If you’re a typical animal lover, getting paid to be around animals might sound like a dream come true.
Well, start living the dream!
Yes, it is possible to make money with animals. There are several animal hobbies and pet-based businesses to make money from home with your favourite critters.
Here are 6 fun and easy side jobs that will put extra money in your pocket while you spend time with your furry friends.
Which of these ways to make money with animals would you try?
Dog walking
Wondering how to make money with dogs? You’re in luck – dog walking is probably the easiest and fastest way to make money hanging out with pets.
This is a great option for people who don’t work a typical 9-5 job, such as students or stay-at-home parents.
Lots of people are looking for someone to take their dog out for a hour while they’re stuck in an office all day. If your schedule allows you to get out in the middle of the day, you can help the owners out, get some exercise AND get paid for doggy playtime.
Everyone’s a winner!
You can easily find clients by starting locally. If you know any neighbours or friends with dogs, let them know what you’re offering. You could also advertise on a Facebook local page, put up a sign in a pet shop or vet’s office, or even hand out fliers.
If you don’t have any local contacts, you can try an online service like Rover to match up dog walkers with owners in need.
Of course, if you go through a website or agency, they’ll take a cut of your profits. But on the plus side, it’s more regulated. Since the work involves going to strangers’ houses, it can be safer to have a record online.
Pet sitting / boarding
If you enjoy walking dogs for money, why not take it one step further and have a pet to stay for a few days?
Lots of pet owners are looking for pet sitters or boarders. This could be for a few hours each day while they’re at work, an occasional overnight stay, or even a couple of weeks while the owners go on holiday.
Pet sitting is when you drop by the owner’s house to feed and play with the animal. Boarding is when the pet comes to stay with you.
If you want to do the latter, just make sure your house is pet friendly. And don’t forget to clear it with your landlord if necessary.
I’ve been kind of obsessed with the idea of dog boarding since I read about Francesca’s experience on From Pennies To Pounds! She uses a site called Tailster to find clients. You can set your own rates and bid on jobs through the site. Another great site to find pet sitting and dog boarding jobs is Rover.
Pet sitting is not just for dogs. You could get paid to look after cats, rabbits, reptiles and more. It’s also a great way to experience what it’s like having a pet, without any of the costs!
This could be one of the simplest businesses you can run from home for animal lovers, as it can slot neatly into your family life and you don’t need to invest in any equipment. Why not give it a go?
Sell stock photos
If you have an animal friend of your own at home – and if you’re handy with a camera – consider selling photos of your pet to a stock photo site.
Adorable animal photos are always in demand, especially if you can capture unusual or funny shots.
Stock photography sites like Shutterstock will pay you from 15%-50% every time somebody downloads your picture. If a picture of yours becomes popular, this could be a nice source of passive income.
Plus it gives you an extra reason to mess around with your favourite pets and take some fun snaps!
Offer grooming services
If you have a knack for cleaning and styling a mucky pup, why not consider opening a grooming business?
You don’t necessarily need a shop front for this. You could always offer mobile services, where you come to your client.
This is more of a serious business idea than the other side hustles on this list, so it will probably require some upfront investment in your tools and supplies. However, people will pay very good money for quality grooming services, so this could turn into a profitable business!
Please check if there are any regulations or licences that apply in the area where you live.
Turn your pet into a social media star
You’re not alone in your love of animals. Pretty much the whole world is obsessed!
Cute and funny animals pictures are one of the most popular types of content on any social media platform. If you want to make money off your dog or cat, how about starting an Instagram or YouTube channel for them?
All you need is an adorable animal, some photography equipment (an iPhone will do) and a little social media savvy.
Pet accounts can go viral very quickly. Once you have a few thousand followers, you can start to look for sponsors. Sponsored Instagram posts start at around $50 per post for smaller accounts, but they can pay up to several hundred dollars as your influence grows.
You can also monetize a social media account with affiliate marketing (where you recommend products and get paid a commission for sales) and by releasing your own branded products.
At the upper end of the scale, Nala the cat has 4.5 million Instagram followers and brings in an estimated $15,000 per sponsored post. Boo the Pomeranian has a publishing deal and a line of toys.
It might take a while to get to that point, but at least you get to have fun with your precious pet along the way!
Sell pet supplies
If you’re a pet owner yourself, you’ll know that people are willing to spend a LOT of money on the furry, feathered and scaly members of their family! You can cash in on this by finding a niche and a product to sell to pet lovers.
The best thing about this side hustle idea is that there are so many different options, and you can combine it with your other hobbies and skills.
For example, if you like cooking you could produce a range of homemade pet treats. If you’re good at woodwork you could build dog houses, small animal cages or toys. If you’re skilled at writing and research, you could produce some short ebooks or guides on different aspects of pet care.
You can sell your creations on Etsy, local craft fairs or on a community Facebook page. You could even sell animal-themed t-shirts and mugs on Amazon!
As an animal lover yourself, you know what makes owners tick, so choose a niche and come up with a product you’d be happy to use yourself.
Other ways to make money with animals
When I was putting together the ideas above, I wanted to include some of the easiest and fastest ways how to make money working with animals, as well as some slightly more outlandish ideas!
I’ve mainly focused on ways to make money with dogs and cats in this post, as these are the most popular pets.
But if you love all members of the animal kingdom, think big – there are endless ways to get paid working with pets!
If you’re a horse rider, you have options like horse grooming or teaching riding lessons. If you enjoy working with more unusual animals (and you have a big enough garden), why not keep chickens or bees to sell their eggs and honey?
And if you’re wondering how to make money helping animals, there are more traditional careers such as working in an animal shelter or veterinary surgery – although be aware that these jobs don’t typically pay very well.
Which other ways do you know to make money with animals?
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