Liz East: Meet the 30-year-old who quit law to walk dogs, earns up to $530 a day, works fewer hours and says she now makes more than she did in her corporate career
Meet the 30-year-old who quit law to walk dogs and says she now earns more. One day, Liz East was spending more than 12 hours working in criminal defence law and commuting to London. Today, she can spend part of her working day surrounded by 20 to 30 dogs, driving between four walks, and says she earns thousands more each month than she did in her corporate career.The 30-year-old from West Sussex had spent six years studying law and four years working as a criminal defence paralegal. But the career she once imagined for herself eventually left her wondering whether the long hours and constant pressure were worth it.Then she made an unusual career switch: she left law, and began building a dog-walking business.And the financial result surprised even people who questioned her decision.
Meet Liz East
East had once hoped to become a criminal defence lawyer. Her work involved everything from administration and court appearances to visiting prisons and speaking with clients.But the hours began taking a toll. Her working days could stretch beyond 12 hours, while commuting to London added another two hours. East said she began feeling older than her age and repeatedly asked herself whether this was really the life she wanted.She also found the wider corporate lifestyle difficult to sustain, particularly the expectation to work long hours and socialise after work.“I felt older than what I was. Every day I thought, ‘Is this my life now?’” she told PEOPLE.
The person who made her question everything
The turning point was surprisingly close to home.East’s husband already worked in dog-walking and dog-boarding, and she watched him get up every day and genuinely enjoy his work. That contrast made her question her own routine.“Why am I dreading work every weekend and working these long hours?” she recalled.Eventually, East left her corporate job. She initially worked at a local pub while building her own dog-walking business and gradually developed a client base.
Now she walks up to 30 dogs a day
Her working day looks very different now.East says she typically takes 20 to 30 dogs out across around four outings each day. PEOPLE reports that she charges about $19 an hour per dog and says her daily earnings can reach roughly $400 to $530.That does not mean all of that amount is take-home income. Running a dog-walking business involves expenses, including transportation, insurance and other operating costs.But East says her overall income has nevertheless gone up.“People presume dog walkers are low-earning, but I actually earn more now,” she said, adding that she makes “thousands more per month” than she did in corporate work while working about half the hours.
Her law degree was not wasted, she says
The career change has also brought criticism.Some people questioned why she would spend years studying law only to become a dog walker. East said some even told her she had wasted six years.She sees it differently.According to East, the skills and knowledge she gained during those years still help her in everyday life. And she has not given up the qualification itself. Her law degree remains an option if she ever wants to return to the profession.For now, however, she has no plans to do that.“I love what I do so much,” she told PEOPLE.
She says money was not the reason she switched
The most interesting part of East’s story may be that she does not recommend dog-walking simply because she says it pays better for her.She believes people should choose it because they genuinely enjoy being outdoors and working with dogs.For East, the bigger change appears to be what happens between the paycheques.She went from questioning her long days in law to looking forward to getting up for work.Her advice to anyone considering a major career change is straightforward: don’t stay in a job that makes you unhappy simply because you are afraid to leave.“Life is short,” she said. “Don’t stay in a job where you’re unhappy.”
