Pros Race to Scoop Poop
The boom in pet waste removal comes at a time when pet ownership is at an all-time high, yards are smaller than ever and home services are exploding as breadwinners are busier and don't have time to mess with the cleanup. Plus, stricter pooper-scooper laws and greater awareness of health hazards of doggie excrement have also helped prop the burgeoning industry. Some have even franchised their business, such as Pet Butler Franchise Services Inc. and DoodyCalls Franchising. aPAWS has grown from 12 businesses in 2002 to about 200 today.
It's a service that's becoming more popular, just like having someone clean the pool, wash the car, walk the dogs or clean the house. "They'd rather spend time with their kids, and play with their dog than picking up after them," says Timothy Stone, co-founder of the organization and owner of Scoop Masters USA Inc. of Santa Clarita, Calif.
Lest you think turd removal is a small business, consider this:
There are 74.8 million pet dogs in the U.S., according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association Inc. And a typical pooch produces 274 pounds of poo each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Last year, pet services accounted for $3 billion out of the total $41.2 billion spent on U.S. pets -- with annual expenses for dogs topping $1,425 per year.
How vulnerable is a poop business to start-up competition? Fried chicken is retailed with secret herbs and spices. Auto services have mechanics trained to recognize break problems. But poop scoop, where is their special hook?
The industry is actually pioneering the fastest way to pick up crap by holding an annual race to scoop poop and pushing the speed of that special flick of the wrist to pick up pooh fast.
Christopher Trauco, a 19-year-old of Tyrone, Ga., owns Scoop D'Poo and was the youngest winner the contest has ever crowned as the aPaws "King of Crap." Mr. Trauco won by picking up 28 rubber poops in two minutes. He chose to not use a shovel or rake or any other doggy tool. Rather, he used one latex glove and his right hand. He says he usually uses his hand in his business, because it saves more time and money on disinfectants.
Franchisors in this sector concentrate not just on building a brand but on time-to-market. Mr. Ray Hays, CEO of Doo Care, told the Blue MauMau franchise community, "It's about capturing market share quickly, improving efficiencies, leveraging economies-of-scale and lowering costs, much like other franchise concepts."
Mr. Hays also adds, "Believe it or not, technology is very important [to Doo Care]. We use an online routing software, which interfaces with a GPS system. This gives us an ability to track and measure the efficiency of our techs, which makes the difference between servicing 2 clients an hour, versus 4 or 6 clients an hour. And as the number of clients build, the routing becomes 'tighter', which drives efficiency and margins."
The industry is also unusual enough to get the media's attention.
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Read the full article at WSJ.com: Doggie Doo Pros Race to Scoop Poop
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