Pet groomers speak out against being non-essential

February 4, 2021 · 0 Comments

Written By FATIMA BAIG

Pet groomers were able to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic without any issues, up until Dec. 26 of last year, when it was deemed non-essential by the provincial government.

While the Province now considers the service to no longer be indispensable, for many, including Tess Maclean, owner of the Posh Puppy Salon in Orangeville, the service is badly needed.

“We are essential for the well-being of all dogs, nail clipping and of course matted hair on the dogs,” said Maclean.

Before the shutdown, Posh Puppy took precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as a no-contact drop-off, disinfecting in between clients and paying through a window or over the phone.

“We have less contact here than even before. The clients would come in the front, they would put the dog in a cage and we’d stay in the back and watch them leave then come and get the dog,” said Maclean.

She told the Citizen the maintenance of a dog’s coat is essential to their health.

“A lot of dogs come in every six weeks, not for cosmetic purposes but to keep their hair and coats in check. I think it’s essential for the health of the dog,” Maclean said.

Gemini Cane has been a client at Posh Puppy for over three years. She didn’t realize how much her dog needed regular grooming until the shutdown.

As a result of lack of trimming, Cane’s dog is having a hard time with his vision. “He’s got crazy long hair and he can’t even see right now he’s getting eye infections because his hair is too long around his eyes,” she said.

For almost all pet owners, trimming their own dog’s hair can be dangerous since they’re not properly trained.

“It’s all very well for you to say you can just brush your dog but a lot of dogs don’t like it and It can be dangerous when a dog’s coat gets to a certain length, it goes out of control, then you have serious matting by the skin” Maclean said.

Many dog owners might cause damage to the dog if they don’t have the proper grooming equipment.

“You can cut them, you can give them razor burn. Unless you are well versed in where the hair ends and the skin starts there is a lot of danger in that,” Maclean warned.

Cane says she isn’t comfortable trimming her dog’s hair herself due to the fear of hurting him.

“I’ve only done it once when I first got him and I don’t really know how to do it,” she said. “I hurt his eye and I am terrified to
do it again.”

Many animal owners don’t have the means to groom their pets by themselves and rely on grooming services because of disabilities.

“I have an elderly friend who isn’t able to get her dog in the bathtub and give the dog a bath herself. So, there are also people who need to have their dogs cleaned by somebody else,” said Cane.

Pet grooming services will be closed unless required for the health and welfare of an animal, such as a grooming service provided by a vet, noted Miriam Mohamadi, communication project manager of the Ministry of Health.