to process over $70M in volume annually since launching in 2015, with the app collecting a 1% service fee on every single charge.

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13. Start a data analysis service

A data analysis service is a great way to help businesses make sense of their data. This type of service can be used to provide insights into customer behavior, improve marketing campaigns, or simply help businesses make better decisions.

If you're interested in starting up a data analysis service, You will need knowledge in data analysis and the ability to communicate effectively with clients so they can benefit from what insights have been found by analyzing their information properly - this way it's not just about making money but also helping others!

iTechArt is a leading custom software development company that helps both startups and enterprises streamline their analytics process. They also generated revenue of $209 billion in 2019, while creating more than a million jobs over the past three years.

Starting a data analysis service is a perfect business idea for those with analytical skills and a desire to help businesses to make better use of their data. This business is in high demand and can be very profitable, with data analysts earning high salaries.

How much you can make: $20 — $250,000/month

How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)

How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)

I Built $1.54M/Year Tool That Finds The Best Investment Properties [From UK]

Founder of PropertyData creates a subscription website for UK property investors and developers that is now making $128,000 per month in recurring revenue.

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14. Start a pet accessories business

With the increasing number of pet owners globally, the pet accessories market is booming. Pet accessories include items that promote the health and wellness of pets and improve pet handling. Examples of pet accessories include pet treats, toys, collars and tags, leashes, pet beds, food and water bowls, poo bags, clothing, costumes, etc.

To start a pet accessories business, market research and focus on the highly demanded pet products.

How much you can make: $400 — $1,300,000/month

How long does it take to build: 268 days (?)

How I Started A Blog To Promote Pet Adoptions In India

Dog with Blog, a content-driven pet adoption network in India led by founder Abhishek Joshi, has successfully driven 900+ dog adoptions using social media and content marketing, and has an active community of 116k fans across its social handles.

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meet the author
Pat Walls

I'm Pat Walls and I created Starter Story - a website dedicated to helping people start businesses. We interview entrepreneurs from around the world about how they started and grew their businesses.