The Time Has Come

Well what can I say? I just have to come right out with it and get it over with.

After being in business for over nine years Poooh Busters must face the fact that it is time to increase the rates we charge for our service. This is the first time we have ever done so and it is something that we hate to do.

Poooh Busters' new pricing structure will come into effect as of October 1, 2013.


The new rates will roll out with our brand new, snazzy and slick website. Let's face it, our current website is getting pretty tired and as the webmaster for our company, I felt we were due for a much needed face lift.

So why the price increase now?

When it comes down to it, since April 2004 when we humbly began and started servicing our very first client, the cost of doing business has increased many times over.

Let's look at one of our biggest expenses, gasoline. In 2004 the price of gasoline was around .60 cents/litre. Over the years it rose to as high as around $1.37/litre and dropped again during the lean years in 2008 to approximately .75 cents/litre. Now as you know gasoline prices have crept back up to over $1.15/litre. We have as many as nine trucks on the road on any given day.

Another big expense is disposing of all that dog poop and kitty litter. Our disposal costs have increased by over 400%, this due to the 11 tonnes of waste we collect each and every month. Add to that our growing staff compliment, day to day expenses and the good ole' taxman, we're finding there isn't much left over at the end of the day.

How much have we increased it?

It varies depending on the number of dogs you have and the prepaid package you choose. But the biggest increase tops out at $1.50/week with the lowest being $1.00/week. On average our price increase overall has only gone up by a mere 12%.

Below is a look at our new pricing structure with a comparison of our old rate to the new one. We want to be as open and transparent as possible for our current, loyal clients. Additionally, we are giving everyone about three weeks notice so they aren't surprised the next time they go to our website and see the new rates (not to mention a whole new website).

So as a current client what can you do? I think you have at least two options:

• Shop around with our competitors to see if you can get a less expensive rate. I think up until now we have had the most competitive rates out there, especially if you are a yearly prepay client. Even with our new pricing structure we are still extremely competitive when comparing us from one pooper scooper company to another. Trust me, I've looked at all of them and we're still pretty darn competitive!

• You can take advantage of our current pricing structure and buy as many prepaid weeks as you like. Buy a year's worth right now before October 1, 2013 and you'll be enjoying our current rates for another 52 weeks! Heck, buy two years if you want! Just make sure you do it before October 1.

When it comes down it, we love our customers and we love what we do. If Roland and Erin we're independently wealthy, they would probably do this for free because they love this business so much. Unfortunately that's not the case and our time has finally come to face the fact that we need to keep up with all the rising costs.

We at Poooh Busters hope we are being fair by letting you know ahead of time. If you have any feedback whatsoever please contact us anytime, we would be happy to have a conversation with you and address any concerns you might have.

We look forward to many more years of providing quality and friendly service to our Calgary and area friends!

Poooh Busters Price Increase Comparison - Old Rate vs. New Rate

New Rates Effective October 1, 2013