Concept Description
Pet Passages®: A Business with Heart, Purpose, and Profitability
Pet Passages® is a franchise focused on dignity, compassion, and professionalism in pet aftercare. It has introduced innovations such as online pet obituaries, proprietary cremation tracking technology, and a compassionate approach that treats every pet like family. When you join our network, you’re not just opening a business—you’re answering a calling to provide comfort, closure, and care to grieving pet parents.
The pet industry is booming, with over 70% of U.S. households owning a pet and spending projected to reach $200 billion by 2030. Families today demand better, more transparent aftercare for their pets—and Pet Passages® is uniquely positioned to meet that demand. Our model combines exclusive territories, diverse revenue streams, and a nationally recognized brand that families trust, allowing you to build a profitable, purpose-driven business in your community.
No prior pet or funeral industry experience is required—just a compassionate heart and the drive to make a difference. We provide comprehensive training, marketing support, and our proprietary Secure Passages™ technology so you can focus on delivering exceptional service. With Pet Passages®, you gain a proven business model, unmatched operational guidance, and a dedicated team committed to your success.
This is an opportunity to create a lasting legacy while making a meaningful impact in the lives of families and their pets. If you’ve been searching for work that matters—work that blends purpose and profit—Pet Passages® is ready to partner with you. Territories are limited, and demand is growing, so now is the time to bring Pet Passages® to your community.
Unit Option
Single, Multiple
Background
FDD Franchised Units: 15
Corporate Owned Units: 2
Projected New Units: 10
Year Established: 2011
First Year Franchised: 2018
Type of Business: Franchise
Number of Employees: Small (1-5)
History:
Our founder, president, and CEO, Mike Harris is a third-generation licensed funeral home director and worked in his family’s funeral home for almost 25 years from 1993 until the end of 2016. In 2008 when he suddenly lost his two best friends, Rottweilers Luke and Hannah, he searched extensively for compassionate pet funeral and cremation options that fit with what he was accustomed to at traditional funeral homes. Shockingly, he never found what he was looking for, and even worse, he was constantly met with unprofessionalism and a serious lack of dignity and compassion for his beloved pets.
Right then and there, Mike made the decision to devote his life to creating a compassionate space and experience worthy of our pets—some of the most integral members of our families.
Given his education, training, experience, and family heritage, he knew it was his responsibility to improve the quality of end-of-life pet care. Mike set out to gather as much information and learn as much as he could so he could develop a new and modern pet cremation business model. In 2009, he launched his first pet funeral home and crematory, Pets at Peace by Harris Funeral Home. Given its immediate success, Mike then started Pet Passages in August of 2011, a company that has truly set the highest possible standard of dignified, quality care for the pet funeral and cremation profession.
Availability
Territories: United States, Canada: Registered
Financials
Liquidity: $57,000
*Investment Range: $285,397 - $524,712
Minimum Net Worth: $250,001, to $500,000
Franchise Fee: $55,000
Royalty: 6%
Royalty Description: 6% Gross Sales
Advertising: Local: A minimum of $1,000 per month for the first 2 years, then a minimum of $9,000 per year thereafter.
National Advertising: 1% gross sales
Ramp-Up: 4 to 6 months
Passive Ownership: Semi- passive at onset (they can hire a manager to run business)
Passive Ownership means the owner is working 15 hours or less per week in the business.
Passive Ownership Explain: Pet Passages is a semi-passive franchise opportunity, offering operational flexibility while still benefiting from personal engagement. With comprehensive training through the Pet Passages learning Center and Headquarters, along with established systems and corporate support, franchisees can delegate daily tasks to trained staff once the business is up and running. Hands-on involvement, however, remains valuable. Personal engagement such as connecting with local families and veterinary partners, helps reinforce community trust and enhances the brand's compassionate reputation. Designed as a legacy business, Pet Passages offers long-term impact and purpose. While the semi-passive model allows for scalability and work-life balance, the mission-driven nature of the brand supports building something meaningful and enduring.
Available Discounts
- Veterans
Discount Description: 10% off the IFF
Training, Support and Assistance
Co-Operative Advertising: N/A
Site Selection Assistance: N/A
Lease Negotiation Assistance: N/A
Length of Training: 70 hours
Training Description:
Initial Training Program (7-10 Days at the Pet Passages® Learning Center & Headquarters):
Franchisees begin with a comprehensive, hands-on training program that combines classroom instruction with real-world experience. This includes certification as a Pet Funeral Director and covers everything from cremation procedures and pet handling to supporting grieving families and running day-to-day operations.
Ongoing Support and Continuing Education:
After launch, franchisees receive ongoing training and guidance through regular virtual meetings, access to corporate support, and continuing education resources with our Digital Operations Portal. These are designed to keep franchisees current on best practices, evolving service offerings, and new memorialization products. In addition, franchisees will have on-going access and support from our in-house advertising and marketing team to help the franchisee to continually promote and grow their franchise.
Operational Systems and Technology Training:
Franchisees are also trained on Pet Passages’® proprietary software and systems, including Secure Passages™ and the Pet Parent Gateway™, which ensure secure tracking, communication, and service management. Training also includes support with site setup, facility layout, marketing strategies, and administrative processes to ensure full operational readiness.
Financing Assistance: N/A