Demanding more protection for our pets when at the groomers!

Demanding more protection for our pets when at the groomers!

As the pet grooming industry struggles to establish standards and define their practices in the occupation of professional pet grooming, let's look at the issues:

Any person can become a groomer, there is only voluntary certification, and voluntary personal insurance. No license is required and no testing for skills are required to enter into the industry. This can be quite alarming for pet parents.

There are a few professional associations providing voluntary certifications but it is not a condition for employment. Even some popular pet stores have their own version of certification. But many will tell you that the guidelines for the purpose of certification are not necessarily applicable to the real world of commercial pet grooming and hygiene care needs of the family pet.

The state is the only authority that can legislate laws to require training and educational minimums. When searching other businesses, looking for a licensed individual is usually the goal, but with the grooming industry that is not available. And unfortunately, because the pet grooming industry has no licensing requirement, fear and lack of trust may set in. And many pet owners may even lack the necessary information to make the best choices for their pet's grooming needs.

Today the pet grooming business is a fast growing industry as people are choosing to operate out of their homes, opening a facility or a mobile grooming shop. Some are even turning to online training, which may not be the most suitable way to get qualified to groom sufficiently. With no mandated skill requirement in order to be a groomer, some may have a lack of academic knowledge of product safety and hazards, animal handling and control techniques, breed behavior and temperament, parasite diseases and vaccination importance and basic first aid knowledge. The right kind of regulation and oversight may prevent such deficiencies. There is a need for a better system and the groomers who posses the passion and dedication of being a reputable groomer agree. Mandating the need to obtain a quality education and a need for apprenticeship to gain hands on real life training would be a good start. The grooming industry also deals with health, hygiene and sanitation, and without a sound type of regulation, it is possible many unknown risks can exist for the pet and pet groomer.

Please demand your state representatives make sound laws that will better protect our pets when at the groomers.

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