The Complete Guide to GST for Pet Businesses

GST (Goods and Services Tax) applies to pet care services in India, and getting it right is both a legal requirement and a mark of professionalism. If your annual turnover exceeds ₹20 lakhs (₹10 lakhs for certain states), GST registration is mandatory. Even below that threshold, voluntary registration can be beneficial — it allows you to claim input tax credits on your purchases and signals credibility to corporate clients.

Pet boarding, grooming, and daycare services fall under SAC code 998519 (Other veterinary services) and attract 18% GST — split as 9% CGST and 9% SGST for intra-state transactions. When you raise an invoice, both components must be shown separately. A ₹1,000 grooming service becomes ₹1,000 + ₹90 CGST + ₹90 SGST = ₹1,180 total. The GSTIN of your business, the client's GSTIN (if they have one), the invoice date, and a sequential invoice number are all mandatory fields. Many pet businesses fail GST audits simply because their invoices are missing these fields.

For filing, most small pet businesses fall under the GSTR-1 + GSTR-3B framework. GSTR-1 (outward supplies) is filed quarterly for businesses with turnover below ₹5 crore under QRMP scheme; GSTR-3B (summary return with tax payment) is filed monthly. CuroPaw generates GST-compliant invoices automatically and can export a month's billing data in a format ready for your CA to file. This alone saves the average pet business owner 4–6 hours per month and significantly reduces the risk of errors.