A Revolutionary Business Concept

Here at mintrubbing.org we have always researched and presented methods of rubbing mint and wasting time. While this is indeed useful, work is also considered a part of our master plan.

From time to time we get interesting business ideas that we think should be shared with our readers. Such is the case with this article, which presents a novel business concept that has never before been implemented. Read about it, take some time to think it over, and build a business around the concept.

This business idea attends to the needs of animal lovers who don’t have the time, resources or willingness to adopt a pet. Who doesn’t love animals? Maybe you’re a dog lover; or maybe you like cats; maybe you like lizards or fish in a tank. Whatever it is, all of us dream about having a pet to play with or admire from time to time. Still, an important percentage of households don’t have pets.

That’s because pets can be a real hassle: they have to be taken care of – fed regularly, vaccinated and taken to the vet when they’re sick. You can’t just shove them in a closet only to take them out and play with them when you feel like it. It doesn’t work that way, since animals tend do die when left without food, water and attention for prolonged periods of time.

And that’s not the whole story. House animals pose additional problems: some shed hairs, some destroy property, and some get lost or won’t come out of their hiding places. Some animals will get sick and puke on the new carpet. Mating season also comes at some point, and that’s not good either. Sure, you can neuter your pet, but that’s kind of gross and still requires trips to the vet, and love and care. Then there’s the problem of leaving the pet with someone when you’re gone on vacations. The list is endless. Let’s face it: in situations like these, the beloved house pet becomes a pain in the ass.

So what can you do? Sure, you can take endless trips to the zoo or watch shows on Animal Planet. You can pet strangers’ cute little dogs or go to your local pet store just to play with the cats. But that’s not enough, is it?

Can you see the opportunity? Our concept is designed to fill this need – it’s the pet rental business. A business enterprise of this type will attend to the needs of millions of people who for some reason cannot or will not adopt a pet permanently.

The company will have an inventory consisting of various types of house pets; among these, there will be a wide variety of cats and dogs, since these are the preferred animals of most people. It’s a good idea for the business to start with just cats and dogs at first. After some time, if business thrives, inventory can be expanded to other types of animals – reptiles, insects, fish, other mammals such as rats or monkeys, etc.

Various types of rental programs will be made available to customers. Rental periods lasting between 1 and 8 hours will be provided for people who don’t have too much time to spend with their rented pet. Customers will pay hourly rental fees that will depend on type, age, appearance and health situation of pet, the number tricks it is able to perform, and the number of hours the pet is rented. Shorter rental programs can have various uses: from people who want guest pets at parties to the occasional pet lover who wants to relieve stress or spend several hours of quality time with a cute pet, the possibilities are endless.

True animal lovers, on the other hand, will appreciate longer rental programs, lasting from 1 to 30 days. Discounts will be made for longer periods. The longer rental programs will be appreciated by people who are comfortable having a pet around day and night, for a limited period of time. Such programs are also useful on vacations, when a client would have more time to take care and enjoy a pet.

These are just some examples of rental programs. The key to success for the business owner is flexibility in rental durations and pricing systems.

Another important market segment consists of persons who have never owned a pet before, would like to own one indefinitely, but aren’t sure whether they will be able to manage a pet or which is the right pet for them. Such people will be able to lease pets for indefinite periods of time; under this program, clients will make regular rent payments that are counted towards the pet’s full-price. A client will have the option to return the pet at any time, or exchange it for a different type. Thus, by experimenting with various pets, a person can find the right house animal for him, and not live to regret the permanent adoption of a pet that does not fit his or her expectations.

Thorough contracts that include the store’s and the client’s rights and obligations have to be drafted for each type of service. One important client obligation is caring after the rented pet. A pet will be checked by a veterinarian both at the beginning and at the end of the rental period. Thus, any problems with the pet, either apparent (i.e. missing limb) or hidden (i.e. food poisoning) will be discovered and charged to the customer’s account. Any pet abuse will be fined and reported to proper authorities. The rental company, on the other hand, will have to replace any pets that are defective or do not fit their description mentioned in the rental contract.

Logistics and inventory management will be an important issue for the rental company. In time, continuous rental and a high number of temporary owners will wear down a pet, both physically and psychologically. To prevent this problem, plans should be made for permanent placement of pets that reach a certain age; furthermore, the rental company should initiate breeding programs to insure adequate levels of pet inventory. Another thing to keep in mind is that people seem to prefer younger pets, since they are more playful and enjoyable. Thus, adequate breeding programs are essential for succeeding in this business.

Another source of revenue for the pet rental business is from sale and rental of pet consumables. Temporary pet owners will be needing items such as food, collars, toys and similar items for their animals. The store could also provide guides and literature on caring and enjoying pets. Finally, based on input from previous owners, the store can prepare fact sheets for each animal available for rent. Such sheets would include topics such as the animal’s favorite food and toys, the list of tricks it is able to perform, favorite spots in the house, health and behavior problems and so on. Thus the temporary owner won’t need to waste time learning all of these using a trial and error approach.

In brief, this was the presentation of our business idea. Now let’s get into some business areas the potential pet rental store owner needs to know about.

Market. The potential market is huge, as is the situation with any new and revolutionary idea or business concept. Potentially, future customers of a pet rental business include virtually all households that don’t already own a pet on a permanent basis (although, even households that already have pets would appreciate the opportunity to rent a different pet from time to time in order to experiment or provide entertainment to their existing pets). Almost everyone loves animals to some extent, so everyone would appreciate the opportunity to have one to play with from time to time, without the hassle of caring for it permanently.

Marketing. Given the specifics of the business, marketing will focus on channels that are expected to reach potential customers: commercials during animal shows on television, and advertising in pet publications, as well as in general purpose women’s, teenagers’ or men’s magazines. The advantages of internet marketing should not be overlooked. An informative and fun website with pictures, video clips and details about pets available for rent is a must. Other means, such as direct mail or participating at pet shows and contests should also be experimented.

Financials. One of the most important advantages of a pet rental business is its scalability. You can start with a limited number of animals – four dogs and two cats, for example. The cost of caring for such a small number of animals is low. As business grows and profits are reinvested, the number of animals will grow as well. In time, new locations can be opened. A franchise system can also be considered. Implementation and development of the concept requires minimal initial investments and low operating costs. Profit margins, on the other hand, can be very high.

Key personnel. In its early stages the business can be run and operated solely by the business owner. The part time services of a professional veterinarian will be required. In time, as business grows, the need for additional personnel will arise: full-time vets, animal caretakers, office and marketing personnel, and so on.

SWOT Analysis:
- Strengths: novel and revolutionary business concept, minimal initial investments and low operating costs.
- Weaknesses: risks associated with caring for animals, need for breeding programs and continuous additions to inventory.
- Opportunities: huge potential market, additional revenue streams from sale and rental of pet accessories, franchise opportunities.
- Threats: protests from animals rights groups, duplication of business concept by existing pet stores or newly established companies.

The emergence of a business concept that is both new and revolutionary is rare. Such a business concept that also appeals to virtually all households is less frequent. Finally, a situation in which such a concept is given away for free is unique. What are you waiting for? Get your first animals and start a pet rental business. If you already own pets start renting them.

Everyone will appreciate the opportunity to play with cute and funny pets without the hassle of caring for them permanently. Good luck and don’t forget to let us know how this concept worked for you.

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