
Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services
Description
Pet care services excluding veterinary medicine encompass a diverse range of establishments dedicated to the well-being and maintenance of companion animals. These businesses provide essential non-medical assistance including boarding facilities where pets are housed overnight or for extended periods, professional grooming for hygiene and aesthetics, and mobile or stationary services for pet sitting and walking. Additionally, many operators offer training programs to modify behaviors or teach new skills, often operating on a recurring basis to ensure consistent care. Typical business activities involve direct engagement with animal owners to understand specific needs, followed by the execution of tasks that may include feeding, exercising, cleaning, and health monitoring without medical intervention. The sector includes a wide spectrum of operators ranging from small, home-based independent owners who operate out of their residences to larger franchises and chains with multiple locations. While some providers focus on a single service like dog walking, others integrate comprehensive care packages under one roof. The scale of these operations varies significantly, from sole proprietors managing just a few pets daily to corporate entities serving thousands of animals annually across numerous geographic regions. Overall, this industry plays a critical role in supporting the lifestyle of pet owners by ensuring their animals receive attention and companionship throughout various daily and seasonal circumstances.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Other Services (except Public Administration) sector comprises establishments engaged in providing services not specifically provided for elsewhere in the classification system. Establishments in this sector are primarily engaged in activities such as equipment and machinery repairing, promoting or administering religious activities, grantmaking, advocacy, and providing drycleaning and laundry services, personal care services, death care services, pet care (except veterinary) services, photofinishing services, temporary parking services, and dating services. Private households that engage in employing workers on or about the premises in activities primarily concerned with the operation of the household are included in this sector. Excluded from this sector are establishments primarily engaged in retailing new equipment and also performing repairs and general maintenance on equipment. These establishments are classified in Sector 44-45, Retail Trade. |
| 812 | Personal and Laundry Services 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Personal and Laundry Services subsector group establishments that provide personal and laundry services to individuals, households, and businesses. Services performed include: personal care services; death care services; laundry and drycleaning services; and a wide range of other personal services, such as pet care (except veterinary) services, photofinishing services, temporary parking services, and dating services. The Personal and Laundry Services subsector is by no means all-inclusive of the services that could be termed personal services (i.e., those provided to individuals rather than businesses). There are many other subsectors, as well as sectors, that provide services to persons. Establishments providing legal, accounting, tax preparation, architectural, portrait photography, and similar professional services are classified in Sector 54, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; those providing job placement, travel arrangement, home security, interior and exterior house cleaning, exterminating, lawn and garden care, and similar support services are classified in Sector 56, Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; those providing health and social services are classified in Sector 62, Health Care and Social Assistance; those providing amusement and recreation services are classified in Sector 71, Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; those providing educational instruction are classified in Sector 61, Educational Services; those providing repair services are classified in Subsector 811, Repair and Maintenance; and those providing spiritual, civic, and advocacy services are classified in Subsector 813, Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations. |
| 8129 | Other Personal Services 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing personal services (except personal care services, death care services, or drycleaning and laundry services). |
| 81291 | Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 812910. |
| 812910 | Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services 6-digit U.S. detail | Pet care services excluding veterinary medicine encompass a diverse range of establishments dedicated to the well-being and maintenance of companion animals. These businesses provide essential non-medical assistance including boarding facilities where pets are housed overnight or for extended periods, professional grooming for hygiene and aesthetics, and mobile or stationary services for pet sitting and walking. Additionally, many operators offer training programs to modify behaviors or teach new skills, often operating on a recurring basis to ensure consistent care. Typical business activities involve direct engagement with animal owners to understand specific needs, followed by the execution of tasks that may include feeding, exercising, cleaning, and health monitoring without medical intervention. The sector includes a wide spectrum of operators ranging from small, home-based independent owners who operate out of their residences to larger franchises and chains with multiple locations. While some providers focus on a single service like dog walking, others integrate comprehensive care packages under one roof. The scale of these operations varies significantly, from sole proprietors managing just a few pets daily to corporate entities serving thousands of animals annually across numerous geographic regions. Overall, this industry plays a critical role in supporting the lifestyle of pet owners by ensuring their animals receive attention and companionship throughout various daily and seasonal circumstances. |
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Classification References
- 01Practicing veterinary medicine--are classified in Industry 541940, Veterinary Services;
- 02Boarding horses--are classified in Industry 115210, Support Activities for Animal Production; and
- 03Transporting pets--are classified in U.S. Industry 485991, Special Needs Transportation.
Index Items
Animal grooming services
Animal shelters
Boarding services, pet
Dog pounds
Grooming services, animal
Guard dog training services
Guide dog training services
Kennels, pet boarding
Obedience training services, pet
Pedigree record services, pet
Pet boarding services
Pet grooming services
Pet sitting services
Pet training services
Pet walking services
Sitting services, pet
Working, sporting, and service dog training services
How Item Can Help
Item.com's Warehouse Management System optimizes storage of bulk supplies like food and toys, while streamlining order fulfillment for perishable pet food items to ensure freshness.
The Order Management System centralizes pet owner requests from social media and loyalty programs to automatically route orders to the nearest fulfillment center.
Data Intelligence analyzes purchasing trends to predict seasonal demand spikes, allowing businesses to adjust inventory levels and marketing campaigns in real time.
Item.com Tools
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 812910.
National Animal Care Association
A trade association dedicated to advancing the interests of animal care professionals and providing industry resources.
US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook
A government page providing labor market statistics and job outlook data for pet care services.
National Association of Pet Retailers
An industry group representing retailers and service providers offering pet care products and grooming services.