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To become an animal transporter, you need to follow several key steps and develop essential skills:
  1. Obtain USDA registration: This is a crucial first step to legally transport animals. You'll need to complete the necessary paperwork and meet the requirements set by the United States Department of Agriculture4.
  2. Acquire a suitable vehicle: Ensure you have a vehicle that can safely and comfortably transport animals. The vehicle should meet specific requirements for animal transportation4.
  3. Develop soft skills: Successful animal transporters possess important soft skills such as:
  • Empathy: Understanding the feelings of both animals and their owners
  • Patience: Dealing with unpredictable situations and animal behavior
  • Communication: Clearly conveying information to pet owners and providing regular updates
  • Problem-solving: Adapting to challenges that may arise during transport
  • Attention to detail: Following specific care instructions and noting animal quirks
  • Resilience: Managing long hours and emotional demands of the job
  • Interpersonal skills: Building a client base and networking within the industry2
  1. Learn proper animal handling: Understand how to safely handle different types of animals and ensure their comfort during transport4.
  2. Utilize technology: Incorporate modern tools to enhance your services, such as:
  • GPS tracking systems for real-time updates
  • Digital platforms for documentation and communication
  • Scheduling and route optimization software2
  1. Continuous learning: Stay updated on industry best practices through online courses, webinars, and community forums2.
  2. Build a reputation: Provide excellent service to gain positive reviews and feedback, which can help grow your client base2.
  3. Consider joining a platform: Websites like CitizenShipper can help you connect with potential clients and establish yourself in the industry4.
By following these steps and continuously improving your skills, you can create a rewarding career as an animal transporter, combining your love for animals with the freedom of travel5.




Author: PurplePup LLC



Key insights

  • Starting a pet transportation business can lead to a unique and fulfilling lifestyle, allowing for travel and new experiences.
  • The idea of starting a pet transport business came from seeing an advertisement on Facebook for Citizenshipper, a Marketplace for people to advertise their transport needs.
  • Once you start, you may never look back and it can become a full-time business.
  • "I make a full-time living flying with small animals that are usually under 20 pounds and they fly with me on a commercial plane."
  • The dependency of pets on their caregivers highlights the importance of reliable and caring pet transportation services.
  • Providing a loving and caring environment for the pets during transportation is crucial for the business.
  • Ultimately this is a business about trust so first and foremost I want to make sure that the family has trust in me.
  • The idea of becoming a flight nanny or ground transporter for animals opens up a new and unconventional career path for pet lovers.

Timestamped Summary

  • 00:00 Started pet transport business in 2020, now travels with animals for a living.
  • 01:24 Pet transport business started after seeing an ad for Citizenshipper, a marketplace for people to list their transport needs, with pet transportation being a major listing, leading to the realization of an opportunity to make money with a fuel-efficient car and love for animals.
  • 02:07 Started pet transport business by creating a profile, messaging customers, and planning trips, leading to the creation of PurplePup.
  • 02:42 I started a pet transport business, registered with USDA, got insurance, and now make a living flying with small animals and driving cross-country with larger dogs and families moving with multiple pets.
  • 03:50 Taking care of a puppy made the speaker realize the importance of providing a needed service and feeling good about it.
  • 04:42 Providing pet transportation services is important to the speaker, who channels her emotions into caring for the animals in her care.
  • 05:28 Providing stress-free pet transportation experiences, following USDA standards, and building trust with pet parents through communication and accountability. Contact amanda@purplepup.net for transport needs.
  • 06:46 Use code "purple pup" for 15% off your first booking on Citizenshipper, and join their Patreon for training and job opportunities in pet transportation.

Video Full Text

  • 00:00 If you had told me three years ago that I would be making a living by traveling with animals I would have laughed right in your face and yet that's exactly where I am right now I am in Baja California today after helping a family move here. And I am so grateful for this really unique lifestyle that I have yeah this job has allowed me to travel to all four corners of our beautiful country. I have flown to Alaska a few times I've driven to Key West I've flown to Canada a few times but now I get to enjoy Baja California for the first time. It's allowed me a lot of new life experiences and I get the company of cats and dogs and rabbits and sometimes chickens. My Pet transportation. Adventure started in the summer of 2020. Like most people I found myself suddenly with a lot of extra time on my hands and absolutely nothing to lose.
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  • 01:24 I was scrolling through Facebook and I came across an advertisement for Citizenshipper. Citizenshipper is a Marketplace for people to advertise their transport needs. Whether it be pets or motorcycles or boats or household moves you name it and people will list their needs and then drivers will bid on the opportunity to provide service. Pet transportation services just happen to be one of the major listings on the site and I thought hey I could do that I have a really fuel efficient car and um I have a natural love for Animals. It seems like an easy way to make some cash. There were quite a few opportunities for Pet transportation jobs in my area.
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  • 02:07 I was living in Cincinnati Ohio at the time and so I made a profile I started messaging customers and within two or three days. I already had my first trip planned. I was going to drive a puppy from Ohio up to Michigan and then I was going to pick up another puppy going from Wisconsin down to North Carolina and that would be my first official trip and I've never looked back. I've never stopped. I just kept going and eventually I thought okay well. This is what I do now so I created PurplePup.
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  • 02:42 LLC I registered myself with the USDA as a commercial pet transporter and I got liability insurance and it just keeps going the longer I'm in this business. The more I learn that there's more to learn now I make a full-time living flying with small animals that are usually under 20 pounds and they fly with me on a commercial plane. We usually travel airport to airport and the pet is delivered same day and then I also Drive cross-country with larger dogs or perhaps families who are moving who have multiple pets. I remember my very first transport job so clearly. I remember on this drive back home to North Carolina and then eventually home to Cincinnati that I was traveling with this tiny little English cream. Golden Retriever named Fenway and he really captured my heart and I I realized in the middle of this transport you know as I'm taking care of this sweet little innocent puppy who's away from his family for the first time and I'm tending to his every need.
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  • 03:50 I'm I'm taking pictures and sending them to his family like I'm giving this little puppy every piece of energy that I have I realize how much I needed that in this particular time in my life I was all. He knew at that moment you know he had just been separated from his family and here I was his caregiver and he's looking at me with his little eyes and um how much he's depending on me to help him get where he needs. He has no idea what's going on. I just realized at that moment how much I really needed his affection and to feel like I was providing a service that was really needed by this family and I carry that feeling with me everywhere I go now that feeling of I'm doing something that makes me feel good and something that I know is providing service that is needed. I remember after delivering this sweet little puppy um.
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  • 04:42 My husband happened to call me at that time and I was crying. I'm gonna miss him. He's a special little guy. I'm okay. I think I just realized how much I'm gonna miss him. But um I couldn't put words. I couldn't explain what was happening. It was just hard to say goodbye to this sweet little dog and I think that was a good sign for me that okay um I'm doing something that's important to me and providing the service that I know is important to these families. Fortunately I've been able to harness that energy into what I call Mary Poppins energy. It's where you love on this little creature really hard for the few hours or days that he's with you and then you let him go gratefully to his family.
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  • 05:28 My goal with PurplePup has always been to provide a stress-free experience for both the animals and for their family members so whether we're flying across the country with a new Adoption or we're driving cross-country to help a family move or relocate seasonally. I want to make sure that these animals are getting the absolute best care that we're following USDA standards to keep them safe and healthy. The parents are getting lots of inspirational pictures of our adventures that they always know where we are and that they can rely on us and trust us to hold on to their dear family member while they're away. Ultimately this is a business about trust so first and foremost I want to make sure that the family has trust in me 90 of the time I'm the one providing the service but I do work with a few other professionals who I reach out to as contractors if I'm not personally available and we all kind of uphold the same standards and keep each other accountable when it comes to Animal Care communication and a joyful experience if you are a pet parent with a transport need whether that be a new Adoption or family move you're welcome to reach out to me at amanda@purplepup.net.
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  • 06:46 So we can offer you a free transport quote or if you're curious about the Citizenshipper Marketplace you can use my code purple pup to get 15% off your first booking on that website. Maybe you yourself are interested in this alternative lifestyle of traveling with animals if you want to be a flight nanny or ground. Transporter purple pup also has a patreon page where you can become a member and we can teach you all the basics of getting your USDA registration. Getting yourself insured setting up an LLC if that's how you choose to go and also offering you job opportunities once you're ready citizenshipper is also where I got my start as a ground transporter so you as a driver can also start there if you click the link below to join citizenship or as a driver and use my code purplepup. You will also get a discount on your membership. Thank you so much for letting me travel with your furry family members and to educate you about what it's like to be a pet transporter. We have a lot of adventures coming your way. You definitely want to hit that subscribe button so that you can get alerts about all of our upcoming travel. Adventures I'll see you in the sky and I'll see you on the road.
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