Catteries. Legal background and accounting basics

If you are thinking of becoming self-employed with a cat board, you have chosen a promising field of activity. What to look out for, if you want to become self-employed with a cat pension, you will learn in the following article.

Catteries. Legal background and accounting basics

In many German households there are cats that are loved by their owners. Of course, they only want the best for their pet, even if they want to go on vacation, for example, and the beloved Stubentiger must stay at home. If you are thinking of becoming self-employed with a cat board, you have chosen a promising field of activity. They help the owners of cats Display: Make your cat a pleasure to more flexibility, even if it occasionally needs to go on a business trip. What to look out for, if you want to become self-employed with a cat pension, you will learn in the following article.

Do not be afraid of accounting

For many small business owners, the thought of accounting and the associated regular work is the purest horror. Many have their accounting done by a tax consultant. He knows exactly what to do, does not miss deadlines and books everything the way it should be. Of course, that has its price. However, accounting is not rocket science, especially if you are supported by software such as Lexware's accounting software. You do not need to be a certified accountant if you want to work with this software.

With ready-made booking templates, it makes work a lot easier. This way, you always have an overview of your financial position and the business figures, and can, for example, quickly and easily remind customers who pay their bill late. Also, the regularly required VAT tax return is no longer a challenge with the corresponding software from Lexoffice.

Which topics are still important for business planning?

Of course, not only bookkeeping and advance VAT registration are important in order to become self-employed. Before it can go to the bookkeeping, you first need a business model, with which you also earn money. Therefore you should think about the equipment and the location of your cat board. Also, the question of what services you want to offer, you should answer. By creating additional value for the customer, you create the basis for a solid income.

The first step

Since most of the time it is not without investment and without money, you first need a business plan. Creating such a business plan is not difficult. For this purpose, the Federal Ministry of Economics offers a lot of information and a template for a business plan on its website, especially for start-up founders. Anyone who would like to find out more about the basics of start-up business should take appropriate seminars, coaching or consulting appointments, such as those offered by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Many of these information events are free of charge, for special fee-based start-up advice there is the possibility to apply for funding.

Location and equipment of your cat pension

You should choose the location of your cat's pension wisely. Suitable premises are heavily dependent on demand. It is not always advisable to start such a business from home. The question is: is there sufficient demand for this service in the vicinity of the chosen location, that is, are there enough cats in the neighborhood? In addition, of course, make sure that the equipment is appropriate for the species. Simply placing a few transport boxes as a place to sleep and providing enough food and water is not necessarily the dream of cat owners who want to give their pet into their hands. The environment must be appropriately equipped, for example, with sufficient possibilities to whet the claws, to let off steam or retreat. You should also keep in mind that there are free-range cats among the cats who need a way out, and indoor cats that have plenty of room to move around in an appropriate way.

The capital requirement - with a convincing business plan to the bank

The need for capital can sometimes be very high when reconstruction or major purchases are required. A business plan is very important. In it, lenders can read exactly what potential your cat's pension has, what their unique selling points are and whether the business model is sustainable and economically sustainable. This means the bank can see from a well-designed business plan how likely it is that you can repay the money you want to borrow. For this reason, you should plan and work very carefully when creating your business plan. Here are questions to answer such as: What is the pricing? What does the cat pension earn per animal and day? How high must the utilization be to cover the fixed costs? From what capacity is the cat pension in the profit zone? What added value does the Katzenpension offer over the competition? Is there any added value that justifies a higher price, such as special pampering programs for the animals?

Requirements for the opening of a cat pension

Basically, you have to register a trade if you want to open a cat pension. You need the following proofs for the trade office:Proof of competence according to § 11 Animal Welfare Act, which has to be applied for at the competent veterinary office. If necessary, a focus for the respective breed may be required. There are many preparation courses at the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, just ask your local Chamber of Commerce.

* Proof of the appropriate premises

* Criminal record certificate

* Business license (the official veterinarian must take off your facility)

* Necessary commercial insurance

You should know the animal welfare law, so you can plan your plant from the outset so that it meets the requirements and the official veterinarian dismisses it without complaint. For a species-appropriate attitude sufficient space and perfect hygienic conditions are the basic requirements. Well-founded expertise in the care and husbandry of animals are the cornerstones of your work.

Necessary insurance for your cat pension

With a high-performance public liability insurance, you can secure yourself financially. Because causing a cat housed with you indicator: Make her cat a joy proven a traffic accident, you are liable for it. With a corresponding legal protection insurance, you can also secure, if it comes to disputes with the pet owners. In addition, it can happen that an animal suddenly becomes ill or is damaged by a minor carelessness. Then in any case a corresponding liability insurance helps to compensate for the financial loss.