Why do the letters behind a name matter? They distinguish a profession and a commitment one makes to be knowledgeable and ethical in providing services to clients.

Pet Care Services is currently at a cross road as the public is split 50/50 into two extreme views. One group assumes all pet care providers are professionals or else they would not be in business. The other group hears horror stories of care gone wrong and fears leaving their pets with anyone they don’t know.

Pet Care Professionals
Are you proud of your profession? Do you share your commitment to providing quality care to your clients? Your website and marketing should highlight the education and training you and your staff have and continue to obtain. Every professional member has a responsibility to the professional perception of our industry.

The lack of regulation and ease of entry to starting a pet care business is only making it harder to distinguish oneself as a pet care professional.

To recruit and retain great staff we also need to focus on pet care being a great career choice for people that love animals. Certification is an important step for our industry to finally recognize ourselves as the professionals we are.

Differentiate Your Business
A professional that obtains certification is proud to put the letters behind their name. They made a commitment and investment in education to reach the top of their industry. Their clients know their knowledge has been validated through testing.

Certified professionals also commit to industry ethics in how they operate their businesses which also builds trust with the public. Today every pet death or tragic accident that makes the news reflects poorly on everyone in the industry. Every business gets painted with the same negative perception and our profession loses trust from the public and regulators.

Another benefit of certification is the ability to price in the upper range of the market. People expect to pay more for care provided by certified professionals. When we can charge higher rates we can pay certified staff higher wages and reduce turnover. You save training costs and quality of care improves with a team of experienced professionals.

Professional Animal Care Certification Council
The challenge of recognizing the true pet care professionals in pet services from hobbyists and operators seeking profits or extra income has been an ongoing frustration. Last fall at the APDT conference I spent time getting information from the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) on what is required to bring independent certification to a profession.

After that discussion I was convinced that independent testing and certification was the answer. It provides the black and white designation of a professional provider that is easy for the public and regulators to understand.

Charlotte Biggs and I founded a non-profit, Professional Animal Care Certification Council (PACCC), in March. The council has formed a board and hired Professional Testing Corporation (PTC) to guide us through the process of bringing independent certification to the animal care industry. PTC came highly recommended by CCPDT and other professionals working in the certification industry.

Independent certification is an important step for our industry. Using a testing process to assess knowledge and skills in providing care for animals validates our professionalism. PACCC’s goal is to commence the first testing in 2016 for the pet care services industry (e.g., pet lodging, dog daycare, pet sitting).

There is a lot of work ahead to achieve this goal and you can have input to the process. We feel strongly that the certification and testing process needs to be created by members of the industry.

We also recognize the importance of educating the public regarding professional care and certification. Our board includes a public representative and we have a committee focused on marketing the value and importance of certified pet care directly to the public.

We hope you recognize the value and are excited about professional certification, as we need your help. All levels of participation will make a difference, so get started by visiting our website www.paccert.org to:

1. Join our mailing list and receive updates on certification progress and participate in industry surveys as our committees seek input.
2. Volunteer to serve on one of our seven working committees.
3. Commit to certification testing in 2016 and be a leader in Professional Animal Care.

We are very excited by the enthusiastic response to PACCC and believe in the power of an industry working together on a shared goal. More importantly we look forward to next year and seeing many letters after names on certificates hanging in your lobby.

Susan Briggs is co-founder of the Professional Animal Care Council and led the volunteer team that created the first dog daycare operating standards. As founder of Crystal Canine she provides business management and training resources for the pet industry. Check out her FREE reports and other management tools at: www.CrystalCanine.com. As “The Dog Gurus”, Susan and Robin Bennett’s mission is to improve safety in the off-leash dog play industry through our membership site at www.SafeOffLeashDogPlay.com. Susan’s career in the pet industry began as co-founder of Urban Tails, a large multiservice pet care center in Houston Texas. In 2008 her first book Off-Leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety & Fun co-authored with Robin Bennett was published. She is also author of Counting Noses, the only accounting and financial guide customized for the pet industry.

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