Last Updated on April 29, 2024 by Dogster Team
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Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.
Pet daycare and dog boarding services enable pet owners to spend time away from the home while ensuring that their pets get a good level of care. Day services are typically used by owners going out to work, while boarding services are used when families go on vacation, although they can also be used by owners during hospital stays and for other purposes.
The services are most often used by cat and dog owners but several businesses and individuals also offer similar services for other pet species, from small animals like mice and hamsters to exotic pets like lizards and snakes. During the pandemic and Covid lockdowns, when more people were at home and weren’t able to travel, these services were negatively impacted, but the return to work has seen business pick up. Many pet sitters now expect a substantial increase in business as a result of more pets having been acquired during Covid and a greater rate of owners returning to work.
(AVMA)
330 million people in the US own a total of 80 million pet dogs, which means approximately one dog for every four people. The country’s canine population lives in 50 million households, so the average dog-owning household has 1.6 dogs.
(AVMA)
Although not quite as popular as dogs, cats are still the second most popular pet, and owners are more likely to own multiple cats. 60 million pet cats live in just over 30 million households, which means that the average cat household has nearly 2 cats.
(AVMA)
As well as cats and dogs, there are approximately 1 million other pets in US homes. This includes small animals like hamsters and mice, which are usually kept in cages or enclosures. Birds, including those kept in indoor cages and outdoor aviaries, and fish, both in outdoor ponds and indoor tanks, make up a large number.
Exotic pets include lizards and snakes, and the popularity of these types of animals is growing. Owners of exotic animals may need to look for daycare and boarding facilities that specialize in these types of animals.
(Allied Market Research)
The global pet boarding market is worth an estimated $20 billion a year, and this is expected to grow by more than 6% annually to reach $36 per annum by 2031. The US has the largest market share in the industry, and Germany is the European market with the biggest expenditure.
Market growth is expected as disposable income increases and as owners continue to treat their pets more like members of the family.
(Future Market Insights)
Pet daycare, which is dominated by doggy daycare, represents a significant portion of the pet boarding and care market. It is typically used by owners who go out to work and don’t want to leave their pets all day. Options for owners include having a friend or family come and walk their dog, paying a professional dog walker, or taking their pup to daycare.
While more companies do allow dogs in the office, this is still a rarity, which means that doggy daycare facilities will remain popular.
(Grand View Research)
Pet sitters operate during the day, and in the evenings, and some offer overnight services. During the COVID pandemic, travel was prohibited, which meant vacations were not an option. The majority of people were forced to work from home, which meant they weren’t out of the house during the day.
Even in cases where people did leave the house, pet-sitting services were not considered key services, which meant that pet sitters and the businesses that employed them suffered a considerable decline in income. Approximately 85% of pet sitters said that they saw more than a 50% decrease in business during the period.
(Yelp)
Doggy daycare tends to offer either half or full-day services. Costs vary according to the length of stay but also the area and the quality and facilities offered. Some daycare locations offer additional services like grooming and even training, and these services do add to the total cost. On average, owners can expect to pay $35 per day for daycare services.
(Home Guide)
Dog boarding means that the dog stays at the boarding facility for a minimum of one overnight stay. These services are used when people go on vacation or when they need to be away from the house for longer than a day. Boarding costs an average of $40 per night, with lower nightly prices offered for longer stays and during quieter times.
(Grand View Research)
Considering all daycare, boarding, and pet-sitting facilities, there are more than 20,000 total locations. This figure includes some houses where the petsitter offers to take in pets, but it does not include dog walkers and pet sitters that only work at the client’s address.
(Zippia)
Pet sitters may offer their services from their own homes but also those that visit the client’s home. Services range from a quick half-hour visit to let a dog out in the yard or to ensure that the food and water bowls are full and that the pet is healthy and safe. While some pet sitters may only have one or two clients, others can have dozens of regular clients a week.
There are approximately 35,000 pet sitters across the country.
(PetMD)
Boarding kennels can house anywhere from a handful of dogs and cats to several dozen. Their services and individual facilities can also be similarly varied. Some may provide internal and external space for each animal. Some may take dogs out for regular walks.
Regardless of their boarding services and the type of accommodation they offer, there are 9,000 boarding kennels in the US and Canada.
(Grand View Research)
There are different types of pet sitting services from individual pet sitters that visit a property and offer half-hour visits to full boarding services. Daycare accounts for 40% of the total petcare industry, showing that owners typically need help daily. While people work regularly throughout the week, they vacation less often.
(Global Pet Industry)
Daycare is popular with pet owners in the US and can include dog walking services. According to one survey, 27% of pet owners used daycare services within 12 months, while 22% said that they had used a dog walking service at least once during that time.
(Pet Sit)
Unsurprisingly, cats and dogs are the animals that most petcare services care for. Approximately 95% of businesses said that they could accommodate these animals, compared to 75% that care for small animals (rabbits, hamsters, etc…).
73% offer services to bird owners and 70% care for fish. Just 59% of such businesses offer their services to exotic animals and their owners.
(Future Market Insights)
Pet daycare services suffered during 2020 and 2021, but are bouncing back as people are returning to work. As more people bought pets during the pandemic, there is a lot of opportunity for growth in the pet daycare market and experts forecast that the market will grow by 8% per annum over the next decade.
(Pet Sit)
The forecast is good for pet sitters, and most professional pet sitters are expecting a bumper year. When questioned, more than three-quarters of pet sitters said they expect an increase in demand for their business in the next 12 months.
(HABRI)
However, surveys also suggest that the pandemic has strengthened the bond between pets and their owners. According to one survey, nearly two-thirds of owners said that they intend to spend more time with their pets after the pandemic than they did before.
Most doggy daycare services require that dogs over the age of 6 months should be neutered. If your dog is unneutered at this age, you may have to look around to find a suitable venue or consider having somebody visit your house and provide daycare services on your property.
Different pet sitters offer different services. While most doggy daycare facilities do not have the personnel to be able to take dogs to the vet, except in emergencies, a pet sitter who comes to your home may be able to offer this service. Do ensure that they have the appropriate insurance coverage, including public liability insurance.
In contrast, daycare facilities will usually administer prescribed medication and any supplements or other medications you want to give your pet. And pet sitters can visit your home at an allotted time to ensure that medication is given when required.
If you know friends or family in your area who use a specific dog walker and have enjoyed a positive experience, ask for details. Alternatively, ask your vet, check cards in pet shop windows, and search online.
Networking is an important part of running a dog-walking business. Your clients will let others know if you do a good job, and they will also spread the word if you do a poor job. Be professional, give out business cards, and try networking with local vets, pet shops, groomers, and other pet-related service businesses.
Pets are a major part of owners’ lives, so it is hardly surprising that the pet-sitting and boarding market is worth billions of dollars a year and expected to continue to rise over the next 10 years. Owners can benefit from one-off walks or have their pets boarded and cared for over several weeks. Additional services, such as grooming and training, may also be available in some cases.
Owners of exotic pets might have to look a little harder to find a sitter, but some people are willing and experienced in caring for all pet species.
Featured Image Credit: Ryan Brix, Shutterstock
Ollie is a zoologist turned freelance animal writer living in South Australia with his partner Alex and their mini zoo consisting of their eldest, a rescue dog named Pepper, many aquatic creatures, and their cat Steve. Ollie has a Master’s degree in wildlife biology but became a freelance animal writer in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. He loves sharing what he has learned with pet parents around the planet.
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