SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Dianne Farr-Brady has a tail-waggin’ side job that has given her the freedom to have fun and make some extra money at the same time.
"I love being with dogs!” she said.
Using the app Wag! (think Uber for pets) Farr-Brady is connected with dog owners in her area by request.
One of the regulars, a golden retriever named Baxter, has become a weekly appointment.
The app lets Baxter’s owner schedule the appointment, track the 30-minute walk in real-time through GPS and get picture and video updates.
The app service charges user $20 per hour per dog and $5 for every additional dog.
Farr-Brady said it has allowed her to take jobs that work with her schedule.
"When I came across wag it was very very easy for me to get into,” she said. "This is very therapeutic for me."
When she is not walking dogs, her regular job is at Milestone, a detox and recovery facility in Portland, where she helps those struggling with addiction.
"Rewarding? Yes,” Farr-Brady said. “We don't always know the rewarding part of it."
The reward comes with a lot of stress though. Which is why Farr-Brady says she had to make sure her side hustle was something she really loved.
With two dogs of her own, she said Wag! was the perfect fit—just her and the dogs.
"This is very therapeutic for me," she said. "They accept you as you are. They just want some love and attention.”
At least 37-percent of Americans earn cash from working a side hustle, according to a survey by BankRate.com.