OCTOBER

1 If our 2024 PETS+ Big Survey results are any indication, women dominate when it comes to owning independent pet stores in the U.S., with 76% of respondents identifying as women. During NATIONAL WOMEN’S SMALL BUSINESS MONTH, celebrate your status on social media and invite followers to share other local women-owned small businesses they love.

3 Make MEAN GIRLS DAY happen like Mutts & Co. in Grove City, OH, did. The store’s Mean GRRRLs Day event last year featured a costume contest calling for the most “grool” outfits, a photo set to capture “you can’t sit with us” moments, and a “That’s So Fetch Competition” that involved actual fetch for prizes. There was even a “Burn Book Activity” that cost $5 a shady page, with the proceeds benefitting a local rescue. Staff and customers had so much fun they extended the Thursday event through the weekend.

8 On PET OBESITY AWARENESS DAY, tout your business as the go-to for nutrition advice, healthy foods, and any other product or service you offer to help keep pets fit. In 2024 on social media, we saw a post from Reeses Barkery and Pawtique in McHenry, IL, on body condition scoring with a call to take advantage of the store’s pet scale. Wholesome Pet Essentials in Ankeny, IA, shared a graphic on the impacts of pet obesity and offered nutrition counseling. And Nature’s Feed in Spring Grove, IL, showed before and after photos of a dog the store helped lose 25 pounds, with details on how.

29 Way more dogs than cats visit pet stores, but that doesn’t mean customers wouldn’t bring their shy kitties if offered a special opportunity. Consider jumping on the popularity of reactive dog shopping appointments by introducing private cat shopping sessions. NATIONAL CAT DAY would be the perfect time to kick it off. Ensure a minimum sale with a discount or coupon good only during the session, and have a kitty cup ready to serve!

31 If you fear ordering too much HALLOWEEN product and getting stuck with it until next year, follow the lead of All Pets Considered in Greensboro, NC. The store’s Stuff Your Boo Bag promotion featured discounts that deepened during the week leading up to Halloween. Owner Alison Schwartz picked up adorably fun bags at her local dollar store and saw inventory fly out the door and sales increase. She says, “We sold about 50% more Halloween toys last year as opposed to the previous year.”

NOVEMBER

1 NATIONAL SENIOR PET MONTH and ADOPT A SENIOR PET MONTH offer so many opportunities to promote products and services for older pets. How about a display featuring an orthopedic bed, cozy sweater, cognitive support supplement, and senior foods and treats? Or a grooming special featuring a warm microbubble bath and gentle towel dry? You could even thank customers who adopt seniors with a special add-on to your business’s brand-supported adoption rewards program.

1 Use NATIONAL SCENTED CANDLE DAY to remind customers that many of these products can be harmful to pets — then tout your pet-safe offerings with an emphasis on holiday and seasonal scents perfect for burning this time of year.

11 A special discount for those who served remains the norm on VETERANS DAY, but have you considered carrying and featuring brands with veteran founders? BAYDOG, Operation Good Dog, SodaPup and VēRUS Pet Foods are just a few to consider.

29 This year brings double the opportunity on SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, as November has five Saturdays. Go all out by combining your Fifth Saturday Sale offerings with those for the national marketing initiative. And to create even further FOMO with your customers, let them know there won’t be another fifth Saturday Sale until January of 2026!