The Association of Pet Professionals (AoPP) is a national association for those passionate about taking care of pets professionally. AoPP is dedicated to providing resources and training for pet professionals so they can properly care for their furry friends and strive in their career. Anyone can sign up to become a member to have access to these valuable resources and be a part of a pet community and learn all things pet-related.
Today we’ll talk about the founders and why they started AoPP, what AoPP does, and the many benefits of being a member of this one-of-a-kind association.
Who Are the Founders?
Tori Levitt and Barbra Holden started the Association of Pet Professionals in 2020. They joined forces to create an association for pet professionals to help others learn everything they need to know about taking care of pets properly and confidently, and having relationships with the members.
Tori Levitt
Tori has owned and operated her own business, Doolittle’s Doghouse, since 2008. This business gave her the opportunity to board people’s pets in her home cage-free. Tori is passionate about caring for pets and has never met a pet she didn’t like! At Doolittle’s Doghouse, Tori and her pet professionals are able to take care of pets in the comfort of the clients’ home, giving the client peace of mind.
Tori herself was a part of an association when she started Doolittle’s Doghouse. As a past member and now owner, she knows how to deliver value to the members! Previously AoPP didn’t have this wonderful marketing mind behind it—now the tools, tips, and tricks are coming from a professional just like you. Because Tori was constantly surrounded by pet professionals, she saw a growing need for professional training, which is the AoPP you’ll see now.
“Many hobby pet sitters need a leg up and therefore a trade association to level up their game and make sure they are doing everything properly,” she said. “Being a business professional, regardless of what I was selling, is all about developing relationships for life—especially building relationships with our association members.”
Barba Holden
Barbra is a “passionate animal lover and consummate entrepreneur.” Barbra has a unique background with a variety of experience in different industries—like finance, event planning, video producing, and more. One of Barbra’s greatest pleasures is designing beautiful websites.
When Barbra moved in next door to Tori, they immediately became friends and talked about their mutual interests—one of them being pets. They got talking and decided to create the Association of Pet Professionals!
What Does AoPP Do?
The Association of Pet Professionals strives to educate pet professionals and helps them hone their skills to be the best they can. Tori and Barbra are confident pet professionals benefit from a trade association to help them always keep their eye on the ball and strive for continuous improvement. AoPP primarily focuses on pet sitters and pet boarders.
Because Tori is working with pets and pet sitters everyday, she said, “I meet a lot of hobby pet sitters because I am hiring them to fill the growing demand of my business. I know exactly what they need.” Many people know they like pets and want to spend time with them, but being a pet sitter is more than that. Tori says, “This association is to help pet professionals understand what is required to become a pet professional—contracts, insurance, software, and licenses just to name a few.” AoPP strives to help members provide their pet clients with the absolute best care, increase their business revenue, and build a sustainable pet care business.
Tori shares, “If I can help you become a better pet sitter and avoid my mistakes, then that makes me feel good and helps me to know you’re going to do a better job out there caring for others’ pets and yourself and create a livelihood that is sustainable.”
What Benefits Do Members Receive?
Being a member of AoPP comes with several benefits. Members receive special offers on essential business aspects and vendor partners that pet professionals need—such as insurance coverage, a website, and more. Members also receive priority access to key business resources like training videos; some of these videos include First Aid training and pet CPR.
AoPP also offers informative free virtual events and access to a members-only Facebook group. This group gives members the opportunity to network with fellow pet care professionals and to ask any questions they have. This group allows members to meet with someone 1:1 with their concerns or questions. AoPP also provides members additional support with podcasts, webinars, Facebook Live videos, and more.
On the AoPP website, members of the association gain access to a library of content full of resources for them. They can download all the forms they need to get started, contracts for their clients to sign, and more. Everything that a pet professional needs to know, like client relations and emergency contacts, can be found on the website with membership access. AoPP also keeps you updated on all pet care news, trends, tools, best practices, and more so you can stay current on all things pet care-related.
Insurance Canopy and AoPP
Insurance Canopy is the exclusive insurance partner of AoPP. When you sign up to become a member with AoPP, you will receive a promo code to use when you purchase insurance from Insurance Canopy.
Get Signed Up Today!
The Association of Pet Professionals is eager and ready to help you. Because they help pet professionals from the very first step of setting up a business, you can sign up today to gain membership access. To learn more about AoPP, take a look at their website. You can click on this link here to join AoPP and receive all the member benefits listed above.
If you would like to see a sample of their most popular resource, AoPP will send you a free sample before signing up to become a member. If you are serious about developing your pet professional career, take the next step and join the Association of Pet Professionals today. If you have any questions about becoming a member of AoPP, don’t hesitate to contact them. We wish you the best of luck in your pet care career!
