Making your business pet-friendly can be a great way to attract more customers and stand out in a competitive market. Indeed, many locations have started allowing pets to come in these days as it boosts morale and helps people who need pets by their side. Some people may manage their mental health issues better with a dog by their side, and some busy bees may just want to walk their dog and socialize at the same time! Whatever the case is, if your business can easily become pet-friendly, why not do so? There’s a demand for it right now, and you can gain a lot of profit by having welcoming arms for furry customers too. Here are a few tips to make your business pet-friendly:
Develop a Pet Policy
To develop a pet policy, clearly define what types of pets are allowed in your business and under what circumstances. For example, you may allow well-behaved, leashed dogs in your outdoor seating area but not inside the building. You may also allow leashed dogs inside your building as long as they are diapered and well-trained to not bark at other patrons.
Make Things Easier for Pets
Consider providing amenities such as water bowls and designated “potty areas” for pets. A water bowl and trash bins may not seem like much, but you’re already doing a lot for your pet-owning customers. Now, they won’t need to bring their own water bowls or hang onto their bag of poop!
You can also offer pet-related products or services. For example, Starbucks offers a Pup Cup, which is just a cup of whipped cream.
Train Staff
Make sure your staff is trained to interact appropriately with pets and their owners. They should know how to handle situations such as aggressive behavior or accidents. They should, at the very least, also know what not to do with certain animals as well. For example, they should not be petting a cat when the cat is showing signs of aggression due to their boundaries being pushed.
Show Off Your Pet-Friendliness
Make sure to advertise your pet-friendly status on your website and social media channels. You can also participate in local pet-related events to attract pet owners to your business. Pet-friendly stores are still relatively new, and you’re bound to attract customers who’d love to visit a new place with their beloved pets.
Be Considerate of Other Customers
Not everyone is a pet lover, so make sure to provide separate seating areas for pet owners and non-pet owners. Especially so since some people may have severe allergies to pets—they must be kept far away from them as possible to ensure safety and security. You should consider having a designated spot for people and their pets that is well out of reach for people who do not want to interact with them, like outdoors!
Also, be prepared to handle any concerns or complaints from non-pet owners. You should also learn how to address these concerns if they turn out to be the fault of the pet owner—not all pet owners are responsible for their pets, after all.
Follow Local Laws and Regulations
Make sure you are aware of and comply with any local laws or regulations regarding pets in businesses. Depending on the nature of your business, for example, you may not actually be allowed to be pet-friendly at all save for service animals. Always ask around before advertising pet-friendliness.
Make Sure Your Building is Accessible
Make sure that your business is accessible to people with disabilities, including those with service animals. People with disabilities have always been sidelined in favor of able-bodied people, and something as simple as a ramp or an elevator that a service animal can guide them to will make things more inclusive for them.