The Dog Days of the Corona Economy
How you’re handling the pandemic depends a lot on your species. The dogs are thrilled that their people are home all the time, but the humans are worried and anxious. We’re afraid of contracting COVID and stressed about the economy. The Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdown have decimated the global economy, leaving businesses shuttered and in debt. Currently, nearly half the U.S. population is without a job, and small businesses are getting hammered.
The majority of dog professionals (walkers, trainers, groomers, and daycares) are small businesses or sole proprietorships. Wanting to find out how the shutdown affected local Bay Area dog businesses, I surveyed more than fifty dog pros about how they have fared since mid-March. Respondents included 28 walkers, 20 trainers, and 4 daycare owners. Here’s what I found out.
Who Stayed Open?
Six Bay Area counties worked together to enact shelter-in-place orders in March 2020, but the details about which businesses were “essential” were unclear and constantly changing. We were told to wear gloves and wipe down all groceries, but no one knew whether dogs could spread the disease (currently the CDC advises that “based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low”). There was confusion as to whether dog walking was an essential business.
Throughout the Bay Area, all dog parks were closed. Even after it was clarified that dog walking was not deemed an essential business, some walkers continued operating, as enforcement was light or nonexistent. Dog professionals combed through public orders, contacted city officials for guidance, and urged each other to reach out to public health officers to advocate for dog walking companies to reopen. It was hard to keep track of constantly changing shelter-in-place rules as each week brought new amendments or extensions. Should we stay home and stay safe or keep working and pay the bills?
On social media, there was tension and rancor between dog walkers who continued picking up dogs and walking in public parks and those who closed shop. Discussions turned ugly on local dog walker Facebook groups on both sides of the Bay, with finger-pointing and public shaming from those who thought it wrong to go back to work while the pandemic was still raging. Many who continued working felt they had no choice, like the walker who agonized that “having had to sneak into parks just to be able to work to pay rent and get groceries sucks. I need a break from all this bleakness.” Another walker lamented how hard it was to “gauge how to balance my safety and my client's safety with the possibility of losing all my clients from being shut down so long.”
In The Red
Most dog professionals struggled with making ends meet during the shutdown, with the majority reporting a 50-75% decrease in income. Even those who never stopped working still saw a drastic reduction in the number of dogs in their care. Dog owners working from home no longer needed a dog walker or dog daycare. Dog boarding and pet sitting ceased as all vacations and travel got canceled indefinitely. Dog pros dipped into savings accounts, maxed out credit cards, or borrowed money from friends and family. Some were able to rely on a spouse’s or partner’s income. Business owners expressed the agony of laying off their employees. The majority of dog businesses were closed for at least 3 months.
Problems receiving unemployment or small business loans are still widespread, including clogged phone lines, crashed websites, and delays in payments. Those who applied early generally received a PPP loan (Payment Protection Loan), but many found navigating the system confusing, frustrating, and exhausting. Months later some unemployed walkers have still not received any benefits.
The financial situation was only slightly better for dog trainers. Most trainers stopped working when everything first shut down, but by the end of April the need for training ramped up as people who adopted a dog during quarantine quickly realized they needed help with their rescues. Many trainers moved online, although there was a “steep learning curve transitioning from in-person to virtual dog training.” Of all those surveyed, only two training businesses made more money than usual during the shutdown.
In addition to the loss of income and financial stress, dog pros talked about how much they missed the dogs. “My regular walking clients have become like family. I went into a depression. Not being able to see, walk, or work with the dogs was a heartache.” Dog walkers bond deeply with their client’s dogs, especially those they see every day. Some clients continued paying their walkers throughout the shutdown or paid for dog walks even though they were home. An East Bay walker recounts that “the generosity of some of my clients has been unexpected and very touching. Several continued to pay their monthly bill, despite reducing or stopping services entirely during the shelter in place.” Another walker writes that “the best part of this experience has been how supportive and kind my clients have been. I am proud that I have chosen a career that shows the best of humanity.”
The dogs I interviewed told similar stories. They missed the socialization and camaraderie of their group walks. As much as they loved having their people home all day, many were confused by the change in their daily routine. Sammy the Cattle Dog told me, “I love my dog walker, and it’s wrong that the parking lot at Fort Funston was closed for so long.”
How Dog Pros Are Adapting
Dog parks are finally open and business is slowly returning. Avoiding infection is a significant concern, as is the fear of unknowingly infecting a client. In addition to masks and gloves, many dog walkers are offering contactless pick-ups and drop-offs and no longer entering client’s homes. Dogs and vehicles now require extra cleaning. One local business reports that “with the increased number of safety protocols, our workday is longer even though we are servicing fewer clients.”
Outdoor space in our dense urban area is a hot commodity. More people using public parks present a new challenge for dog walkers. “Being in public spaces with my group of dogs is incredibly stressful now. People ignore social distancing and mask requirements, or want to allow their dogs to play with my group despite COVID.” The shutdown, reopening, and rolling back of reopening means keeping track of park and beach closures, locked parking lots, and changing leash laws.
It will be a while before trainers can offer group and indoor dog training classes again. Still, trainers are getting creative with using clients’ backyards and offering a mix of 1:1 training and virtual classes. Much needed puppy socialization classes are on hold, as are most in-home consults. The good news is that most trainers I spoke with are inundated with new clients.
What Happens Next?
The coronavirus is reshaping the economy here in the Bay Area and around the globe. Unfortunately, small businesses will not come out on top. Each day brings heartbreaking news of favorite restaurants and local shops folding. Pre-pandemic life in the Bay Area was already a hustle, so it’s no surprise that 40% of dog professionals surveyed are considering a move out of the Bay Area permanently, in line with similar trends in cities like New York and Los Angeles.
The financial prospects for businesses across the nation are uncertain, especially for those hanging on by a thread. No one knows what’s coming next. Economists predict a wave of consolidations as corporate chains and large companies swallow up small businesses. This does not bode well for the dog services industry, which has already been competing with tech companies like Wag and Rover. These walking and petsitting apps undercut trained dog professionals by relying on gig workers with little or no training. Now more than ever it is time for all of us to shop local and support small businesses.
While it’s foolish to abandon all plans for the future, dogs can teach us a lot about living in the present. The shutdown has forced all of us to slow down and re-evaluate what is important. Remember, the things that make our dogs the happiest can also help us deal with uncertainty and chronic worry: long walks, naps, extra cuddles, and occasional random zoomies.