You are a small business owner that runs Pets for You, a pet shop that sells dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, snakes and fish. You began Pets for You 20 years ago. As a lifelong pet lover, you wanted to start a business that would help connect people and pets with forever homes.
Over 75% of the space inside Pets for You provides ample space for comfortable living conditions for the large animals that the shop sells. Nearly 15% of the store is a sales floor to hold various pet related accessories and food. Animal sales account for nearly 80% of the pet shop’s revenue.
Pets for You procures its animals from commercial breeders, however, Pets for You only does business with breeders that have the highest standards at its facilities. Unfortunately, the highest standards do not always comply with USDA regulations. Throughout the last 20 years, Pets for You has cut ties with several commercial breeders that have violated USDA regulations, and now only works with two.
The state government where Pets for You is located has banned the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits at pet stores. The government made this decision due to unsafe and inhumane pet breeders hoping that banning the sales at pet stores will stop the puppy mill pipeline and encourage potential pet owners to adopt pets from shelters.
The ban will be implemented next year, giving pet shop owners the chance to adjust. This ban is becoming more and more common across the nation.
Your business partner does not know how Pets for You will survive without the ability to sell dogs, cats and rabbits. Since there is over a year until the ban’s implementation, your business partner wants you to determine what steps need to be taken to adapt to the ban. Your business partner wants your ideas on new ideas for revenue, ways to still provide pets to customers and revamping the store layout.
