I am considering going to school for this. Will it be lucrative? I love animals and have worked with them for years.
I live in UK, and yes the dog/cat grooming business has been lucrative. Partically good for people who show and who have little time to take their animal to a parlour. You go with all your supplies to the customer in your van and groom the animal in the back or wherever requested by the client. The stress reduction to all concerned has made this a very successful venture. Unfortunately with the recession this could be one area where people are cutting back.
I had a friend with two Newfoundland Dogs that were charged about £25 each for a wash and brush up with this type of service. You would need to do some research as to how much the business would cost to set up. Following through on courses and legislation and insurance. Get to know pet stores, Kennel club, and show organizations and pedigree breeders to name a few and see the interest. You could investigate contacting a large chain of pet stores to enquire using an area in their store. Draw up a business plan and keep in mind if it works the possibility of franchising to other stores. Have a good think about any other commitments you may have before you start. This may not be something you can do part time at least to begin with. There could be a lot of rewarding hard work though!:)