As pet ownership continues to rise and Americans increasingly prioritize convenience, DoodyCalls offers entrepreneurs a simple-to-run business that meets a universal need, without the overhead of a traditional service business.
Nobody wants to scoop dog poop, but millions of Americans are willing to pay someone else to do it. That’s where DoodyCalls comes in. With a business model centered around recurring weekly visits, low startup costs and minimal staffing needs, the brand is designed to be simple to start, easy to grow and scalable in any market where dogs live — which is everywhere.
DoodyCalls is part of the Authority Brands network and currently operates in over 100 territories across 25 states. Franchisees range from picking up evening clients to full-time owners with multi-vehicle operations and commercial contracts. With support for strategic tech tools to streamline the dirty work, and marketing systems that get franchisees in front of the right customers, DoodyCalls is a brand built for entrepreneurs who want to build a real business with real value.
"There is a strong demand for this service, but it's not always top of mind. No pet owners particularly enjoy this part of pet ownership," said Josh Minturn, vice president of franchise development at Authority Brands. "The way people feel about dog waste transcends income; you hate it all the same. You just need a modest level of financial flexibility, which makes this opportunity accessible to a wide range of owners with the bonus of commercial property potential. This is one of our fastest-growing brands.”
The DoodyCalls story began in 2000 when founder Jacob D’Aniello heard an interview with a man making a good living running a dog poop removal business. Inspired by the idea, D’Aniello launched DoodyCalls the following week and was soon overwhelmed by demand. It turned out that people were more than willing to pay someone else to handle the least pleasant part of pet ownership.
By 2004, D’Aniello and his wife, Susan, had quit their day jobs and relocated to the Washington, D.C., area, where they established DoodyCalls headquarters and began franchising. Since then, the brand has grown steadily while staying true to its mission: to make the world a happier and healthier place for people and pets.
DoodyCalls now serves both residential and commercial clients and has been ranked the No. 1 pet waste removal franchise in the U.S. by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500. And through its network with Authority Brands, DoodyCalls franchisees get access to industry-leading support, cross-brand insights and operational best practices developed over more than two decades.
What makes the DoodyCalls model so appealing? It's straightforward, potentially profitable and easy to operate. Startup costs are lower than many other franchise opportunities. The required equipment is minimal. Staffing needs are slim. Many franchisees also scale at their own pace.
"We require very few employees," Minturn said. "Many of our owners enjoy that benefit because they can build the business to the point where it supports them and then exit their current job. The business can also really take off — we are targeting residential homes, and also multi-family homes on the commercial side."
According to Item 7 of DoodyCalls’ 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the estimated initial investment required to open a DoodyCalls franchise ranges from $76,450 to $93,850, including a $39,900 franchise fee. And per Item 19 of the 2025 FDD, the average gross revenue per territory in 2024 was $234,689, and the average gross revenue per franchise was $400,351.
"We allow franchisees to get into the business and build one that has long-term value predicated on recurring revenue,” Minturn said. “We have really drilled this down into a science that allows us to get in front of the right houses so our franchisees are profitable.”
But what sets DoodyCalls apart is how much support it offers beyond the basics. Franchisees gain access to a robust software platform that simplifies scheduling, route planning, invoicing and customer management. Centralized marketing support and a call center help keep leads flowing and customers happy.
Beyond residential routes, franchisees can expand through commercial contracts with HOAs, apartment complexes and municipalities. DoodyCalls also sells cleanup supplies, odor control treatments and turf-safe products that eliminate brown spots, adding more value (and revenue) per visit.
And for owners who want to grow faster, DoodyCalls helps franchisees identify and purchase local competitors through a unique acquisition support program, something that’s rare in service-based franchising and a major lever for expansion.
"As an organization, we help our franchisees through their growth strategy through acquisition," Minturn said. "We assist with finding great companies to acquire to exponentially grow faster. We allow franchisees to invest some of their money into acquiring competitors. That has been a wonderful program that we’ve launched with our franchisees."
According to the American Pet Products Association, over 65 million households in the U.S. own at least one dog. Meanwhile, the pet waste management industry reached an estimated $270.7 million in 2024 and is expected to grow at a steady 5% CAGR through 2029.
DoodyCalls franchisees tap into this demand with recurring weekly or bi-weekly services that cost homeowners just $8 to $16 per visit. The affordability makes it accessible to a wide swath of the population, from middle-class homeowners to luxury condo managers, and the simplicity of the offering makes it a sticky service that customers rarely cancel once they start.
And the emotional appeal? It's real. Nobody likes picking up dog poop, so once clients learn they can afford to outsource it, they often do. With added offerings like odor elimination and yard treatments, franchisees can add even more value while improving their community’s health and cleanliness.
“We have products that can remove brown spots in the yard and that eliminate odor,” Minturn said. “These are things that consumers really love, in addition to not having to pick up dog waste.”
You don’t need to be a pet lover or industry expert to succeed with DoodyCalls. Some of the brand’s top franchisees even had zero experience in pet services or business ownership before joining. The most important traits are grit, coachability and the willingness to follow an established system.
Franchisees come from all walks of life, such as corporate professionals looking to exit their 9-to-5, parents looking for flexible income, veterans seeking a steady opportunity and entrepreneurs looking for recession-resistant models. Whether you're looking to build something on the side or scale to multiple vehicles and territories, DoodyCalls has a roadmap to get you there.
For more information, visit https://doodycallsfranchising.com/.
DoodyCalls
SPONSORED
With fewer barriers to entry, high demand and recurring revenue, DoodyCalls offers a franchise opportunity that's simple to run, easy to scale and backed by the power of Authority Brands.
As pet ownership continues to rise and Americans increasingly prioritize convenience, DoodyCalls offers entrepreneurs a simple-to-run business that meets a universal need, without the overhead of a traditional service business.
Nobody wants to scoop dog poop, but millions of Americans are willing to pay someone else to do it. That’s where DoodyCalls comes in. With a business model centered around recurring weekly visits, low startup costs and minimal staffing needs, the brand is designed to be simple to start, easy to grow and scalable in any market where dogs live — which is everywhere.
DoodyCalls is part of the Authority Brands network and currently operates in over 100 territories across 25 states. Franchisees range from picking up evening clients to full-time owners with multi-vehicle operations and commercial contracts. With support for strategic tech tools to streamline the dirty work, and marketing systems that get franchisees in front of the right customers, DoodyCalls is a brand built for entrepreneurs who want to build a real business with real value.
"There is a strong demand for this service, but it's not always top of mind. No pet owners particularly enjoy this part of pet ownership," said Josh Minturn, vice president of franchise development at Authority Brands. "The way people feel about dog waste transcends income; you hate it all the same. You just need a modest level of financial flexibility, which makes this opportunity accessible to a wide range of owners with the bonus of commercial property potential. This is one of our fastest-growing brands.”
The DoodyCalls story began in 2000 when founder Jacob D’Aniello heard an interview with a man making a good living running a dog poop removal business. Inspired by the idea, D’Aniello launched DoodyCalls the following week and was soon overwhelmed by demand. It turned out that people were more than willing to pay someone else to handle the least pleasant part of pet ownership.
By 2004, D’Aniello and his wife, Susan, had quit their day jobs and relocated to the Washington, D.C., area, where they established DoodyCalls headquarters and began franchising. Since then, the brand has grown steadily while staying true to its mission: to make the world a happier and healthier place for people and pets.
DoodyCalls now serves both residential and commercial clients and has been ranked the No. 1 pet waste removal franchise in the U.S. by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500. And through its network with Authority Brands, DoodyCalls franchisees get access to industry-leading support, cross-brand insights and operational best practices developed over more than two decades.
What makes the DoodyCalls model so appealing? It's straightforward, potentially profitable and easy to operate. Startup costs are lower than many other franchise opportunities. The required equipment is minimal. Staffing needs are slim. Many franchisees also scale at their own pace.
"We require very few employees," Minturn said. "Many of our owners enjoy that benefit because they can build the business to the point where it supports them and then exit their current job. The business can also really take off — we are targeting residential homes, and also multi-family homes on the commercial side."
According to Item 7 of DoodyCalls’ 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the estimated initial investment required to open a DoodyCalls franchise ranges from $76,450 to $93,850, including a $39,900 franchise fee. And per Item 19 of the 2025 FDD, the average gross revenue per territory in 2024 was $234,689, and the average gross revenue per franchise was $400,351.
"We allow franchisees to get into the business and build one that has long-term value predicated on recurring revenue,” Minturn said. “We have really drilled this down into a science that allows us to get in front of the right houses so our franchisees are profitable.”
But what sets DoodyCalls apart is how much support it offers beyond the basics. Franchisees gain access to a robust software platform that simplifies scheduling, route planning, invoicing and customer management. Centralized marketing support and a call center help keep leads flowing and customers happy.
Beyond residential routes, franchisees can expand through commercial contracts with HOAs, apartment complexes and municipalities. DoodyCalls also sells cleanup supplies, odor control treatments and turf-safe products that eliminate brown spots, adding more value (and revenue) per visit.
And for owners who want to grow faster, DoodyCalls helps franchisees identify and purchase local competitors through a unique acquisition support program, something that’s rare in service-based franchising and a major lever for expansion.
"As an organization, we help our franchisees through their growth strategy through acquisition," Minturn said. "We assist with finding great companies to acquire to exponentially grow faster. We allow franchisees to invest some of their money into acquiring competitors. That has been a wonderful program that we’ve launched with our franchisees."
According to the American Pet Products Association, over 65 million households in the U.S. own at least one dog. Meanwhile, the pet waste management industry reached an estimated $270.7 million in 2024 and is expected to grow at a steady 5% CAGR through 2029.
DoodyCalls franchisees tap into this demand with recurring weekly or bi-weekly services that cost homeowners just $8 to $16 per visit. The affordability makes it accessible to a wide swath of the population, from middle-class homeowners to luxury condo managers, and the simplicity of the offering makes it a sticky service that customers rarely cancel once they start.
And the emotional appeal? It's real. Nobody likes picking up dog poop, so once clients learn they can afford to outsource it, they often do. With added offerings like odor elimination and yard treatments, franchisees can add even more value while improving their community’s health and cleanliness.
“We have products that can remove brown spots in the yard and that eliminate odor,” Minturn said. “These are things that consumers really love, in addition to not having to pick up dog waste.”
You don’t need to be a pet lover or industry expert to succeed with DoodyCalls. Some of the brand’s top franchisees even had zero experience in pet services or business ownership before joining. The most important traits are grit, coachability and the willingness to follow an established system.
Franchisees come from all walks of life, such as corporate professionals looking to exit their 9-to-5, parents looking for flexible income, veterans seeking a steady opportunity and entrepreneurs looking for recession-resistant models. Whether you're looking to build something on the side or scale to multiple vehicles and territories, DoodyCalls has a roadmap to get you there.
For more information, visit https://doodycallsfranchising.com/.
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