Why Pet Waste Removal Is Becoming a Top Home Service in 2026

For years, pet waste removal was often treated as an optional convenience. In 2026, that perception is changing. DoodyCalls, the pet waste management franchise with more than 100 units, has seen growing interest from homeowners who view the service the same way they think about lawn care, house cleaning and pool maintenance.

“Pet ownership is growing, but what grows with it is maintenance,” said Jordan Wilson, chief development officer of Authority Brands. “More households are managing one or multiple dogs, and that creates a recurring need that doesn’t go away. We’re seeing more people look for simple ways to make pet ownership easier without sacrificing the cleanliness of their home or yard.”

DoodyCalls provides pet waste removal services for both residential and commercial customers, helping keep outdoor spaces clean and safe. The brand is best known for its recurring weekly and biweekly yard cleanup service for dog owners, but its offerings also extend to pet waste station installation and maintenance for apartment communities, HOAs, parks and shared-use properties.

Pet ownership trends

Dog ownership remains high across the U.S., and many households own more than one dog. That naturally creates a recurring need for cleanup that never really goes away.

According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), U.S. pet industry expenditures reached $158 billion in 2025, up 3.7% year over year, and are projected to climb to $165 billion in 2026. In 2025, 95 million U.S. households owned at least one pet, with dog ownership continuing to grow and now reaching 53% of households.

Even as consumer budgets tighten, APPA found that pets remain a priority expense for many families, with owners continuing to spend on services that make day-to-day pet care easier. Growth is also being supported by Gen X empty nesters, who are driving increased pet ownership across multiple species and contributing to long-term demand throughout the category.

Home services growth

Pet waste removal is benefiting from the same trend fueling growth across the home services sector: consumers are increasingly willing to pay for convenience. Industry analysts point to a growing preference among homeowners to outsource recurring tasks, creating sustained demand for services that save time and simplify everyday life. Services like landscaping, house cleaning, pest control, pool maintenance and mobile grooming have all benefited from homeowners placing greater value on convenience. Pet waste removal fits naturally into that same behavior.

Rather than spending time on chores they do not enjoy, many consumers are choosing to hire professionals and reclaim that time for work, family or leisure.

“For a long time, pet waste removal was viewed as something niche,” Wilson said. “Today, it’s becoming part of routine home maintenance. People already hire for lawn care, house cleaning and pool service. Pet waste removal naturally fits into that same category because it solves an ongoing task homeowners would rather not spend their time managing.”

The category also works well as a recurring service. Weekly or biweekly visits create predictable maintenance for homeowners and a habit-driven service model that feels easy to keep.

Dual-income households, families with children and homeowners balancing busy schedules are increasingly looking for ways to simplify everyday responsibilities. Yard cleanup often falls low on the priority list, especially when it is repetitive and easy to postpone.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey found that Americans spend a significant amount of time each week on household activities and chores. Services that take anything off someone’s plate are in demand.

“People are paying to remove one more thing from their weekly to-do list,” Wilson said. “For busy families and dual-income households especially, the value is less about the task itself and more about gaining back time and having one less chore to think about.”

Health and safety benefits

Pet waste removal is also about having a clean, safer environment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasizes the importance of proper pet waste disposal to maintain healthy spaces for both people and animals. Additionally, HOA standards and neighborhood appearance expectations can drive demand, especially in communities where outdoor maintenance is highly visible.

“A clean yard is about creating a safer outdoor space,” Wilson said. “Pet waste removal plays a real role in keeping environments cleaner and more comfortable for families and their pets.”

Pet waste removal is also benefiting from demographic shifts, including an aging population of pet owners who may no longer want to handle yard cleanup themselves.

“We also see growing demand among older pet owners who still want the joy of having dogs but may not want or be physically able to handle yard cleanup themselves every week,” Wilson said. “For many of those customers, this isn’t viewed as a luxury. It’s a practical service that helps them continue enjoying pet ownership.”

When you combine growing pet ownership, busier lifestyles and the broader shift toward outsourced home services, it makes sense that demand for pet waste removal continues to rise. What was once considered optional is quickly becoming a recurring necessity for a lot of homeowners, making now a better time than ever to become a DoodyCalls franchisee.