In my previous article, I talked about a few things to consider before starting your own animal massage business: business ownership, business plan, competition, and cash flow. Today I will conclude this miniseries with a couple of more important issues to consider.

1. Marketing. How would you market your services? You may want to make a marketing plan, outlining your strategies for the first year. Keep a pad of paper with marketing ideas handy at all times and write down any new ideas you get. It’s important to constantly market your business, not just at the beginning or when business is slow.

2.Training. Where can you learn animal massage therapy? Remember that even after you have graduated from your chosen massage program, it is very important to keep learning. Take classes in other modalities, or classes that explore traditional massage further or from another angle. You never know what might strike a chord with you.

3. Safe. What type of insurance do you need? Liability insurance is a good idea; the International Association for Animal Massage and Bodywork (IAAMB) offers this to its members. If you’re planning to set up a massage studio in your home, find out what your homeowners insurance covers. Be careful with this though, I heard of someone who called their insurance company to ask what they had to do when they opened their business, and they immediately canceled their home insurance policy. Something to have in mind.

4.Legal issues. In addition to deciding what legal form your business should have (sole proprietorship, LLC, Inc.), you should also check the laws regarding animal massage therapy in your state. They vary quite a bit, with some states only allowing massage to be done under the supervision of a veterinarian. To find out what the agreement is in your state, visit the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) website. Since this is a new field, laws are expected to change across the country, so be sure to keep up to date with what’s happening. IAAMB also keeps track of updates to these laws, listed by state.

Note

In the spring of 2008, the National Certification Board for Animal Acupressure and Massage (NBCAAM) was founded to develop a set of core competencies for animal massage and acupressure. This resulted in four national certification exams: Equine Massage, Equine Acupressure, Canine Massage, and Canine Acupressure, organized by Hocking College.

NBCAAM states: “NBCAAM’s purpose is to establish and maintain professional standards for practitioners of animal acupressure and massage. We have taken important steps to promote and increase the level of professionalism within the disciplines of animal acupressure and massage. Take the The exam is completely voluntary and we are excited to offer this option to people who are serious about improving the professional standing of animal massage and acupressure in the United States.”

If this all sounds a bit daunting, keep in mind that every business has to start somewhere and no one knows everything from the beginning. And if you love animals and want to make a difference in their health and lives, a career in animal massage is a fun and extremely rewarding option.