TIMMINS – A high school student has entrepreneurship in the bag.
Chase Cachagee, 15, is a Grade 10 Timmins High and Vocational School student with a drive to work. He started a lawn care business this spring to do the one job no dog owner looks forward to — picking up dog poop.
This was not a new task for Cachagee, who started doing this work in his family’s yard for years in Chapleau.
“Word somehow got around, and before I knew it, I had four paying customers,” said Cachagee. “I was only 12 at the time.”
He moved to Timmins a few years ago and decided it was time to get back into business.
“I figured, why not turn this into a real summer job?” he said. “I could get a regular summer job, but I know I’d learn so much more by starting and running my own business, and this is how K9 Scooper was born.”
He enjoys yard work, and even in his family, he is the go-to lawn care person.
“I take a lot of pride in keeping my own yard looking great. I won’t even let my dad or brother cut the grass because I’m too particular about how it looks,” said Cachagee. “If I can help people take care of their yards by removing dog waste and earn a few dollars while I’m at it, I’m all for it.”
The process for cleaning up dog pop is more involved than most people might think, and Cachagee has learned the importance of disinfecting his tools with a pet-safe disinfectant after every job.
He said most people don’t think about the risks that come with cleaning these kinds of things up and how leaving waste out can spread diseases to other dogs.
“That’s why it’s really important to pick up after your dog as much as possible, so you don’t risk other dogs getting sick,” he said.
Cachagee said mowing over it or waiting for a good rainstorm won’t work either.
“The rain doesn’t just magically wash it away — it can actually spread the bacteria around even more,” he said.
With this wealth of knowledge, he’s certain he can help a lot of people keep their yards clean and their pets safe on his weekends, after school and summer holidays.
He said his own dog, a Bernadoodle named Teeka, keeps him busy.
“I enjoy spending time with her, walking, washing, and feeding her, and don’t mind the dirty work of cleaning up after her,” he said.
This young entrepreneur said he isn’t sure what his future holds, but the lessons he learns through this experience will help him in whatever he pursues.
“My dad always says that everyone should run their own business at some point in their life. It teaches you a lot and helps you respect the hard work other business owners put in,” he said. “I think this is my chance to learn something new and help keep our city looking clean.”
For information about his services, visit the K9 Scooper Facebook page
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