Photo courtesy of Pet Inn Store

These days more families than ever before have pets, and with world-wide travel also on the rise, it is only natural that there would be a rising need for pet transportation. It is easy to tell that if you are someone who both loves travel and animals a pet transport company could be an excellent industry for you to get involved in. The following will provide you with all the basic information you need in order to start your own pet transportation business and become pet movers.

Naturally the first thing you will have to take into consideration when getting involved in the pet transportation business is the money that will be required. This will largely be dependent on how large you would like your company to be. To start out small, you will only need some basic equipment and a vehicle large enough to carry the pets around in. On the other hand, a company of a larger scale would require up to $500,000 in start-up fees. In most cases it is better to start out small and build your business from the ground up. It is easier to find financiers and loans for smaller amounts of money and there is less risk involved if your company fails.

Next there is the important topic of just how much you should charge for your service. Although it can be tempting to charge small fees to undercut the competition, this does not usually work. If you are too cheap, people will just see you as being untrustworthy. In most cases you will simply want to find out what the other companies are charging and match them. This pricing can fluctuate though so be sure to keep up with how the market is performing. Smaller, local pet transport companies are currently charging in between $20 and $40 for the first 20 miles and then about $10 for each additional mile. If you will be traveling long distance you might want to charge a little more.

In order to get your business off the ground, a good advertising campaign is mandatory where you offer pet friendly travel. The basic approach is to find out what your target market is and then find ways to reach them. For a local business, you might be best off by contacting local pet stores and asking them if you can leave behind some business cards or brochures; smaller businesses love to help each other out, especially when they are in similar industries. If you are going to advertise in magazines, make sure they are pet oriented.

In conclusion, you probably won’t see massive profits in the pet transportation industry, but you do stand the chance to make a decent income while doing what you enjoy. When you add in the benefit you will gain of being your own boss, you really have nothing to lose.