With most of us having extra time in our hands, and some having less money in the pocket as a result of the lockdown, there are ways pet owners earn money with the help of their pets. Not in the manner of giving them tasks, no, but by being creative in connection to pets and animals in general.
Some of these pet owners even donate and pledge support to rescue organizations to help them with their efforts in giving strays, wild animals, a comfortable way of living. As Nick Trout said, “Perhaps the greatest gift an animal has to offer is a permanent reminder of who we really are.” And we are stewards, charged, and given the responsibility to care for our little furriends.
Here are some ideas on how pet owners earn money while being at home, and some more tips to look into later when things are more stable.
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Pet Illustrations
To have a beloved pet’s photo is one thing, to have a pet’s personality captured on drawing, whether pencil, watercolor, acrylic or digital media is another.
Since we have 3 furbabies at home, my daughter has often been inspired to draw them and even do commissions. Pet owners would simply send a picture of their beloved cat or dog and she would draw them either as realistic or cartoonized (per owner’s request).
Depending on an artist’s skill, a drawing of a pet’s face could cost as much as 15€. Pet owners earn money by using their talent in drawing cute pets. And because each artist’s style is different from the other, one illustration of a cat’s face could be so different from another’s perspective. If you do not own a pet but have a friend who does, gifting them with a portrait of their pet would surely pull their heartstrings. Message us or leave a comment if you would like a portrait of your pet.
Pet Image Printed Products
It’s a thing: having your pet’s face on your shirt, a quote related to being a pet parent, or a proud declaration that you’re a #CatMom, a #DogDad, or even a #CrazyCatLady. Some, if not many of us, pet owners have dabbed into the art of creating products with our pets as the brand. From shirts to mugs, logos to icons, to tote bags, to pillowcases, name it, there’s a product you can find for sure.
Cutting out and printing has never been easy as it is now. With the popularity of SVG files in connection to popular cutting /die-cut machines like Cricut Maker or Explore, Brother ScanNCut, and Silhouette Cameo, printing at home can be as easy as 1-2-3. SVG images, once ignored, are now crafters, designers, and publishers’ favorite image files. SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics. Being scalable, SVGs are perfect for both small prints and large prints. We’re talking mug size print, to billboard print! The quality of an SVG image remains the same when scaled, no matter how much it gets stretched and magnified.
Another convenience SVG files has is its availability online – free and paid, it can be downloaded along with other popular formats – PNG, JPG, EPS and more. One such website I like getting ideas from and getting my SVG images from is designbundles.net. They have tens of thousands of ideas, images, templates, all of the inspiration for your next project. I’ve already printed wall decals using a design I bought and will do one again for a friend.
When our creative juices dry up, my daughter and I would browse through designbundles to give us some ideas, and off we go to do crafts.
SVG images are also called SVG cuts or digital cut files, because they are files that have been already cut for you albeit digitally. With SVG cuts, getting your prints on a shirt is pretty simple –
- you download a design you like
- set your cutting machine, edit out the image on Design Space (for Cricut) or Silhouette Studio (for Silhouette) and other software appropriate for the cutting machine you own
- let your machine cut your design for you
- set your shirt up for the image
- heat-press the image onto the shirt
- done!
See the shirt sample and the actual print on a shirt (above photo).
Pet Photography
I’ve often mentioned that cats are my favorite photo subjects. Back when I was still a photography student, I would go about looking for stray cats, take pictures of them (I used to live in a city with many strays). Nowadays, I get to practice a little bit with our three cats.
Well, cats aren’t the only photogenic species under the kingdom of Animalia. We believe all animals are beautiful, being they are given to us by our Creator to appreciate and love. And what better way to share such beauty to those who can’t have pets at home? Take photos and sell them. There are a lot of platforms you can sell animal photos, with some on a mission to donate as well.
When the situation finally gets better, one can also set up a photography service catering to pets.
-Cats
For cats, a home service photoshoot is more convenient for the pet as it will be within the comfort of the home, as opposed to going out and be carried to a studio. Some cats panic when they leave the four corners of the house they have been in all their lives. Cats can be photographed within its play area, a cat tower, even a setup of blankets as background. Make sure that there’s enough natural light.
-Dogs
For dogs, an outdoor photoshoot would be alright. A dog’s mood changes when it’s outside playing, running around, and well, being a dog. You can get beautiful photos using natural light, a green background (or colorful leaves when it’s autumn), with a cute dog in every frame. You can go ahead and prettify your dog first as though entering a dog contest. It’s not a must for they will still be cute as a button as they are, drool and all.
-Little furry pets
Rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and other little furriends are not so shy creatures. They wouldn’t mind having their photos taken as long as they are awake. ^_^ So give them some treats if you happen to be tasked to take their pictures. Always go on eye-level when photographing these pretty little creatures. Robert Capa once said, ‘if your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough’. This rule applies to all but is especially true for bunnies and its furry friends.
-Fish
Fish photography, the aquarium setup is a niche to itself as much as underwater fish photography is. Light, refractions, and reflections are some challenges a photographer must overcome when taking photos of creatures inside water tanks. One simple rule for photographing aquarium fish: never use the flash! One can work around the lights installed, control reflections, probably (truly) zoom in for a perfect fish photo.
-Birds
Domesticated birds are much easier to photograph than birds on flight. Birds are innately curious, they will directly look into your lens when you point it at them. You could get a very close-up. Just make sure there would be no pecking involved. ^_^
Other Ways Pet Owners Earn Money With the Help of Pets
Pet Taxi
If people can transport people and food from point A to B, then they can do so with animals (maybe plants even). The idea of exclusively servicing to animals for transport works best for those who want to have a side job. To ensure a healthy car environment for people with allergies, it is best to not have a taxi servicing both hoomans and animals.
The usual route a pet takes anyway is to the vet, as a pet owner, you’ve experienced how it is travelling with pets as your passenger. Another service you can add is pet food buying and delivery. Stores already do this, but your trusted patrons might want to do this service with you as they would trust their pets being transported.
It’s easy money for little effort and a plus if you love pets – you get to meet a lot.
Pet Sitting
Whenever aunts would spend a month or two on vacation, we take care of their cats by either visiting them every day or taking them with us at home. Pet owners earn money by lending their time to other pet owners. The task of caring for the cats includes feeding them, cleaning their toilets, changing sand if need be, and there are, of course, free cuddles and play. While I don’t really ask them for fees, I do get some money for this. Sitting pets if you love animals is like a side job that isn’t really a side job, you get paid for doing what you love: spending time with furry friends.
Pet Grooming
Have you ever tried bathing a cat? Have you ever tried trimming a dog’s fur? It isn’t easy, but groomers are trained to do this. If you find yourself good in this kind of service, then might as well start a grooming business to cater to the needs of the furry problem – removing matted hair, making sure the skin and fur are healthy. Pet owners earn money by keeping pets pretty.
Pet Walking
If you find that you have extra time to spend in some afternoons, pet owners earn money by walking other people’s pets. Going around in the park, or a particular spot is not only good for the pet, but it’s also good for you.
Surely, there are other ways pet owners earn money with help from their pets, and as service to other pets. Have you other ideas? Let us know in the comments below.