Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle, WA) -
February 17, 2006 by Patti Payne (Contributing Reporter)

Excerpt from article: From fine dining to taxis, a service industry caters to our four-legged friends

Another thriving pet business is Shawna Ross' Fun Pet Rides, a pet taxi (www.funpetrides.com). Ross, who used to deal in real estate investments, started the business in 2004 and saw it grow 47 percent from third to fourth quarter last year. "People have designated their pets as their children, but it is difficult to get their pets to day care, because of busy schedules," Ross says.

Enter Fun Pet Rides, and a 15-passenger (or 10 animals) Chevy van, a moving advertisement with pets painted all over it. Her territory stretches on the Eastside from Interstate 90 to the Bothell-Everett Highway. She places them carefully inside and transports them, mostly to doggie day care but also to the airport, boarding, groomers, vets, grandmas...wherever they need to travel. Shawna is currently providing service in Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, and Woodinville, but is always happy to help a customer outside of that area for a nominal fuel surcharge.

"I have one ... Great Dane, Waylon, I pick up at Microsoft," she says. "He loves riding with me and stretches out on his seat." In fact, one Microsoftie has five huge mountain dogs and two Himalayan cats, all of whom Ross takes to the groomers. Some of her clients book the service five days a week, others just once a month. Ross is already getting so many requests from prospective clients in Seattle that she is considering buying another van and hiring another driver. View complete article...

The Redmond Reporter (Redmond, WA) -
written by Donald J. Ward

Excerpt from article: Fun Pet Rides barks its way into business

Thanks to traffic congestion, getting to and from work can be difficult...With that problem in mind Shawna Ross's pet taxi service, Fun Pet Rides, has begun providing alternative options for the four-legged commuter. The slogan of her business, 'Because pets can't drive,' sums up the Redmond business owner's philosophy. Between work and traffic and family life, some pet owners don't have the time to add another hour or two to their day in order to take Fido to the groomer...

At any given time, there can be a half a dozen dogs or more riding the pet taxi, not counting Katie, Ross' Great Pyrenees, who rides shotgun with her on every trip...

Most of the animals are happy to sit (or sleep) in their carrying containers, look out the window and listen to the tunes playing on the CD player. The majority of her trips focus on four types of deliveries: taking a pet to and from doggy day care, pickup and delivery to boarding facilities, trips to the groomer and medical checkups at the veterinarian. (Please note: Fun Pet Rides is also well equipped to transport animals to and from the airport.)

So far, the Fun Pet Rides van has been the most visible marketing piece. It sports a custom purple and white paint job, replete with paw prints and pictures of cats and dogs. It certainly catches the eye when it's on the road. Ross said that while driving it, she gets her fair share of smiles.

Ross started her business in July after working for "corporate America" for 17 years in marketing. She wanted to take a different direction with her life and began investigating what business niches were available in the area before settling upon the pet-taxi idea. Her service covers most of the Eastside.