The pet industry is ever thriving, valued at over $260 billion. The Kenyan industry is not doing so badly itself. In fact, more Kenyans are getting pets, thus driving demand for pet products and services in the country. Although dog breeding and training are the common businesses and ideas that come to mind, there are others you can venture into. 

Because we love our furry friends, we will go the extra mile to ensure they are as comfortable as they should be. That means grooming them regularly, taking them for walks and spoiling them with treats and toys. 

Top Pet Business Ideas in Kenya

As you can see, pets are demanding, which creates numerous business opportunities. If you are looking to dip your toes into entrepreneurship, you could build a great business with proper research and market penetration strategy. 

Below are a few other business ideas in the industry;

Pet Grooming

Personal hygiene for your pets is essential. Pets, like cats, are great at personal grooming. Dogs, on the other hand, are a different story. You need to clean them up regularly, not just for their sake but yours as well. This includes cleaning their bowls, beddings, and sleeping spaces, washing them, trimming their nails and brushing their coats. 

Although many pet owners do these, the occasional grooming from a professional goes a long way. Plus, trimming your pet’s nails and fur is not an easy task. I would gladly leave this to a professional because my pets will never sit still for this. 

You can own a pet grooming business or specialize in specific breeds, like dogs or cats. You can set up a mobile shop or work freelance if you want to avoid a physical shop. 

Pet Healthcare 

If you have grown up upcountry like yours truly, you’re probably accustomed to vets who specialised only in farm animals your parents and grandparents had. But offering healthcare for other animals, like cats and dogs, has become lucrative as many people consider them more as family members than just animals. 

You can open a specialized vet clinic for these pets if you are a qualified vet. Another pet healthcare service you can start is providing physical therapy for injured pets.  

Pet Accessories

From leashes and harnesses to name tags, feeding bowls, beddings, shampoos, sprays, toys and treats. Yes, this is a billion niche in the industry that’s expected to reach $42.3 Billion by 2026. While there are several pet stores in Kenya, you can still enter the market and get a piece of the pie. 

Drop shipping is one of the ideas, where you can open an online or brick-and-mortar pet supply store. If you are creative and have the right tools, you can create accessories like furniture, woven beds, handmade toys, or customized name tags and harnesses.

Related read: Side Hustle: How To Make Money As A Creative

Pet Daycare and Boarding

It is like running a daycare centre for babies, only that you will be dealing with pets. Their owners drop them off for the day and pick them up later. For pet owners working in offices who do not want to leave their pets on their own, pet day cares have become the go-to option. Plus, it helps their pets socialize with other animals. 

Besides daycare services, there is a pet boarding niche for pet owners travelling for an extended period. Like a pet daycare, it ensures their pets are among other animals and humans when they are away. Plus, working with professional daycare and boarding ensures the pets are well-cared for. 

Pet Food and Bakery 

While you can resell pet food and treats from established manufacturers in the industry, there is also the alternative of setting up your manufacturing or bakery shop for their food and treats. 

Some entrepreneurs have gone as far as providing subscription food services for pets. When my pets were about four months, I stopped buying packaged food. First, it was expensive. And second, I wanted to feed them homemade food with no preservatives. But given the time it takes to prepare my pet’s food, I’d gladly subscribe to such a service. 

Blogging 

Yes! There isn’t a niche you cannot write about these days. As long as you have the knowledge, someone out there is looking for it. You should see my history. I search for pet food recipes, when is the right time to spay or neuter pets, what are the side effects, and whether certain issues are illnesses. Once, my dogs ate a frog, and they were foaming. I was panicking and searching online to see if they would die or if I could do anything. 

So yes, you can blog but carve your niche in the pet industry only. Many Kenyan pet owners want to know where they can take their pets for grooming, daycare, food recipes and even how to train them by themselves. 

Pet Photography 

Gone are the days when photographers were offering their services for every event. Nowadays, most photographers choose a niche and specialise in it, e.g., events, wildlife, products, real estate, fashion, and sports photography.

I saw a funny video a while back where the OP said they would not be worried if someone went snooping in their gallery. It would be full of pictures of their pets. And I could not agree more. Many pet owners have hundreds of photos and videos of their pets doing funny and silly things. Considering the love for pets we are seeing, pet photography is an excellent idea if you know your way around cameras and animals. You will be helping many families capture memories of their furry friends.

In Conclusion 

These are just a few of the many ideas out here. Whatever pet business idea you choose to run with, ensure you do the necessary market research and have a business plan. Then, register your business, and get the required operating licenses, permits and insurance policies. Finally, build and market your brand. Have an online presence with social media pages and a website.