Turn your love for animals into a real business.
Insurance, bonding, local permits, and liability coverage all need to happen before your first booking. BossWorks gives you a step-by-step plan for your city and your services so you know what's required and what it costs.
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Every city has different rules. None of it's in one place.
Bonding requirements, insurance minimums, zoning for home-based boarding, and health department rules that vary by city and service type.
“I don't know what insurance I actually need.”
General liability, bonding, care custody and control coverage. The type and amount depends on whether you're walking, sitting, grooming, or boarding. Most pet care businesses are underinsured or paying for coverage they don't need.
“I didn't realize my city requires a permit for this.”
Some cities require a business license for any pet care services. Others have specific permits for home-based boarding. Zoning rules can restrict how many animals you can have on a residential property.
“What if something happens to someone's pet?”
Liability is the silent risk. A dog escapes, a pet gets injured, property gets damaged. Without the right coverage and contracts, one incident can end your business.
Know what your city requires before you take your first booking.
Business registration, permits, insurance, bonding, and contracts — in the right order for your city and services.
Walking, sitting, grooming, and boarding each have different requirements. Your plan is built for what you're offering and where. Every task has a deadline, a cost estimate, and tells you what depends on what.
See your costs and what you need to charge.
Your plan calculates startup costs, tracks spending, and models when your bookings cover your expenses.
Insurance premiums, bonding fees, supplies, transportation, marketing. BossWorks totals your costs, tracks spending against budget, and projects your breakeven based on your pricing and expected volume.
Find grants and funding for your pet care business.
Small business grants, microloans, and programs matched to your profile, business type, and location.
Pet care businesses are eligible for the same small business funding as any other local service business. Grants for women-owned, minority-owned businesses, and SBA microloans all apply.
Insurance questions, pricing questions, permit questions. Ask and keep moving.
Six AI assistants that know your business: what services you offer, where you operate, and what city you're in.
“Do I need care custody and control coverage for dog walking?” “What's the zoning rule for boarding in my neighborhood?” “How should I price a multi-dog discount?” Ask and get an answer specific to your situation.
Already running a pet care business?
Whether you're adding services, hiring walkers, or expanding to a new area, BossWorks can help.
Add a new service.
Going from walking to boarding, or adding grooming, means new insurance, new permits, and potentially new zoning requirements.
Hire your first employee or contractor.
Bringing on walkers or sitters changes your insurance needs, tax obligations, and liability exposure.
Expand to a new area.
Different city means different permits, different insurance minimums, and different zoning rules.
Your complete pet care plan.
Every task, every cost, every requirement for your business type and city.
- Business registration and local permits
- General liability insurance and bonding
- Care custody and control coverage assessment
- Zoning compliance check for your address
- Startup and ongoing cost estimates
- Pet care service agreement template
- Funding matches for your profile
- Every task in one place
Your plan is built for your services, your city, and the specific insurance and permit requirements that pet care businesses face. Not a generic template.
Everything you need to know.
Yes. Whether you're dog walking, pet sitting, grooming, boarding, or a mix, your plan is built around what you offer and where you operate.
Licensing requirements vary significantly by city and state. Some cities require a general business licence and a pet services or kennel licence; others have no specific pet care licence requirement. If you board animals overnight in your home, many municipalities treat this as a home-based kennel and have specific zoning and permit requirements. BossWorks builds your exact permit list based on your city and service type.
At minimum you need general liability insurance (covering client property damage and third-party injuries), care, custody and control coverage (specifically covering injuries to animals in your care), and professional liability insurance. If you have employees or use contractors, you'll also need workers' compensation. Pet care liability insurance typically costs $300–$800 per year. BossWorks includes insurance setup in your launch plan.
Being bonded (carrying a surety bond) is not legally required in most states, but it's increasingly expected by clients and many pet care directories require it. A bond protects clients if an employee or contractor steals from their home. It typically costs $100–$200 per year and significantly increases client trust, especially for in-home visits. BossWorks includes bonding in your plan if relevant to your services.
Rates vary significantly by city. Dog walking typically runs $15–$35 per 30-minute walk in most US markets, with premium urban markets (NYC, SF, LA) charging $25–$50. Overnight pet sitting runs $50–$100 per night. Drop-in visits typically run $20–$40. Your rates need to cover your time, insurance, bonding, and business overhead. BossWorks helps you set rates specific to your city and competitive market.
Home-based pet boarding is one of the most regulated segments of pet care. Most residential zones limit or prohibit boarding more than a small number of animals. Some cities require a home occupation permit or kennel licence for home-based boarding. BossWorks checks your specific city's zoning rules and home occupation policies before you set up your services.
If you're getting paid, you're running a business. Liability doesn't wait for you to be 'official.' Your plan helps you get the right insurance and registration in place now.
Yes. Your plan reflects your specific city's requirements: permits, zoning, insurance minimums, and any special rules for pet care businesses in your area.
ChatGPT gives you a wall of text. BossWorks gives you a structured plan specific to your city and services, tracks your progress, and updates as you go.
BossWorks is free during beta. No credit card required.