Things You'll Need
- Liability insurance
- Bonding coverage
- Rake
- Rubber boots
- Gloves
- Trash bags
Instructions
Conduct online research of pet cleanup businesses in your area to get an idea of what to charge. You may charge anywhere from $7 to $20 per dog per visit, depending on your locale. Initial visits are always the priciest---usually about five times what you would charge for a normal visit. The initial visit will also be your longest appointment. Once the initial cleaning is completed, weekly revisits will go much quicker. Once you've got a rhythm, you may be able to do up to seven yards per hour. Offer discounts for customers who purchase your services in advance for more than two months.
Purchase some trash bags, gloves, a rake, rubber boots and a dust pan for your waste-removal business.
Contact your health department and inquire if you are subject to any regulations for cleaning up and removing pet waste. Some pet cleanup companies simply throw the waste in the customer's garbage; others dispose of it at a landfill. This first option will save you time and gas.
Visit an online signage company to create professional signs for your yard and car that advertise your pet cleanup business.
Register your business. You'll need to do this in order to purchase liability insurance, which protects you in the event that you damage your customer's property. Also purchase bonding coverage to reassure your client that you intend to finish the job.
Advertise your pet cleanup business. Design or purchase fliers and place them at pet stores, dog-washing businesses, dog bakeries, dog parks and veterinarians. Approach dog owners at dog parks and hand them your business card. Leave business cards or fliers on bulletin boards at condominiums and apartment buildings. Inform members of your church or coworkers at your current job about your new business. Submit your business to online directories.