Ruff Stuff Pooper Scoopers in Oceanport is a business that cleans up

Seven-minute read

Susan Bloom
| Special to the Asbury Park Press

Twin brothers Jason and Jeremy Julio launched Ruff Stuff Pooper Scoopers, a pet waste removal service, in Oceanport.
The brothers previously founded and sold a successful mosquito and tick control company.
Ruff Stuff caters to busy homeowners and those physically unable to clean up after their pets.

OCEANPORT — Growing up in Long Branch, 43-year-old twin brothers and teachers Jason and Jeremy Julio were always very civic-minded and entrepreneurial. And that drive led them to launch Red Bank-based Last Bite Mosquito and Tick Control in 2012 to help community members control the population of mosquitoes, ticks and other pests on their property.

Desiring to capitalize on their hard work and efforts at the peak of a market that was getting increasingly saturated, they sold that highly successful company three years ago. But the brothers have recently returned to the scene with a similarly beneficial yard-related venture — Ruff Stuff Pooper Scoopers, an Oceanport-based provider of pet waste removal services for homes, parks and communities.

“In 2022, we sold Last Bite Mosquito and Tick Control to Viking Pest Control, stayed on as consultants for a year, and then exited that business,” said Jeremy, an Oceanport resident and physical education teacher at Long Branch High School. “Starting from scratch with just one truck, Last Bite ultimately grew to have 70 employees, 55 trucks on the road and 8,000 customers and we’re super proud of the business we built.”

But the brothers knew that Last Bite wouldn’t be their last venture.

“We had an amazing team of people doing our daily scheduling and office work and we knew that we wanted to move forward with them if we ever launched a new business,” Jeremy said.

As fate would have it, an intriguing opportunity soon crossed their path.

“A friend of mine who’d been to Austin, Texas, came across a poop-scooping service there and told us about it,” said fellow Oceanport resident Jason, a technology teacher at Intermediate East in Toms River.

“This type of service isn’t that well-known in the Jersey Shore area and there aren’t many well-run, branded companies doing this in our market, so we thought it could be a strong niche business,” he said. “Based on our positive experience with Last Bite, we had a great group of people who were willing to work with us and we knew that we could build out systems and a brand and offer this professional new service to our community.”

Since launching Ruff Stuff Pooper Scoopers in July 2024, their business has indeed taken off — though the Julios are quick to note that any perception of their clients as “too lazy to clean up after their own dog(s)” couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“Nobody wants to step in dog waste outside or bring it into the house, but many homeowners are busy with work and/or after-school activities with their kids, and some older people who enjoy the wonderful companionship of a dog aren’t physically able to pick up their waste,” Jason explained.

“As a result, people are loving our service and we’ve seen demand grow among homeowners and homeowners associations (HOAs), where we install and maintain the waste stations in communities,” he said.

‘Like mowing your lawn or cleaning your pool'

Nearly a year into the business, “we built Ruff Stuff from the ground up and now have six employees (plus ourselves) and three trucks on the road,” Jeremy said. And just as with Last Bite, he said that outstanding customer service remains a vital hallmark of their brand.

“Despite the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence and virtual assistants that we currently live in,” Jeremy said, “our clients can always count on a live person answering their call, responding to their questions, and providing a solution in a pleasant and professional way.”

In terms of their process, Jason said that every customer gets “onboarded” and told what to expect.

“We’ll text you the night before your service to confirm that we’re coming, and on the day of your service, our technician will let you know when they’re five minutes away,” Jason said.

Armed with shovels, scoopers and buckets, “we’ll proceed to remove any dog waste that’s visible on the property (and can address waste from other types of animals, such as deer, on a case-by-case basis). We’ll then close the gate, take a picture to assure the owner that we completed the job, and leave a special treat for their dog(s).”

Charges for this service typically run $20 a week for up to two dogs and $3 for each additional dog. “Most customers have us come once a week,” Jason said, “though some homeowners have us visit twice a week, which earns them a 10% discount on both services.”

“We’ll double-bag the waste and leave it in the client’s trash bin, or else they can pay us an extra $3 to haul it away,” Jeremy continued. “Other add-on services we offer include the application of sanitizer spray and deodorizer to clean and refresh the spots the dog was in.”

According to the Julios, business has been strong in both Monmouth and Ocean counties and in all seasons.

“In the warmer months when people are active and outdoors, homeowners often pick up their dog waste themselves but appreciate having us supplement their efforts to stay on top of it, and in the winter, they like our service because they don’t want to go out or let the waste pile up, especially if they have multiple dogs,” Jason said of their business, which has been growing by 30% every month and has amassed more than 100 five-star reviews on Google to-date.

In terms of trends, the Julios said several factors are driving the need for their service.

Among them, “homeowners are engaging in more outdoor living since the pandemic and want their properties to look pristine, and a growing number of households have multiple dogs,” Jeremy said. “Given that people are living busier lifestyles than ever, picking up after their dog(s) is the last thing they want to do when they’re at home. We offer an awesome service for $20 a week and it makes for one less thing to worry about.”

“It’s like mowing your lawn or cleaning your pool — you’ll do it yourself until you can afford to pay for those services,” Jason noted. “Many of our customers say that Ruff Stuff is the best thing that ever happened to their lifestyle; they value our service and are excited that they don’t have to do it anymore.”

As for challenges they face, Jeremy said that, like postal carriers, their technicians need to remain aware of the dogs on the properties they visit.

“Initially, our technicians don’t know whether each dog is friendly or aggressive,” Jeremy said. “For that reason, our office staff will ask the homeowner about their dog’s temperament, and we request that most dogs be kept inside when our techs come just in case. Our technicians all love dogs, but you never know how that experience might go, so we try to prevent any negative interaction.”

While it might seem like a challenge to find employees to do this type of work, that’s not been the case for the Julios.

“Our team members have their routes, love being outside, and are equipped with all of the right tools so that they don’t have to bend over or touch the waste,” Jason said. “They enjoy the weather, getting their vitamin D and steps in, listening to music, and taking satisfaction from helping to keep properties clean and tidy.”

Growing organically

Focused on driving Ruff Stuff’s marketing activities and strategic direction while fostering a positive work environment for their team, the Julios plan to continue growing their business organically and give back to their community by raising money for such local causes as the LymeLight Foundation, Jeremy’s Heroes and others.

“It’s exciting to be able to build and scale this new business, and it’s special to do it with my brother, both with Last Bite and now with Ruff Stuff,” Jeremy said.

“I love being able to work with our great management team and my brother,” Jason agreed, “and also for our families and kids to see what we’ve done and understand that they can do anything they put their minds to.”

Ultimately, Jason said, “we’re thrilled to provide a service that’s helpful, necessary, and that community members are proud to use.”