Guest Blog Post
Written by Kinn Inc
https://kinninc.com/time-studies/
What could your team do with an extra 10 hours a week?
In today’s pet care industry, time is more than a resource, it’s a reflection of your operational health, staff well-being, and ability to deliver consistent, high-quality care. For pet resorts, groomers, board & train facilities, animal shelters, and pet care pros, the push to operate sustainably must also include making time-saving, efficiency-driven decisions.
At Kinn, we believe true sustainability includes building smarter, more resilient systems. That’s why we’ve created tools to help you identify inefficiencies, streamline operations, and reinvest saved time and labor where it matters most–your people and the pets in your care.
Why Time Studies Matter for Pet Care Businesses
A Time Study is a focused, data-driven way to observe how long routine tasks take in your facility. Whether you’re tracking how much time it takes to clean food bowls, change bedding, or complete check-in procedures, Time Studies reveal hidden inefficiencies and opportunities for sustainable improvement.
Time Studies also provide a scalable framework: once you measure and optimize one process, you can apply the method across your business to reduce burnout, lower costs, and create a smoother day-to-day experience for staff and animals alike.
A Tool Designed for Pet Care Operations
To support facilities of all sizes, we’ve developed a free Time Study Toolkit that includes:
- A customizable spreadsheet to track and compare time spent on specific tasks
- Step-by-step guidance on how to implement a Time Study
- Three educational videos to walk you through setup, analysis, and improvement opportunities
This toolkit was designed to be repeatable and reliable; whether you’re evaluating your feeding protocols or rethinking your cleaning workflows.
Saving Time with Kleanbowl
One of the most impactful places to start? Your food and water systems. In most pet care settings, sanitizing bowls is a time-intensive task that requires manual labor, detergents, hot water, and often additional space and equipment.
Kinn Kleanbowl offers a two-part solution: a reusable frame and single-use, compostable Nourish-Pet refills made with materials that meet ASTM D6400 and D6868 standards . By removing the need to wash bowls after every use, your team can reclaim hours of time per week, and according to a 2016 life cycle analysis, the two-part Kinn Kleanbowl can reduce water and energy usage when compared to an industry-standard stainless steel bowl washed daily.
When you’re running an animal shelter, time isn’t just valuable—it’s life-saving. Kinn Kleanbowl eliminates the need to wash food and water bowls, saving up to 80% of the time typically spent at the sink. This data is taken directly from time studies conducted by clients, including animal shelters and pet care facilities. Resulting in a total game changer for their day-to-day operations.
Repurposing that labor opens the door for more hands-on care. More walks. More enrichment. More moments that build trust and support adoption. In a pet resort, that might mean adding new revenue streams. And in a shelter, that added time could be what helps an animal get the time and extra attention they need. Here is what some of our clients have said about the positive impacts of implementing Kinn Kleanbowl into their facility and/or animal shelter:
“Switching to the Kinn Kleanbowl System saves us 3+ hours per day which we repurpose for enrichment to improve our life saving plans!” – Shannon Harkey, Shelter Manager, CMPD Animal Care & Control • Charlotte, NC
Smart solutions don’t always look high-tech. Sometimes, they’re simple shifts that let your staff work smarter instead of harder. Kleanbowl is one of those shifts—cleaner, quicker, and better for the health of the animals in your care.
Because at the end of the day, cleaner bowls shouldn’t come at the cost of connection, compassion, or capacity.
What you gain:
- Cleaner feeding stations with less risk of cross-contamination
- Consistent sanitation without the need for commercial dishwashing
- Lower staff workload and increased bandwidth for animal care
It’s a simple shift with measurable impact, and the results show up quickly in your time studies.
Efficiency at Every Level
While feeding protocols are an ideal starting point, Time Studies can be applied throughout your facility. You can evaluate:
- Intake and discharge procedures
- Kennel turnover and cleaning
- Staff shift transitions
- Enrichment and exercise planning
- Laundry or bedding changes
When you track time systematically, you gain insight into where your staff is overextended, where resources are underutilized, and how your systems can better support your mission.
Your First Step Toward Sustainable Efficiency
If you’ve been looking for a practical, high-impact way to improve operations while supporting staff well-being and social and animal welfare goals, this is your starting point.
Visit our Time Study resource page to access the toolkit and start evaluating your current processes:
https://kinninc.com/time-studies/
Sustainability is about creating a series of systems that work for your pet care business. When you make time-saving part of your business strategy, everyone benefits.