CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine
178 pet care services (except veterinary) operated in Maine in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 178CBP 2023
- Employees
- 1,032mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 12.7U.S. 7.5
- State rank
- 37th of 51by count
Pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 178 establishments in Maine classified as Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (NAICS 812910) for 2023. They employed 1,032 people in mid-March and reported $25.9 million in annual payroll. That is the 37th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Pet care services (except veterinary) make up 0.41% of the 43,345 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Maine has 12.7 pet care services (except veterinary), 68.6% above the national rate of 7.5. The average establishment has 5.8 employees against 6.9 nationally. Payroll per employee is $25,088, 10.5% below the U.S. figure of $28,047.
| Measure | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 178 | 25,551 |
| Mid-March employees | 1,032 | 175,116 |
| Annual payroll | $25,891,000 | $4,911,421,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 5.8 | 6.9 |
| Payroll per employee | $25,088 | $28,047 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 12.7 | 7.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Pet care services (except veterinary) by metro area in Maine
Census published pet care business counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Maine. The largest is Portland, ME, with 87 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 75% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 87 | 618 | 15.2 |
| Bangor, ME | 26 | 146 | 16.6 |
| Augusta, ME | 12 | — | 9.3 |
| Lewiston, ME | 8 | — | 6.9 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine
53.9% of Maine's pet care services (except veterinary) with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 57.7% nationally. 81.5% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 96 | 53.9% | 57.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 49 | 27.5% | 20.0% |
| 10–19 employees | 25 | 14.0% | 14.2% |
| 20–49 employees | 8 | 4.5% | 7.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.8% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine
Groomers, boarding kennels and pet sitters take bookings and status calls from owners who want to know their pet is fine. Clear communication keeps clients loyal. That holds for pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine:
- An owner calls about boarding availability for a holiday.
- An owner calls about vaccination requirements.
- An owner calls to book grooming.
Calls after closing time
Owners traveling may call outside business hours.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
What a phone system costs a pet care business in Maine
Pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine average 5.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 6-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 6 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $180.00 a month and 6 on Ooma Office Pro cost $149.70. On Callata the same 6 people cost $119.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $732. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $119.00 | $1,428.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $114.00 | $1,368.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $138.00 | $1,656.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $149.70 | $1,796.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $162.00 | $1,944.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $180.00 | $2,160.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Maine
Maine has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your pet owners know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 742 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for pet care services (except veterinary) in Maine
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Maine, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many pet care services (except veterinary) are in Maine?
178 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 1,032 people in mid-March.
Which Maine metro area has the most pet care services (except veterinary)?
Portland, ME, with 87 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 6-person pet care business?
$180.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $149.70 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $119.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Maine number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.