Table of Contents
Topic Summary
Dubai's Pet Care Market Is Booming
The UAE pet care market was valued at USD 360 to 400 million in 2024, with pet boarding alone projected to exceed USD 44 million by 2030. Rising pet ownership means steady, repeat demand for grooming services.
Get Licensed Through Meydan Free Zone
A Meydan Free Zone business license covers domestic pet grooming under activity code 9602.96. You will need pre-approval from Dubai Municipality before the license can be issued.
Understand Exactly What the License Covers
The license applies to washing, trimming, and caring for pets' coats. It does not cover veterinary treatment, boarding, sitting, training, or selling pets or pet products.
Five Reasons Grooming Demand Keeps Growing
Pet ownership is rising fast in the UAE, and owners increasingly treat pets as family members, spending more on their care. Dubai's hot climate also makes regular grooming a practical necessity rather than a luxury.
Two Types of Businesses Can Use This License
Individual pet groomers can use it to run a standalone grooming service, while existing pet care firms can add grooming to their offering under the same license.
No AML Compliance Required for This Activity
Pet grooming businesses operating under this license are not subject to Anti-Money Laundering compliance requirements. This simplifies the regulatory burden for new business owners.
How to Start a Mobile Grooming Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone?
How to Start a Domestic Pets Grooming Business with Meydan Free Zone
Pet grooming is the business of washing, trimming and caring for pets' coats. You groom dogs, cats and other pets to keep them clean and healthy. In the UAE, pet ownership is rising fast, so demand for grooming is strong.
The market is growing. The wider UAE pet care market was worth USD 360 to 400 million in 2024. 1 The UAE pet boarding and sitting market alone reached about USD 25.5 million in 2024, and it is set to pass USD 44 million by 2030. 2 Grooming rides this same wave of rising pet spending.
For groomers, this means steady, repeat demand. A Meydan Free Zone business license lets you run a pet grooming business. It does need approval from Dubai Municipality first, as shown below.
[blockCTATradeLicense]
Why Grooming Demand Rises
- More pets: Pet ownership is growing fast in the UAE.
- Pets as family: Owners spend more on pet care.
- Hot climate: The heat makes regular grooming important.
- Repeat need: Grooming is a regular, ongoing service.
- Premium trend: Owners want higher-quality pet care.
The UAE's Growing Pet Care Market
Pet ownership and spending keep rising in the UAE, lifting demand for grooming. Here are the key numbers.
Sources: Sapience; Pets in the City
Who Is This Activity For?
9602.96 – Domestic Pets Grooming
This activity sits within the broader Hairdressing and Other Beauty Treatment class, which covers grooming and personal care. Applied here, it is the grooming of domestic pets: washing, trimming and caring for their coats.
The license covers pet grooming. It does not cover treating sick animals, which is veterinary work. It also does not cover boarding, sitting or training pets. Those are separate activities, as shown in the exclusions below.
[blockFaqsCategory]
It helps to be clear on what this license does not cover. It does not let you treat sick or hurt animals. That is veterinary care, a separate activity. It also does not cover boarding, sitting or training pets, which fall under pet care services. And it does not cover selling pets or pet products.
In short: if you are grooming pets, you are in. If you are treating sick animals, boarding or training pets, or selling pets, those are separate activities.
[blockCTABizActivityList]
Compliance
THIRD-PARTY APPROVAL
This activity requires pre-approval from Dubai Municipality (DM) before a business license can be issued by Meydan Free Zone.
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING COMPLIANCE
This business activity is not subject to AML compliance requirements.
References
1 Sapience. UAE pet care market valued at USD 360 to 400 million in 2024.
2 Pets in the City. UAE pet boarding and sitting market at about USD 25.5 million in 2024, projected to exceed USD 44 million by 2030.
