Business

How to Protect
Vertical illustration of a woman from behind holding a fluffy white puppy on her shoulder.
(And Grow) Your Pet Care Business in a Tough Economy
By Laura Laaman
T imes are tough, with no real end in sight. Inflation remains elevated, hovering around 3% year over year,1 and rising costs impact every aspect of pet care. At the same time, uncertainty in the travel industry continues to shrink boarding demand. High airfare, government shutdowns, TSA lines, the impacts of AI and geopolitical disruptions have all changed consumer priorities.

The weight is heavy, but your pet care business doesn’t have to crumple beneath it. Just like pressure creates diamonds, a difficult economy can shape the strongest businesses. The difference depends on how you navigate it in order to turn the tides in your favor.

Stay Positive, But Grounded
With a 24-hour stream of negative news, it’s easy to feel hopeless. Hopelessness leads to reactive decisions—or no action at all. While today’s economic challenges are real, so are the opportunities.

The American Pet Products Association predicts pet-related spending will reach $165 billion this year—a $7 billion increase over last year.2 And despite economic woes, pet ownership continues to rise. In 2025, 53% of American households owned dogs, an increase of about four million households over the prior year.

Even as consumers tighten their purse strings, they’re still willing (and even eager) to spend on their pets. They’re just more intentional about how and where they do that.

There’s plenty to look forward to in this industry, but it’s hard to do that under a constant barrage of negativity. The following are some meaningful ways to protect yourself—and your business—from the onslaught.

3D illustration of two white dogs playing with a ball above the text "CHANGE WHAT YOU TAKE IN".

Try shifting the kind of energy you take in on a daily basis. Regular consumption of positive, motivational content goes a long way.

  1. Creative a Positive Network

    2. The people and news you surround yourself with will either hold you up or weigh you down. Negativity spreads fast and quietly chips away at confidence and momentum. To create a positive network, you can:

    • Associate with positive peers and messaging, not those shrouded in pessimism
    • Attend industry conferences and participate in conversations that inspire you
    • Network with growth-minded business owners who stay driven and enthusiastic
  2. Change What You Take In

    3. The information we consume affects our mood and outlook significantly. A constant deluge of grim news and endless “doomscrolling” warps perspective. Try shifting the kind of energy you take in on a daily basis. Regular consumption of positive, motivational content goes a long way. Whether you’d rather read a book or magazine, listen to a podcast, or watch TED talks, a constructive mindset carries into all aspects of your life.

  3. Prioritize Yourself

    4. You can’t guide your business to success if you’re always running on empty. In uncertain times, it’s too easy to pour everything into the business and neglect your own wellbeing. Treat your health—both physical and mental—the same way you would any key business function. Get daily exercise, quality sleep and balanced nutrition. Take real breaks and set boundaries around your time. You, your team, your clients and your business will all benefit.

Seek Opportunity While Others Pull Back
Economic hardship knocks many business owners into a more defensive stance. They may cut spending, scale back services and buckle down to wait it out. In turn, quality of care drops, facilities show wear and tear, and marketing slows down (or stops entirely).

Unfortunately, this strangles revenue more than it creates breathing room—but it also builds a springboard to new heights for more forward-thinking business owners. And history has shown this loud and clear.

While unprepared businesses may fail during economic downturns, those that seize the opportunity rocket ahead. A recent study showed that out of 3,900 companies, only 10% outperformed during the 2007 recession. And, those companies went on to grow by 14% within a decade.3

Read on for some valuable ways to take advantage and emerge stronger than ever.

  1. Diversify Your Services

    2. Most pets need boarding, daycare, grooming and training throughout their lives. If you only offer one or two of these services, now’s the perfect time to branch out. Having multiple revenue streams lets you cast a wider net for new clients, especially as competitors shrink or disappear. In addition, it also offsets seasonal boarding demand and buffers your business against travel slowdowns like we’re experiencing today. At the same time, it opens the door to cross-selling, increasing the potential value of every single client.

  2. Strategic Acquisitions

    3. Economic strain affects each business differently. While some stay stable, others may struggle—and in some cases, look for a way out. For well-poised businesses, this creates a valuable opportunity to expand. Acquisition that may have felt off the table during stronger economies can suddenly become a viable option. If acquisition fits into your long-term business plans, this is a powerful way to gain ground.

  3. Commit to Quality

    4. A common response to financial uncertainty is to take shortcuts and reduce wherever possible. Whether it’s staff layoffs, delayed maintenance or rushed processes, the long-term detriment often outweighs the short-term relief. This is where strong businesses stand out. Investing in your team, facility and services quickly becomes a powerful differentiator that serves you now and well into the future.

Set Clear, Attainable Goals
It’s tempting to default to survival mode, react to each day as it comes and push the bigger picture out of sight. But businesses that operate this way often drift, losing control of their revenue and sustainability. Strong businesses, however, take a more hands-on approach by effectively setting and meeting goals.

Vague objectives like “get more bookings” or “increase revenue” feel too confusing and lofty. Effective goals are specific, measurable, attainable and repeatable. They give you something to track and improve over time—targets to aim for. Otherwise, it’s too easy to waste energy and resources in the wrong places.

Once you have your goals, put them to paper. Until they’re written down, goals are only dreams. Read and re-read them, and post them in visible locations. If appropriate, share them with your staff and have them do the same.

The next step is staying on track to meet your goals. Monitoring your progress with scheduled check-ins helps you readjust course when needed before going too far astray. When you meet your goals, it’s time to set the next ones.

Even in the toughest conditions, the pet care industry continues to show steady growth and resilience. Demand is weakened, not eliminated. Pet parents are spending record amounts on their pets, but they’re choosing businesses that prioritize consistency, quality and real value.

Challenge and opportunity have always been two sides of the same coin. The businesses that rise above are the ones that stand steady, move to fill in the gaps and look toward a brighter future—making the most of both today and tomorrow.

Laura Laaman is president of Outstanding Pet Care. If you’re interested in the strategies discussed in this article and want to grow your revenue with our proven, guaranteed services, schedule a consultation by calling 1-888-836-8740 or visit  www.outstandingpetcare.com/contact

References
  1. United States Inflation Rate. https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/inflation-cpi
  2. Total U.S. Pet Industry Expenditures. https://americanpetproducts.org/industry-trends-and-stats
  3. The Recession Growth Formula: Strategies to Outperform Your Competition. https://owenvansyckle.com/the-recession-growth-formula-strategies-to-outperform-your-competition/
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