People love their pets and any business that caters to this has a good chance of success. Kennels, run the right way, are an ideal way to jump in on this trend.
This can be a great business to run in South Africa because of the good weather and available space.
If you have a love for animals and want to combine this with your business, running a kennel could be the perfect option. There are, however, a few things that you will need to consider beforehand!
Be hands-on
When dog owners are looking for the perfect place to drop off their dogs, they will want to know that you are around to keep an eye on them. You need to run a tight ship so that you can tell your customers with confidence that their animals will be safe and happy.
If you are going to hire staff to help you, select them carefully. It is not enough that the people you hire like dogs, they need the skills to handle all breeds of dogs- including the huge ones!
It can be extremely beneficial to have staff who have training or experience in handling animals. You may also want to get training yourself before you open your doors!
Keep things clean
Another way that customers will judge this is to look at the premise to see what condition it is in. You need to research and consider carefully what kind of pens or cages will be best for the dogs.
You also need to make sure that your kennels are kept as clean as possible. You need to clean and disinfect your kennels daily. This will include the dog beds and the play areas.
The dog beds and toys will also need to be replaced periodically because of general wear and tear. You will also need to keep an eye on the general maintenance of your establishment.
Make sure you’re licenced
If you want to run a kennel you need to read up on the laws in your local municipality. Keeping more than two dogs on your property will require a licence.
You will need to make sure that you meet the requirements for running a kennel. This applies to you and your premises!
Cater to your customers
It is important that you know who it is that you are catering to. If you are in an upmarket part of Johannesburg or Cape Town, you might want to offer a luxury service.
This will take a lot more in set up and maintenance costs but will allow you to charge more.
If, on the other hand, you are in a smaller town or rural area, keeping your facility and services simpler will keep your costs down and your prices more affordable.
No matter what kind of facility you decide on, you will need to make sure that you are marketing to your target audience.
Consider what demographic your customers are before you decide on the right business to buy. This way you can make sure that you don’t spend unnecessary money setting up.
