How to Choose the Right Pet Care Franchise in 2026

Estimated read: 9 minutes

If you love animals and want to run your own business, a pet care franchise can be a very good way to do it. The harder part is choosing the right one, because the franchises on offer in the UK vary enormously in what they provide, what they cost and how well they look after the people who join them. This guide sets out the questions worth asking any franchisor before you commit, including us.

Why the UK pet care market is worth a look

Demand for professional pet care has grown sharply over the last few years. According to UK Pet Food's Pet Population Report, based on a January 2026 survey of nearly 9,000 households, 41% of UK households now own a dog, up from 33% in 2021, and there are around 15.5 million dogs living in UK homes.

Many of those dogs arrived during the pandemic, when their owners were at home all day. Now that a large number of those owners are back in the office for at least part of the week, they need someone trustworthy to walk, visit and care for their pets while they are out, and that is the gap a good pet care business fills.

Should you buy a franchise or start on your own?

You can start a pet care business independently, and some people do it successfully. It usually costs less to get going and gives you complete freedom, but it also means building a brand, finding every customer, working out the legal and insurance requirements and creating your own systems, all while trying to earn an income.

A franchise gives you a proven model, a recognised brand, training and a support network in return for an initial investment and ongoing fees. Neither route is right for everyone, and our honest comparison of franchising and starting your own pet business goes through the pros and cons of each in detail.

Eight questions to ask before you choose a pet care franchise

If you have decided a franchise is the right route, these are the questions that separate a franchise worth joining from one that simply sells you a logo. Ask them of every franchisor you speak to.

1. Can I speak to existing franchisees on my own?

Nobody can tell you more about a franchise than the people already running one. A good franchisor will introduce you to several of its franchisees and leave you to ask them whatever you like, including what caught them out and what they wish they had known. If a franchisor is reluctant to let you do that, treat it as a warning sign.

2. How satisfied are the current franchisees, and do they renew?

Satisfaction and renewal rates tell you whether people who have already invested are glad they did. Ask for both figures, and ask how they were measured. At We Love Pets, franchisee satisfaction stands at 96%, and every franchisee whose agreement has come up for renewal has chosen to renew.

3. Does it offer one service or many?

Some franchises are built around a single service, usually dog walking or home boarding. A multi-service franchise gives you several ways to earn, which helps even out seasonal changes in demand and means customers can stay with you as their needs change. A We Love Pets franchisee can offer ten services: dog walking, puppy care, pet sitting, cat care, home boarding, house sitting, small animal care, horse care, pet taxi and wedding pet chaperone.

4. What does the training cover, and what happens after launch?

Almost every franchise offers initial training. What matters more is whether the support continues once the launch is over, because the hardest moments in a new business tend to come in month three or month nine rather than in week one. A useful way to frame it is to ask whether the franchisor will still be supporting you in year three, not just week three.

Look for ongoing coaching, marketing and lead generation help, and practical support for the things that go wrong out of hours. We Love Pets franchisees get a dedicated support team with regular calls in their first year, Business Reviews and Planning, marketing and advertising support, a resource and support hub, a peer community and a 24/7 veterinary advice line, plus access to a 24/7 HR and health and safety support line at massively discounted rates. Training includes the We Love Pets Certification™ in Dog Care, Cat Care and Small Animal Care, with ongoing education through Animal Ed.

5. What are its animal welfare standards?

Pet owners are trusting you with animals they love and, very often, with the keys to their home. A franchise's welfare standards shape its reputation, and therefore yours. Ask how many dogs are walked together, how dogs are matched, and what assessments are carried out before a new pet is taken on. At We Love Pets there is no pack walking, no more than four dogs on any walk, and dogs are matched by temperament before they are walked together.

6. Is the territory exclusive?

You want to be certain that no one else can run the same brand on your patch. Ask whether the territory is exclusive, how its boundaries are set, and how many households it contains. Every We Love Pets territory is exclusive to the franchisee who runs it.

7. Will I build a business or just buy myself a job?

Some franchises are designed for one person working alone. Others are built so that you can take on staff, grow your client base and build a business with real value. Neither is wrong, but you should know which one you are buying, and whether the franchisor will help you recruit and manage a team if you want to grow.

8. What does it really cost, and is the franchisor open about it?

A franchisor worth trusting will tell you the full costs up front, including the ongoing fees, and will help you build a realistic budget rather than rushing you towards a signature. The next section sets out our costs plainly.

What a We Love Pets franchise costs

We are not the cheapest pet care franchise you will look at, and we would rather be open about the numbers from the start.

• Initial franchise fee: £12,995 + VAT. This covers your exclusive territory, full pre-launch training, business set-up support, a marketing launch pack for your area, and all the operational systems, software and handbooks you need.
• Management service fee: 10% of turnover. This pays for the ongoing support, training, marketing, vet advice line and national brand that you continue to benefit from every month.
• WLP Connect: our business software, at a discounted franchisee rate of £30 a month.
• Funding: We Love Pets is pre-approved for government-backed Start Up Loans, which can cover up to 100% of the franchise fee, plus working capital, for eligible applicants.

You should also budget for business insurance, uniform and equipment, and enough to cover your living costs while you build your client base. We'll go through a realistic budget for your area with you before you commit to anything, and our Investment & Funding page has the full breakdown.

Is a pet care franchise profitable?

It can be, but anyone who promises you a particular income before they know your territory, your hours and your plans is not being straight with you. Profitability depends on the demand in your area, the services you offer, your pricing, the hours you put in and whether you choose to take on a team.

The most useful thing you can do is ask existing franchisees how long it took them to build up their client base and what their first year really looked like. Their answers will tell you far more than any brochure.

How We Love Pets measures up

We Love Pets is the largest full-service pet care franchise in the UK, with more than 115 franchisees running 180 branches. Our franchisees come from almost every background you can think of, including nursing, teaching, retail, finance, logistics and corporate roles, and most of them had no professional pet care experience before they joined.

Gemma, a former teacher and pastoral lead who now runs the We Love Pets branch in Colchester, describes the support simply:

"I've never felt like I'm doing it alone."

Gemma, We Love Pets Colchester

You can read Gemma's full story, and those of four other franchisees, in Real Career-Change Stories: Classroom, Hospital & Office, and find out more about our approach in Why Franchise with We Love Pets?

Is a pet care franchise right for you?

You don't need previous pet care experience to run a successful pet care franchise, because good training covers what you need to know. The people who do well tend to share a genuine love of animals, a reliable and organised approach, good people skills, and a willingness to follow a proven system while building something of their own.

If that sounds like you, the next step is simply to start asking the questions above, of us and of anyone else you are considering. The right franchise will be glad you asked.

Related reading

• Why Franchise with We Love Pets? 6 Reasons People Choose Us
• Franchise vs Starting Your Own Pet Business: An Honest Guide
• How to Leave Your Corporate Job to Work With Animals

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pet care franchise cost in the UK?

It varies between franchisors. A We Love Pets franchise has an initial fee of £12,995 + VAT and a management service fee of 10% of turnover, and government-backed Start Up Loans can cover up to 100% of the franchise fee, plus working capital, for eligible applicants.

Do I need experience to run a pet care franchise?

No. Most We Love Pets franchisees had no professional pet care experience before they joined. Full training covers the animal care and the business side.

What should I ask a franchisor before signing?

Ask to speak to existing franchisees on your own, ask for satisfaction and renewal rates, check whether the territory is exclusive, find out what support continues after launch, and make sure you understand every cost, including ongoing fees.

Is a multi-service pet franchise better than a single-service one?

For most people, yes. Offering several services gives you more ways to earn, helps balance out quieter times of year and lets customers stay with you as their needs change.

Can I get funding for a pet care franchise?

Yes. We Love Pets is pre-approved for government-backed Start Up Loans, which can cover up to 100% of the franchise fee, plus working capital, for eligible applicants.