Do You Have What It Takes To Become a Pet Detective?

1. Are you curious by nature?
A. Yes
B. No

2. Could you get inside the mind of a pet?
A. Yes
B. No

3. Are you tenacious?
A. Yes
B. No

4. Able to keep emotions out, but still sympathize with and soothe anxious pet owners?
A. Yes
B. No

5. Any marketing savvy?
A. Yes
B. No

6. Are you able to look at clues and be open-minded enough to consider other options?
A. Yes
B. No

7. Do you like to travel?
A. Yes
B. No

8. Are you willing to work at night?
A. Yes
B. No

9. Do you like all types of animals?
A. Yes
B. No

10. Can you work on short notice?
A. Yes
B. No

Scoring: Give yourself one point for all As, zero for all Bs.

8-10 points
You could give Ace Ventura a run for his money. A warm heart and a sharp mind make you the perfect match for pet detective work. "We look for handlers who not only love animals but get along well with people. Although we look for pets, we spend most of our time with grieving pet owners," says Karin Chockley Goin, an Oklahoma-based pet detective, on her Web site. "We must be compassionate, understanding and flexible. Some of our clients are going through the worst experience of their life, and they are not at their best. A pet detective needs to have compassion while still being able to lead an investigation and search." But that's not all. It also takes a flexible personality, analytic thinking, strong work ethic and business savvy. While any pet detective worth her weight in dog biscuits has a background working with dogs, your ability to also work with lost rodents and reptiles will serve you well. Congratulations. You're hired!

6-7 points
A CSI you're not but if someone's lost a pet, you could certainly help.
You're just about the right person for the job. It takes flexibility, compassion and a love of all pets — including rodents, snakes and lizards — to be a good PD. But that's not all. On her Web site, Oklahoma-based pet detective Karin Chockley Goin says, "Candidates come from all walks of life but the most important characteristics and traits are that the individuals be compassionate professionals with flexible personalities and the ability to work hard and long if necessary."

Kat Albrecht, CEO of Pet Hunters International, has additional advice. "If you make yourself available to search at night, to respond on short notice, and to travel outside of your area for searches into other counties or even to other states, you will increase your revenue." Willingness to travel, think creatively and stick to the case will serve you well. Good luck!

4-5 points
Not quite right.
Your future may not include pet detection — and that's OK! Karin Chockley Goin, an Oklahoma-based pet detective, says on her Web site, "Candidates come from all walks of life but the most important characteristics and traits are that the individuals be compassionate professionals with flexible personalities and the ability to work hard and long if necessary." No one can doubt that your heart is in the right place, but it takes more than a thoughtful disposition to succeed as a PD. Many searches take place at night or require travel. If your lifestyle isn't flexible enough to accommodate these requests, your business won't flourish. Then, of course, there are the lost rodents, snakes and lizards. This line of work isn't for everyone!

1-3 points
Don't quit your day job.
Uh, oh. Jim Carrey has a better chance of finding a lost pet than you. Pet detection is a tougher business than you might think. Pet lovers will naturally be attracted to this field but it takes much more to succeed as a PD. On her Web site, Oklahoma-based PD Karin Chockley Goin says, "Candidates come from all walks of life but the most important characteristics and traits are that the individuals be compassionate professionals with flexible personalities and the ability to work hard and long if necessary." Not to mention PDs need business skills and an analytic mind. Sorry, if the last-minute requests don't put you off, surely the requests to find lost snakes will. This just isn't the career path for you.