Looking for a low-cost, longterm business model that’s essentially recession proof? No matter if it’s good times or hard, people continue to increase spending to improve the quality of life for pets. According to this report from NBC News, Americans spent more than $60 billion on their pets in 2015 alone. That’s an increase of 25% in annual spend from just 5 years before.
This investment is being made in a variety of areas of a pets life, including better food, clothing and apparel, medical treatment, obedience classes and regular grooming like haircuts and baths.
While spend across all types of pets continues to increase as part of this mega-trend, dogs continue to be the most popular for families. The Association for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates an average size dog will cost more than $1,700 in the first year to provide care. The cost increases as pets continue to age and have more healthcare needs.
Combining Business with Passion
If you have a passion for working with animals and improving their overall wellbeing, starting a mobile dog or pet grooming trailer could be the right option for you. These mobile units are sometimes called pet salons as they provide everything a four legged friend needs to a hair cut, refreshing bath, and dry.
This business model by providing a variety of pet grooming services like cuts, baths, de-shedding services, and other extra add-ons. These services are provided to the pet on-site at either the families home or an office. Many pet owners prefer these grooming services to come to them both out of convenience for themselves and comfort of the animal. While dogs are by far the most popular recipient of these services, domestic cats also need grooming and pampering from time to time so the market opportunity in any area is large.
Operating this grooming service as a mobile business provides numerous benefits to not just the customer, but you as the prospective business owner as well. If you were to start a grooming business in a retail location, you would need to invest thousands of dollars monthly to lease the location. With a mobile unit like a trailer or van, the entire investment can be fully-paid off in 1 – 2 years by many business owners. After you own the trailer outright, you can retain the additional profits for yourself or use the cashflow to grow the business even further.
Your future pet salon customers.
Grooming Trailer Equipment List
Here is a list of equipment that we often find in a pet salons trailer or van. Your specific equipment list may vary depending on your personal needs and plans for the business.
Stainless Steel Pet Grooming Wash Tub – A large 62″ tub with ramp is ideal if you plan to serve larger canines.
Hot / Cold Water – By offering warm / cold water to your guests you are able to provide a higher level of service. Waste water tanks are also recommended for installation in a grooming unit.
Stainless Steel Cabinets – Store products like soap, shampoo, conditioner, clippers, towels, nail and pad care items, deshedding tools and grooming mitts.
Pet Dryer – Some groomers prefer to hand dry pets, while others prefer to use a pet dryer and have this piece of equipment installed on inside their unit.
One of the advantages to getting started in this industry is that there’s a lot of training available. There are dog grooming schools located across the country and even home study courses that can give you the skills you need to provide expert pet care. Best of all, these courses are very affordable, usually requiring less a total investment under $2,000.
If you would like to get involved in the mobile pet service industry, give us a call at 904-397-0246 or contact us by email to discuss your goals and get a free quote. We manufacture custom-built pet grooming trailer to fit your exact needs in Florida that can be shipped across the United States and around the world.
