Woman quits career she was passionate about to become a dog walker, now earns up to Rs 50,000 a day

A 30-year-old woman in the UK has left behind a promising career in law to pursue her passion for animals, becoming a full-time dog walker and building a business that now earns her thousands of pounds every month.

Liz East, who spent four years working in criminal defence, told People magazine, citing Kennedy News and Media, that the demands of her legal career had taken a toll on her.

"Working in criminal defence was a lot; it was quite draining," she said, as quoted by the outlet. "I did everything from admin to going to court, going to prisons, and chatting with clients."


After years in criminal defence, East began questioning whether her career was worth the impact it was having on her personal life. The constant pressure eventually prompted her to leave the legal profession and launch a full-time dog-walking business.

"I felt older than I was. Every day I thought, 'Is this my life now?'" she added.

‘London life’ and long working hours took a toll

During her time as a paralegal, East said she frequently felt overwhelmed by the demands of her job and the lifestyle surrounding it.

"There's also this 'London life' where you're all expected to go out and have a drink, and sometimes you're not getting home until 9 pm or 10 pm," she said. "I don't think that's sustainable for having a family."

"It's not a life," she continued. "There's so much stress and people don't enjoy it. But people stay because the money is good. It keeps you drawn in."

As concerns about burnout grew, East began thinking about what she wanted from her working life in the long term. Her husband, who works in dog-walking and dog-boarding, also influenced her decision.

"My husband does dog-walking and dog-boarding, and he loves his job," she said. "So, being around someone who is so passionate about what they do, I thought, 'Why am I dreading work every weekend and working these long hours?'"

From local pub job to successful dog-walking business

East initially took up a job at a local pub to meet her expenses while she worked on building a customer base for her pet-care business.

Within a year, she had built up enough regular clients to fill her schedule. She now leads four group walks each day and looks after between 20 and 30 dogs daily.

She charges around £14 (approximately Rs 1,800) per hour for each dog and generates a daily turnover of roughly £300 to £400, equivalent to around Rs 38,500 to Rs 51,400.

‘You did all that studying and now you're just walking dogs?’

East said her career change has also attracted criticism from people who believe she gave up years of education and professional training to become a dog walker.

"I get some people saying, 'You went from law to dog-walking? You did all that studying and now you're just walking dogs?'" she said.

"Some of them were judgmental and thought I had wasted six years, but I learned a lot during those six years that I still use in everyday life," she added.

Despite the criticism, East said her new career has proved financially rewarding as well as personally fulfilling.

"People presume dog walkers are low-earning, but I actually earn more now," she said. "I'm making thousands more per month than I was working in corporate, and I do half the hours I used to."

East says passion for animals is essential

East believes financial gains should not be the primary reason for someone considering a career in dog walking. According to her, the job requires a genuine love for animals and an interest in spending time outdoors.

"You should do it because you want to be outside and want to be with dogs," she said. "I love getting up and going to work."

Although she has stepped away from law, East said her degree and experience remain available to her should she ever decide to return to the profession.

"I'll always have my degree and can go back to it at some point," she noted. "Not that I think I ever will, because I love what I do so much."