Short answer: across three recent Google Local Services Ads and search programs for pet grooming, boarding, daycare and training operators in Florida, Maryland, Northern Virginia and Illinois, Software Pro Digital delivered 1,311 charged leads on $22,885 of lead spend, a blended cost of $17 per lead. Cost per lead ranged from $12 in Tampa Bay to $38 for cat boarding in Greater Chicago.
Each charged lead was a pet owner calling or messaging the business directly from the search result. These are real program numbers, not survey estimates, so pet care owners can use them to sanity check their own ad costs.
The benchmark at a glance
| Market | Business type | Charged leads | Cost per lead | Top of search |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay, Florida | Multi service pet business | 933 | $12 | 98.65% of eligible impressions |
| Maryland and Northern Virginia | Training and boarding operator | 150 | $18 | 99.47% of eligible impressions |
| Greater Chicago | Cat boarding business | 228 | $38 | Not reported |
| All three programs | 1,311 | $17 blended | $22,885 lead spend |
What counts as a charged lead
Google Local Services Ads place a business above the regular search results and charge per lead rather than per click. A charged lead is a call or message from a pet owner that the platform bills the business for. The blended cost per lead above is the total lead spend divided by the total charged leads across all three programs.
Why cost per lead varied from $12 to $38
- Service mix. The Tampa Bay program, for a multi service pet business, produced the most leads at the lowest cost: 933 leads at $12 each.
- Market density and category. The Greater Chicago program, at $38 per lead, reflects a dense metro market and a narrower service category: cat boarding.
- Visibility. In the two programs where it was reported, the business appeared at the top of search on more than 98% of eligible impressions. Being seen first is what turns search demand into calls.
How pet care businesses keep cost per lead down
The same building blocks show up behind the lower cost programs:
- A complete Google Business Profile with accurate categories, real photos and steady recent reviews with responses.
- Consistent business details across the web.
- Strong service pages for each service: boarding, daycare, training and grooming.
- A website that answers what pet owners ask before booking: where their dog will sleep, who is there overnight, which vaccinations are required and whether they can tour first.
See how we run these programs on our pet marketing and pet boarding and dog training marketing pages.
Paying more than $17 a lead? Send us your current cost per lead and lead volume. We will compare them with this benchmark and show you where the cost is coming from.
Method and how to cite
Numbers are charged leads and lead spend from three recent pet services programs managed by Software Pro Digital on Google Local Services Ads and search. Client names are withheld. Top of search rates are the share of eligible impressions shown above the regular results, as reported for the Tampa Bay and Maryland and Northern Virginia programs. These numbers were first published in our Pet and Veterinary Marketing in 2026 article.
Publications and industry groups may quote this benchmark with a link to this page. For questions or the latest numbers, contact our team at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cost per lead for a dog boarding or daycare business?
It depends on market density and service mix. Across three recent pet services programs managed by Software Pro Digital, cost per lead ranged from $12 in Tampa Bay to $38 for cat boarding in Greater Chicago, with a blended average of $17.
Do Google Local Services Ads work for pet businesses?
Yes, for many pet care categories. They place the business above organic results and charge per lead. In the programs above, businesses appeared at the top of search on roughly 98 to 99% of eligible impressions.
How many leads can a pet boarding business get from Google?
In these programs, between 150 and 933 charged leads per program, 1,311 in total. Volume depends on the market, the services offered and the lead budget.