Pet project.

When Sergio Fonseca finished veterinary school in 1986, he never dreamed he would be earning money with a taxi service. His passengers include Meg, Lola and Rex. His business is Taxi-Dog, a transport service for pets in business in Sao Paulo now for 12 years. "The idea was born out of the need for people to transport animals around town since normal taxis don't offer this sort of service," says Fonseca, who runs a fleet of three small transport vans. Often, people use the service for convenience's sake or if they don't want to get their cars dirty.

The company hasn't gone totally to the dogs--it also takes care of cats. Most are taken for shots, baths and on trips, sometimes to other states. "We've worked in Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro and Parana," says Fonseca. Sao Paulo is the bulk of the business, but not everything runs smoothly. "It can be hard winning over the customer's trust, getting around town or handling the animals, all that on top of costs," Fonseca says. One Siberian Husky, Helius, has been a faithful client for a year now. "We always travel together. I take him for a bath or to the veterinarian," says Fatima Braga, a housekeeper tending to Helius, her employer's pet. "Helius is used to the driver."

One of Taxi-Dog's biggest clients is bank employee Julio Cesar Cadamuro, who works in communications for Vira-lata e Dez', a non-government program for abandoned animals. The organization uses the service to rescue dogs and take them to its center in Juquitiba, in Sao Paulo state. "When we need to do a rescue, we solicit their service. We also use them to take pets to future owners," Cadamuro says. "Any time we need them, they are always on time."