§1What this business is
A pet care centre keeps dogs and cats for the day or overnight while owners travel, and offers pet sitting, walking, grooming, training and a pet taxi. A veterinarian or nurse on staff checks the animals' health. Rising pet ownership in towns, nuclear families and higher spending on pets drive demand.
Capacity: Sales of ₹8.12 lakh a year from boarding, sitting, walking, grooming, training and pet taxi.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An animal lover with some veterinary or handling experience who can be on call all the time.
Who it is not for
Someone uneasy around animals or who wants weekends and holidays free.
Advantages
- Low start-up cost (₹3.90 lakh)
- Owners pay well for trusted care
- Holiday seasons fill boarding
- Can add grooming, training and pet taxi
Drawbacks
- Animals need care every day, including holidays
- Any injury or illness hurts your reputation fast
- Neighbours may object to noise and smell
- Sales in the profile are below its break-even
Skills you need
- Animal handling and first aid
- Grooming
- Hygiene and kennel cleaning
- Building owners' trust
Why difficulty 2/5: Small capital, but round-the-clock care and Animal Welfare Board approval are needed.
§3Market
Who buys
- Pet-owning families in towns
- Working couples
- Tourists and owners going on holiday
How it sells
- Tie-ups with vets and pet shops
- Social media and online reviews
- Word of mouth among pet owners
Good to know
- The profile points to rising pet ownership, nuclear families and higher spending on pet health as the drivers of demand.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Computer with software | 1 | ₹0.25 lakh |
| Veterinary equipment set | 1 | ₹0.30 lakh |
| Grooming tools set | 1 | ₹0.20 lakh |
| Cleaning tools | — | ₹0.10 lakh |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Pet Care Service
- Pet food, shampoo and cleaning suppliesthe profile puts raw materials at ₹0.12 lakh and utilities at ₹0.06 lakh a year
§5Licences & registration
- Registration with the State Animal Welfare Board
- Compliance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018
- Udyam registration
- Trade licence from the local body
- GST registration once turnover crosses the limit
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP covers service projects up to ₹20 lakh; a MUDRA Shishu or Kishor loan suits this size; Stand-Up India helps SC/ST and women founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: DUY profile total ₹3.90 lakh: computer ₹0.25 lakh, equipment ₹0.72 lakh (veterinary equipment set ₹0.30 lakh, grooming tools ₹0.20 lakh, cleaning tools ₹0.10 lakh), rented building ₹0.56 lakh, misc. fixed assets ₹0.02 lakh, preliminary ₹0.05 lakh, working capital ₹2.30 lakh. Promoter ₹1.56 lakh, bank ₹2.34 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹2.30 lakh — food, wages and rent until regular clients build up.
Year not printed on the DUY (Devbhoomi Udyamita Yojana) profile — check current prices before you buy.
§8Export potential
A local service business — not an export business.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Disease spreading between animals
- Bites and injuries
- Complaints from neighbours
- Unpaid bills from absent owners
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working pet care centre (boarding and day care) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Registration with the State Animal Welfare Board, Compliance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Pet Shop) Rules, 2018), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Pet Care Centre (Boarding and Day Care)?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.