10 Most Profitable Pet Side Hustle Ideas to Start in 2024
Pet lovers! There are so many profitable pet side hustle ideas you can start this year.
Today, we’ll talk about the top 10 side hustles in the pet industry, which are:
Pet writer
Pet photography
Dog walking
Pet sitting
Pet boarding
Pet clothing
Dog training
Pet blog or vlog
Pet content creator
Pet grooming
Want to learn more? Keep scrolling!
10 Best pet side hustle ideas
Over 50% of UK adults either have a side hustle or are looking to start one. And who could blame them! With the rising cost of living, a little extra in your back pocket can go a long way.
Plus you never know, your side hustle could become your main hustle.
Starting a pet side business is simpler than you might think.
Below, I’ve detailed each of the top side hustle ideas and how you can get started.
Remember, you can always transform these into full-time pet businesses if you’d like. But today, I’m focusing on these ideas as side income to supplement your day job.
Let’s do it!
I started my pet content writing business as a side hustle. Now I’m full time!
Pet writer
If you have a knack for writing and a bit of spare time, why not do what I do?
I’m a pet content writer for pet businesses who want to grow their brand with clickworthy blog content.
As a pet writer, I also write for global pet blogs about pet care, both from my own experience and well-researched data.
Even though this is now my full-time gig, it started as a side hustle!
I was actually a full-time wedding planner with my own successful destination wedding business in Portugal before the infamous “panini” hit in 2020. So I started pet content writing on the side for extra income.
Improving your writing for pet copywriting or content writing is simple with online resources. Note I said simple, not easy. You will have to work on your craft to create persuasive copy.
But if you enjoy writing and want a highly flexible and profitable pet side hustle, this could be a good fit for you.
Pros of starting a pet writing side hustle:
You can work on your own time
Improve your skills as a writer
Low upfront costs to get started
Cons of starting a pet writing side hustle:
First writing jobs tend to be low-paying
High competition unless you niche down
How to start:
Define what type of writing you want to do. Copywriting? Content writing? Editorial article writing?
Build a portfolio of work
Create easy-to-understand pet writing packages
Pet photography is one of the most creative and fun pet side hustles!
Pet photography
Photography is one of the most popular hobbies. It’s accessible, fun to learn, and relatively easy to market.
If you’re a skilled photographer, pet photography could be worth exploring.
Pet photographers take professional photos of pets for social media or printed displays.
You can focus on a specific type of pet (e.g. dog photographer) or broaden your horizons to snapping furry friends of all kinds.
Granted, this is not the easiest side hustle to start. You’ll need to invest in a quality camera and lighting to be able to capture pets well. It also takes practice and patience to work with animals who famously dislike sitting still.
But if you have the skills, photography can be a lucrative yet flexible pet side business.
Pros of starting a pet photography side hustle:
Easy to get referrals (if you’re good)
Not too competitive
Stretches your photography skills
Cons of starting a pet photography side hustle:
Requires equipment to get started
Learning curve to do pet photography well
How to start:
Build a portfolio photographing your own pets or pets of loved ones for free
Create an online presence
Define your prices
Dog walking is a fun side hustle that gets you moving!
Dog walking
A dog walker is someone who professionally walks dogs in their local neighbourhoods when their owners are unable to do so.
And it’s basically getting paid to exercise!
I’m joking… kind of.
But seriously, dog walking is a highly rewarding job that will make you a lot of canine friends.
It’s relatively easy to fit around your schedule and there are plenty of ways to get your name out there.
To be a good dog walker, I recommend doing some research on dog walking practices. Especially if you want to walk more than one dog at a time.
Even if you have your own dogs, brushing up on dog walking techniques will make your job way easier.
Pros of starting a dog walking side hustle:
Getting paid to exercise! (I was only half joking)
In high-demand in certain areas
Easy to fit around your work schedule
Cons of starting a dog walking side hustle:
Can be competitive
Requires a lot of clients to be profitable
How to start:
Learn about dog walking techniques
Join a dog walking or pet sitting platform
Research the average cost of dog walkers in your area to set your prices
Pet sitting with one of my favourite canine clients!
Pet sitting
Pet sitting is when you care for other people’s pets in their own homes. This could be for the day or overnight.
If you want to spend more time with pets in your spare time, pet sitting could be the perfect pet side hustle for you.
And I should know! I’ve been a pet sitter for 6 years on and off, but restarted my business in 2023. Within 30 days of joining my pet sitting platform of choice, Rover, I booked over £1,000 worth of pet sitting work.
So pet sitting can be one of the most profitable pet side hustles if you have the time to dedicate to it.
But that’s the thing: Time. Pet sitting can be more time-consuming than other side hustles on this list depending on the characters of the pets you look after.
I manage to work pet sitting around my writing work as I can work from my clients’ homes. That said, some pets are far more demanding or difficult.
If you build a regular client list of easygoing pets to care for, pet sitting is a fabulous side hustle that I recommend to any pet lover!
Pros of starting a pet sitting side hustle:
No upfront costs to get started
Simple to get regular clients
Can be high earning
Cons of starting a pet sitting side hustle:
Trickier to start if you have your own pets
Can be high competition in some areas
How to start:
Sign up to pet sitting platforms in your area
Get your first testimonials/references from friends and family
Create a pet sitting profile that attracts new clients
Pet boarding is similar to pet sitting, but often makes more money!
Pet boarding
Pet boarding is similar to pet sitting except for one key difference: with boarding, you care for pets in your home, not the client’s home.
This is a good alternative for pet owners who don’t want to put their pets into kennels. You can provide a safer, more homely environment for pets in your care.
Pet boarding is a highly lucrative side hustle that can be good fun if you want to be surrounded by pets.
I will caveat that pet boarding is much simpler when you don't have your own pets and you work from home.
That way, you can give the pets in your care undivided attention.
If you have your own pets, it’s vitally important that they are well socialised. Your pet clients must meet your pets at home to ensure that things will be harmonious.
Pros of starting a pet boarding side hustle:
Can be highly profitable
Unique service with little competition
Simple to get started
Cons of starting a pet boarding side hustle:
Can be taxing if you have some difficult pets
Trickier if you have your own pets
How to start:
Invest in extra tools pet boarders (e.g. extra beds, first aid kit, leashes, etc)
Join a pet sitting platform
Get your first testimonials
One of my pet sitting clients cosy in his jumper!
Pet clothing
A pet clothing or accessories venture is when you handmake clothing suitable for pets and sell it to others.
If you’re a keen needleworker and love crafting, this could be a decent side earner for you.
In fact, the global pet clothing market is expected to be worth $7bn by 2032. So now is a good time to show your creativity in this area.
The biggest drawback to starting a pet clothing side hustle is the upfront cost. You need to invest in fabric, thread, sewing machines and patterns to create your first designs.
My advice? Only start a pet clothing business if you really love it! The business can absolutely take off but you need patience and passion in the beginning to get things off the ground.
Pros of starting a pet clothing side hustle:
Can be highly profitable
Engages your creativity
Cons of starting a pet clothing side hustle:
Steep learning curve if you don’t know how to sew
High upfront cost
Time-consuming
How to start:
Make your first designs and photograph them with pet models
Create an online presence for your work
Consider teaming up with pet influencers to get your name out there
Dog training can be a highly profitable side hustle once you have the qualifications.
Dog training
Ever been labelled “the dog whisperer” in your circle? Maybe dog training is the path for you.
Dog trainers help people train their dogs and puppies to be model citizens of canine society.
To be a good dog trainer, you need supreme patience and empathy. Because you could face some of the most boisterous, aggressive, or otherwise troubled pooches in your local area.
As the trainer, your clients are looking to you to give them the tools to better manage their dogs’ behaviour. To do this, you need to be an expert in dog behaviour.
For some, this can look like taking a certification in dog training. For others, it could look like reading numerous books and researching the latest techniques in the training world.
If you’re willing to put in that kind of commitment, you can make a great side income training dogs on the weekends or running puppy classes.
Pros of starting a dog training side hustle:
In demand
Highly lucrative
Rewarding work
Cons of starting a dog training side hustle:
Requires a certification in some countries
Learning curve if you’re not already well-versed in dog behaviour
Can be taxing
How to start:
Expand your knowledge of dog behaviour
Research how to get certified as a dog trainer
Create an online presence
I write for Gentle Dog Trainers. It started as a side hustle and now employs other writers like me.
Pet blog or vlog
Isn’t this the same as being a pet content writer? Not quite.
A pet content writer writes blogs for other pet businesses to help with their visibility.
A pet blogger writes blogs for their own platform and monetizes with affiliate links.
Pet vloggers have a similar path except their medium is video.
Affiliate links are referral links to products you recommend to your audience. If your readers or watchers buy the product, you get a commission.
Your earnings ultimately depend on how much traffic you can accrue to your blog or vlog. Many bloggers earn over six figures.
Sophia Lee is an example of a blogger who made hundreds of thousands of dollars just by being consistent and diversifying her income streams. You can learn more in this video:
The drawback is that building a lucrative blog or vlog takes a long time.
Tip: If you want to start a pet blog this year, I recommend pairing it with a YouTube channel. This will help you get traction faster than building a blog alone.
Pros of starting a pet blogging side hustle:
Easy to fit around your schedule
Lots of opportunities to earn income from your blog or vlog
You can build a community of pet lovers!
Cons of starting a pet blogging side hustle:
Takes time to build an audience
Affiliate blogs are harder to build than ever before
How to start:
Think of a catchy pet blog name
Buy a domain
Create a website
Here is pet influencer Luna the Cockerpoo! Pet content creation can be fun and profitable.
Pet content creation
Want your pet to be famous? Pet Instagram accounts are some of the most highly followed and shared accounts on the internet.
As a pet content creator, you take videos and photos of your pet to share with a community of pet lovers.
You can then monetize your audience by teaming up with pet brands or embedding affiliate links into your content.
It can take time to build a large audience on social media, but here’s the thing:
You don’t actually need a large audience to make a decent side income.
You just need an engaged audience that loves your content. That’s possible with 1,000 followers or 100,000 followers.
Now the competition is fierce online so you’ll need to learn to take the best short-form videos and glossy photos to get eyes on your furbaby. But if you learn how to work the algorithm, your pet could be a superstar in the online community.
Pros of starting a pet content creator side hustle:
You can get started with the tools you have (e.g. your smartphone and your cute pet)
Very creative work
Quite easy to fit around your schedule
Cons of starting a pet content creator side hustle:
It takes time to build an engaged audience
Highly competitive
How to start:
Choose a platform to start creating content
Bulk create your first month of content
Use social media tools like Later to help you stay consistent
Pet grooming is one of the highest paying pet side hustles.
Pet grooming
Pet groomers clean and maintain animals to beautify their appearance.
You could specialise in one type of pet (e.g. dog grooming) or expand to other pets that need upkeep.
Pet grooming is a profitable side hustle because you can choose how often you take on clients. This flexibility ensures you can work around your day job.
That said, you do need professional tools to be a good pet groomer. You also likely need to take a course in pet grooming before you can start charging clients.
Therefore, pet grooming takes longer to set up as a side business.
But once you’re qualified, you can earn £100s per client depending on your services.
Pros of starting a pet grooming side hustle:
Easy to fit around your schedule
In high demand
Highly profitable
Cons of starting a pet grooming side hustle:
Requires studio space which can be expensive
You’ll need to take a course to get qualified
Professional grooming tools cost money
How to start:
Take a pet grooming course
Invest in some good quality pet grooming tools
Build your portfolio by grooming your own pet or taking on clients for free
Now it’s your turn! Start a pet side hustle in 2024
So those are the most profitable pet side hustle ideas to start this year.
The right side hustle for you is the one you find most engaging and rewarding.
Let me know in the comments which pet side hustle you’re going to try this year.
Ta ta for now,
Olivia
