The most obvious risks involve something happening to, or with, a dog in your care, e.g. losing a dog while out walking, or a dog suffering an accident or injury. There is also a chance that a dog could cause injury to another person or animal, or damage to a third party’s property or your personal belongings. If your dog walking business is found to be the cause of an accident or incident, you could face a significant financial claim for damages and compensation as well as liability for legal fees and vet bills. Depending on the circumstances, the cost of a compensation claim could multiply if the person making the claim was seriously injured, and you were at fault. Exposure to certain risks can vary according to how your business is set up. For example, if you have a volunteer who helps you walk the dogs, there is always a possibility they may suffer an injury as a result of their work. Some other potential situations to be mindful of include: losing a client’s house keys, losing your licence, losing a vehicle you use for work, or other equipment. Setting up as a sole trader is relatively straightforward, but it means your personal and business assets will be treated as one, if you are sued and can’t pay the damages, your personal assets could be at risk.