At the heart of every pet business are the same priorities: keeping animals safe, building trust with pet parents, and creating smooth day-to-day operations for staff. Whether you’re running a bustling dog daycare, a grooming salon, or an overnight boarding facility, everything you do is designed to provide care and confidence.
Behind the scenes, though, achieving those priorities often depends on technology. Online reservation calendars, customer profiles, vaccination records, payment processing, and staff schedules all live in digital systems, making delivering great service easier. The more we rely on these tools, the more important it becomes to protect them. Cyber threats, payment fraud, and even physical facility risks can get in the way of what really matters: happy pets, satisfied customers, and a business that runs smoothly.
That’s why we're looking ahead at the top security trends of the moment and offering practical steps you can take to safeguard your business without slowing down your team.
Phishing, or fake emails designed to trick staff into clicking links or sharing login info, remains one of the most common entry points for scammers. Today, attackers are also turning to text messages (“smishing”), phone calls (“vishing”), and even fake authentication prompts to trick people into giving away access.
What’s happening: Phishing is still the front door for business email compromise, payroll fraud, and credential theft. The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) observed more than 1.13 million phishing attacks in Q2 2025 alone. That's one of the largest quarterly totals since tracking began.
Why it matters in pet care: Anyone accessing your booking, billing, or staff scheduling platforms can be a gateway. Front-desk teams are especially targeted because they handle payments, links, and attachments daily.
Ransomware, where criminals lock up your systems and demand payment, continues to rise. For pet-care businesses, this could mean being locked out of booking calendars, vaccination records, or payroll during the busiest weekend of the year.
What’s happening: Ransomware operators continue to target small businesses, encrypting systems and extorting data. The FBI and CISA provide prescriptive guidance to prevent this and respond if it should occur.
Why it matters in pet care: If your reservation system, vaccination records, or camera system goes down during a holiday weekend, operations can grind to a halt, making it imperative to ensure safety .
Most business owners know multi-factor authentication (MFA) is important, but the type of MFA matters. Hackers have figured out ways to trick staff into sharing SMS codes or clicking “approve” on fake login prompts.
At Gingr, protecting your data is a top priority. That's why we’ve implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all admin accounts, with an opt-in option for other users. MFA adds an extra layer of security beyond passwords, helping safeguard your business from unauthorized access.
Online booking and card payments are convenient for customers, but checkout pages are a target for “e-skimming,” where attackers capture card details in real time.
Scammers are using AI voice cloning and deepfakes to sound like managers, staff, or even family members. These tools can pressure staff into sending money or changing account details.
What’s happening: The FTC is publicly tackling voice cloning and AI-assisted impersonation (e.g., fake “manager” calls authorizing refunds or payroll changes). It has proposed new protections and launched a Voice Cloning Challenge to spur defenses. CISA, the NSA, and the FBI have also published deepfake threat guidance and AI security best practices.
What’s happening: As more tools move online, the focus shifts from protecting servers to protecting who has access.
Pet parents don’t just expect digital safety — boarding parents, in particular, they want to know their pets are safe after hours. New laws in certain states require kennels to disclose whether pets are left unattended or housed without particular safety protocols in place.
What’s happening: High-profile kennel fires have driven new scrutiny and legislation over the past decade. In Texas, HB 2063 (effective September 1, 2023) requires kennel operators to disclose if animals are left unattended or housed without a fire sprinkler system and to obtain signed consent from pet parents.
Non-compliance can bring civil penalties. Texas Statutes Legislators advanced the bill following tragic incidents that gained regional and national coverage.
Why it matters: Even when not mandated, customers increasingly expect after-hours detection (alarms), response (on-call procedures), and transparent policies about staffing and fire protection.
Some facilities are considering biometric check-in (fingerprints, facial recognition). While convenient, these technologies raise privacy and compliance questions.
What’s happening: Pet facilities exploring biometric check-in may get on board for the convenience and speed facial recognition or fingerprint login allows. The FTC’s biometric policy statement warns companies that deceptive or unfair practices around biometric collection/use can violate the FTC Act. FThe FTC’s annual privacy and data security update underscores that businesses cannot outsource compliance to vendors — if you collect sensitive data through a third party, you’re still responsible for lawful, secure handling.
What’s happening: If your pet care business accepts credit or debit cards, you’re required to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Even the smallest businesses — whether you swipe cards in person or take online deposits — must follow PCI rules. The PCI Security Standards Council warns that ignoring compliance not only risks fines but also increases your exposure to breaches and e-skimming attacks.
Why it matters: A compromised checkout page or poorly segmented Wi-Fi network can expose customer card data. For small service-based businesses like dog daycares and groomers, even a single payment breach could erode customer trust permanently.
Tech and data security can be a trust advantage for pet-care providers. Consider adding a brief “Safety & Security” section on your website and in your welcome packet. In clear language, state that:
Your security measures are designed to safeguard customer data and information about their pets and dogs. Sensitive details are never exposed in plain text and is always handled with the highest level of care.
Security in the pet industry isn’t about turning your daycare or grooming studio into Fort Knox. It’s about doing the basics consistently, and in 2025, the basics have matured: phishing-resistant MFA, tested backups, segmented payments, clear after-hours safety policies, and respectful privacy practices.
With free resources and credible standards bodies, you can implement these features of protections quickly and turn them into a competitive advantage and trust builder with pet parents.
Need a secure, PCI-compliant system to optimize your operations and build customer loyalty? Book a demo with Gingr today!