Who Said There's No Money In Dog Poop

After Being Ridiculed, Pet Sitter Basks in Spotlight

Pet Sitters International member and her six-figure salary featured in Parade Magazine's annual salary report.
King, NC (Vocus/PRWEB ) April 17, 2009 -- Michael Bloomberg makes just $1 a year as the mayor of New York City, while Tiger Woods makes $110 million. What may be more surprising is the $100,000 annual salary of a professional pet sitter.

Tammy Roussin, owner of Absolutely Pampered Pets Sitting & Walking Services in St. Louis, MO, and her six-figure salary, were recently featured in Parade Magazine's "What People Earn" salary report. The national Sunday newspaper magazine featured 90 people and compared their annual salaries.

After last year's salary report, Roussin submitted herself because she thought it would be a great way to promote her business and pet sitting as a profession.

"I've been laughed at and made fun of because I pick up dog poop, but secretly I'm the one laughing," Roussin said. "I thought people would be surprised to know how much money I actually make."

Indeed, the pet-sitting profession has grown exponentially in the last decade, proving to be a viable career option for pet lovers with business savvy seeking to manage their own businesses.

Since 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI), the world's largest educational association for professional pet sitters, has seen its membership grow to more than 8,000 member businesses. Even amid the recent recession, PSI has seen the industry continue to hold steadfast. The Association's recent State of the Industry Survey showed that its members have an average of 191 clients each and perform 17.4 million pet-sitting engagements annually.

Roussin, a PSI member since 2002, began her pet-care career working in a grooming salon after leaving a lucrative career in the marketing industry. She moved back to St. Louis to take care of her grandfather after the death of her parents.

"The unconditional love of the animals was so therapeutic for me and pretty soon I had clients asking me to pet sit," Roussin said. "I incorporated my business, joined PSI and the rest is history."

While Tammy's salary may not be the norm for pet sitters, she is not alone. PSI reports more than 11 percent of their members have gross business revenues of $75,000 or more annually. Several businesses report annual incomes of more than $1 million.

"The success and profit for a pet-sitting business involves many factors, including the location and economic climate," noted Patti Moran, PSI President. "However, pet sitting continues to be an ideal career for pet lovers looking to follow their passion, set their own hours and who are not afraid of the hard work that comes along with business ownership."

Roussin feels the secrets to her success are her positive attitude and her will to persevere. She talks on the phone with a smile on her face. She is polite, courteous and returns calls promptly.

"It's not how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up that matter," Roussin said.

Her hard work is certainly paying off, but Roussin claims the biggest reward is giving people and pets peace of mind.

To learn more about pet sitting as a career or to locate a pet sitter in your area, visit www.petsit.com.

About Pet Sitters International
Established in 1994, Pet Sitters International (PSI) is the world's largest educational association for professional pet sitters, representing more than 8,000 independent professional pet-sitting businesses in the United States, Canada and abroad. PSI provides members with access to affordable bonding and liability insurance and educational resources such as PSI's Accreditation Program, The Pet Sitter's WORLD magazine and PSI's annual Quest convention. PSI provides pet owners with The Pet Owner's WORLD magazine and thepetsitblog.com. For more information, visit www.petsit.com, home of the Official Pet Sitter Locator™ or visit the PSIStoreOnline to select from more than 2,000 pet sitter and pet owner products.

Contact: Courtney Klein
Phone: (336) 983-9222 ext. 318
Web site: www.petsit.com

Contact: Terry Chance
Phone (336) 983-9222 ext. 314