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If you now operate, or have ever operated, a successful home business that was inspired by an article you read in MOTHER, tell us about it in around 500 words (write to THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS® , 105 Stoney Mountain Road, Hendersonville, North Carolina 28791): Be sure to mention when and where you started your venture and with how much "seed money"; what you make (net), and anything else that might be of assistance to other entrepreneurs. If your story is used in this column, you'll receive [1] the satisfaction of knowing that you may help someone else start a business and [2] a free two-year new or renewal subscription to THE MOTHER EARTH NEWS®.

This past summer, after completing my veterinary-assistant training, I decided that (rather than trying to find a full- or parttime job with a vet in the area) I'd put my skills and my love of animals to work by caring for other people's pets in my home. And, although the idea of boarding pets came from Larry William Koontz's article on page 106 in MOTHER NO. 76 (Larry tells how he and his wife board, groom, and otherwise care for dogs and cats), I knew that — because of the location and size of my house — I wouldn't be able to handle animals that'd need a back yard in which to exercise.

I decided that I could, however, take in smaller guests: the birds, reptiles, and rodents that are commonly kept in cages. People around here become very attached to such pets, and often don't want to board their animals at the usual commercial facilities. After making a small investment in advertising (postage on the 20 letters I sent to feed and pet stores in the area cost $4.00, and I spent $3.00 to have 200 business cards printed), I was ready to open shop.

I started by taking caged critters into my home. Then, after receiving several requests to do so, I also began to visit other people's houses to care for their pets there. However, before accepting responsibility for any person's animal, I require two items: The first is the owner's signature on a form releasing me from any liability in the case of an accident, and the second is written permission to take the animal to a veterinarian in an emergency.

Because my petite-pet-sitting enterprise is as much a hobby as a business, and since I want to keep it on a fairly small scale, I don't promote it a great deal. Still, I do manage to average about $25 a week, after expenses. Summer is my busiest season, since children are out of school and families do their traveling then. (During that time of year I sometimes make more than $100 a week tending the tiny tenants!)

The greatest number of animals I've ever had under my care at one time all belonged to some neighbors who went on vacation and assigned me the daily care and feeding of their 61-pet household . . . consisting of 30 rabbits, 30 guinea pigs, and one dog!