10 Pet Services Franchises To Watch in 2020

Pet services is a growing sector of the franchise industry, full of concepts ranging from grooming and boarding to products like pet food and nature accessories. The U.S. pet industry is valued at an estimated $75 billion, according to the American Pet Products Association. To many people, pets are like an extension of the family, and that means no expense is spared in their care and wellbeing. Of course, everyone wants the best for their furry (or scaly, or feathered) friends, and here are 10 franchises in the pet services sector delivering just that. 

Hounds Town USA

Number of locations: 9

Investment Range: $263,800 to $422,500

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.houndstownfranchise.com/

Hounds Town USA was founded in Long Island, New York as a challenge to the typical doggy daycare industry. Founded by former NYPD K9-Unit trainer Mike Gould, Hounds Town USA draws from Gould’s 20 years of canine training experience to facilitate a unique pack experience for the dogs. “Hounds Town really takes time to look at the behavior of the dog and group the dog in the correct pack to maximize their time at daycare and make sure they’re safe and well-cared for,” said Steve Garibell, franchisee of the Bergen County, New Jersey Hounds Town USA location. “There’s a level of expertise that goes along with it, and we don’t breed discriminate.”

What you can learn from this brand: Hounds Town USA was ranked No. 11 in the 2019 Franchise Help Awards out of nearly 200 applicants. The brand also boasts a year-over-year average sales increase of 35%, and is a simple operation with low initial investment rates. While the brand has seen relatively steady growth throughout the Northeast, it is planning to expand to Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Nashville in the near future. Gould’s in-depth understanding of dog psychology and hands-on approach to business-ownership sets Hounds Town USA franchisees up for success in a fun and supportive environment.

Camp Bow Wow

Number of locations: 183

Investment range: $751,000 to $1,458,500

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.campbowwow.com/franchising/

Camp Bow Wow was founded in 2000 and started franchising in 2003. With nearly 20 years under its belt, the brand can claim both longevity and year-over-year growth in a pet care industry that is becoming increasingly crowded. Camp Bow Wow is also a leader in the industry in terms of changing the doggy day care game by implementing innovative practices during the very inception of the brand, including live-streaming webcams and all-day, supervised playtime. 

What you can learn from this brand: With 183 locations, Camp Bow Wow is the largest dog boarding franchise in the U.S. and boasts 4.3 million annual dog visits. The brand also reported $878,850 in average revenue per unit in 2018. Camp Bow Wow has grown by 13 units within the past year and is ranked No. 193 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s 2019 Franchise 500, where it has held rank as No. 1 in category for four consecutive years. 

Wild Birds Unlimited*

Number of locations: 343

Investment range: $150,837 to $260,991

Franchise opportunity website: https://franchise.wbu.com/

Wild Birds Unlimited is a nature shop dedicated to outdoor enthusiasts and bird watchers. The brand has been around since 1981, and consistently ranks among franchises with the highest franchisee satisfaction. Wild Birds Unlimited makes a point to employ franchise owners who are also passionate about nature, conservation and wildlife, which adds an extra layer of passion to the selling of bird watching, feeding and animal-centric nature products on the local level. 

What you can learn from this brand: Wild Birds Unlimited’s commitment to franchisee support and excellent customer service has made it one of the 200 Best Franchises to Buy in 2019 as determined by Franchise Business Review and No. 1 for franchisee satisfaction in the Retail Category for the sixth straight year. Wild Birds Unlimited is also No. 132 overall in the 2019 Franchise 500, and No. 3 among pet services overall.

Pet Supplies Plus

Number of locations: 460

Investment range: $440,600 to $1,315,200

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.petsuppliesplusfranchising.com/

Pet Supplies Plus has been franchising since 1991, offering pet food, supplies, pet adoption, grooming services and more. The stores have an Average Unit Volume of $2.3 million. In spite of the store’s relatively large national footprint and position as the largest independent pet retailer, Pet Supplies Plus stores deliver a neighborhood feel not found in other large pet retailers. 

What you can learn from this brand: The key to Pet Supplies Plus’ success has been pushing a neighbor-centric company culture, making franchisees enthusiastic to both bring the brand to their area and grow with the brand. Pet Supplies Plus was on track for rapid expansion in January of this year, signing 22 franchise agreements to open 46 new stores in the first half of 2019 alone. The brand was ranked No. 46 in the Franchise 500 and took the No. 1 spot for pet stores for the fifth year running. 

Pet Wants

Number of locations: 70

Investment range:  $59,830 to $202,000

Franchise opportunity website: https://petwantsfranchise.com/

Pet Wants the fastest-growing pet food franchise in an $8 billion dollar industry, providing high-quality, nutritionally-rich food for pet lovers who want to put the same care and consideration into their furry companion’s food as they do their own. The brand was founded in 2010 when owner Michele Hobbs was unable to find adequate food for her own dogs who were suffering from painful skin allergies. Hobbs saw a need in the market and vowed to change it. She found a manufacturer, started crafting custom pet food made fresh in small batches, and Pet Wants was born. 

What you can learn from this brand: Pet Wants awarded its first-ever scholarship this year. The $1,000 college scholarship was awarded to Morgan Jackson for her essay response to a prompt about the presence of pets on college campuses. A scholarship program such as this not only gives a brand the opportunity to give back and support students pursuing their dreams, but raises awareness of the brand and its mission among young consumers.  

Petland

Number of locations: 292

Investment range: $290,500 to $1,065,500

Franchise opportunity website: https://petland.com/franchise/index.htm

The full-service retail pet center Petland has been franchising since 1971, just four years after it was founded in Ohio. Petland not only sells pet supplies, but also sells fish, birds, cats, dogs, small animals and reptiles. The store also has been an industry leader in community service programs aimed at placing homeless pets with loving owners and using responsible breeders through the Petland Cares program. The brand is ranked No. 168 in Entrepreneur's 2019 Franchise 500.

What you can learn from this brand: Petland sets itself apart from the other franchises on this list by being the one with the largest international footprint. Petland has stores not only in the U.S. but Canada, Brazil, China, El Salvador, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Petland was even ranked No. 24 on Entrepreneur's Top Global Franchises list, and opened its first store in the Middle East in May 2019. The Saudi Arabia development agreement includes rights to rights to the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Dogtopia

Number of locations: 91

Investment range: $416,032 to $1,071,075

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.dogtopia.com/franchising-us/

Dogtopia is a dog daycare, grooming and spa provider headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The brand was founded in Virginia in 2002 with a vision to create “indoor dog parks” that went beyond the typical dog boarding model. This franchise is for the seriously pampered pooch, with top-performing stores averaging over $1 million in revenue.

What you can learn from this brand: Dogtopia was ranked as one of the 200 Best Franchises to Buy in 2019 by Franchise Business Review, and is on pace to open 400 centers by 2023, making it the fastest-growing franchise in the pet industry. Dogtopia also opened its first Dogtopia @ Work campus, a company-subsidized daycare and spa exclusive to the 750 employees at Wolverine Worldwide in Rockford, Michigan.  

Husse

Number of locations: 506

Investment range: $21,000 to $107,500

Franchise opportunity website: https://www.husse.com/usa-recruitment

The pet-supply delivery service Husse was founded in 1987 in Stockholm, Sweden and has been franchising for 28 years and in more than 50 countries. Husse’s vision is to promote healthy lifestyles in pets by creating nutritious, natural pet food that’s delivered straight to your doorstep. Because of the brand’s international roots, Husse has a large international franchise but is at the precipice of its U.S. expansion.

What you can learn from this brand: Husse is ranked No. 43 in Franchise Direct’s Top 100 Global Franchises 2019. While this brand is relatively small in the U.S., franchising with Husse in the U.S. could be an opportunity to break into almost any market while being supported by a brand with a global reach.

Wag N’ Wash Natural Pet Food & Grooming

Number of locations: 19

Investment range: $477,950 to $836,250

Franchise opportunity website: https://franchise.wagnwash.com/

Your pet can get seriously pampered at Wag N’ Wash, a natural grooming and pet food franchise. Wag N’ Wash franchises offer self-service washes, full-service grooming, nail trims, an in-store bakery and retail options. 

What you can learn from this brand: Wag N’ Wash celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019, while also climbing more than 100 spots in Entrepreneur's annual Franchise 500. The brand was also recognized by the International Franchise Association with the silver award in the “Support Our Veterans” category during the association’s annual Franchising Gives Back celebration. The honor was awarded because of the brand’s 2018 Round Up campaign, a partnership with nonprofit Freedom Service Dogs. Freedom Service Dogs matches veterans with a canine companion that will assist them as a service dog completely free of cost. Every Wag N’ Wash franchise raised over $7,000 with an additional $5,000 matched donation from corporate.

Aussie Pet Mobile

Number of locations: 268

Investment range: $151,200 to $159,475

Franchise opportunity website: https://aussiepetmobile.com/franchise-opportunities/

When you don’t have time to take your pet to the groomer, Aussie Pet Mobile comes to you. The mobile pet grooming industry is growing fast, as more and more consumers are willing to pay a premium for convenience. Services like Aussie Pet Mobile are especially valuable to owners with hectic schedules, seniors, and people with elderly or special needs dogs. Anyone with an anxious pet knows that they learn to dread appointments to the vet or groomers, and Aussie Pet Mobile allows pets to experience grooming in a safe, relaxing environment away from other animals. 

What you can learn from this brand: The mobile pet grooming service is a disruptor among other pet-care franchises by providing a home-based opportunity with low overhead that can be scaled quickly. Aussie Pet Mobile was ranked No. 78 in Entrepreneur's Top 100 Franchises under $150,000 in May of 2019.