Dog Walking/Pet Minding

Flyonthewall

Hi.

I'm planning on becoming a self-employed dog walker/pet minder for a local pet business and want to be sure I've thought of everything.

They already offer the service so I'd just be taking over part (or all) of it.

I know I would need to register as self-employed and sort my own tax and national insurance. I also know I'd need insurance.

Is that everything? What insurance companies should I be checking out?

Thanks.

marybelle01

Public liability - what if a dog attacks someone?

And presumably you'd need insurance for the dogs in your care too - dogs can be expensive items to replace if something happens to one.

Flyonthewall

Good point. Getting started with this is getting more expensive/worrying the more I think about it...

mountainofdebt

I've just had a dog walker come and see about walking mutt for a fortnight and they had public liability (showed me the cert) and also had current police checks done (again showed me the certs)

also wanted to know if I was happy for mutt to be left off the lead, wanted emergency contacts no etc

Flyonthewall

mountainofdebt wrote: »

I've just had a dog walker come and see about walking mutt for a fortnight and they had public liability (showed me the cert) and also had current police checks done (again showed me the certs)

also wanted to know if I was happy for mutt to be left off the lead, wanted emergency contacts no etc

I have a recent CRB certificate.

As the service already exists I assume the company have contact numbers. They told me about a few different dogs they have and said if they need to be kept on leads and only walked around the streets so it seems they do ask that too.

elsien

Procedure for accidents/emergencies/cost of treatment if a dog becomes ill while in your care?
I don't mean just insurance and who pays what, I mean the practicalities of what you need to do and which vet you use, who takes them etc, should they need to be seen straight away.

Flyonthewall

elsien wrote: »

Procedure for accidents/emergencies/cost of treatment if a dog becomes ill while in your care?
I don't mean just insurance and who pays what, I mean the practicalities of what you need to do and which vet you use, who takes them etc, should they need to be seen straight away.

I'm guessing the answer of panic, possibly faint isn't what you want...lol. I'd probably have to call for help, especially if it were a bigger dog and it needed carrying or something.

Not sure what the current procedure is for that though. I assume they have something in place.

Mojisola

What part does the pet business play in this? What paperwork do they go through with the owners?

Do they find the owners and subcontract the walking to you? You need to make sure what is their responsibility and what is yours.

Do the owners sign an agreement with them or you?

mountainofdebt

Flyonthewall wrote: »

I have a recent CRB certificate.

As the service already exists I assume the company have contact numbers. They told me about a few different dogs they have and said if they need to be kept on leads and only walked around the streets so it seems they do ask that too.

Never assume anything - at the end of the day if anthing was to go wrong I can bet my last £1 that it would be your neck on the line and not the company's.

As Elsien said do you know what vets the dogs are all registered to?

I was also asked what notch I wanted mutt's collar done up on - might sound daft but Oh and I have a differing opinion on that

I was also asked if it was ok to walk mutt with other dogs

Flyonthewall

Mojisola wrote: »

What part does the pet business play in this? What paperwork do they go through with the owners?

Do they find the owners and subcontract the walking to you? You need to make sure what is their responsibility and what is yours.

Not a clue.

They have some pets already and they will try and find more. No idea how many they have, but currently the job is done between 2 people. I'll gradually be taking on more, although can't say how many and whether they'll still continue to do some. Not sure if it would exactly be subcontracting.

Flyonthewall

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Never assume anything - at the end of the day if anthing was to go wrong I can bet my last £1 that it would be your neck on the line and not the company's.

As Elsien said do you know what vets the dogs are all registered to?

I was also asked what notch I wanted mutt's collar done up on - might sound daft but Oh and I have a differing opinion on that

I was also asked if it was ok to walk mutt with other dogs

I know. I need to ask the company. It's more of I hope than I assume lol.

No, but that kind of thing hasn't really been discussed at all yet. Again, hoping they know.

I know they walk some dogs with other dogs...