National Pet Styling Groups and Allies Come Together to Develop Standards of Care for Pet Grooming
LAS VEGAS, NV – Good pet grooming begins with good training and a relationship based on trust. During today’s morning session of the World Pet Association’s Groomer Supershow, the members of the Professional Pet Groomers & Stylists Alliance (PPGSA) announced the results of a year-long initiative to review and establish a set of best practices regarding safety and sanitation that will serve as a foundational building block for industry grooming standards.
Doug Poindexter, president of the World Pet Association, and representatives from International Pet Groomers, Inc., the International Society of Canine Cosmetologists and the National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc. took the stage, flanked by additional association members. They described a protocol that includes standards for animal housing and handling, equipment, and facilities with a focus on safe operations and attentive animal care.
“This is a groundbreaking achievement,” said Poindexter. “We applaud all the groups that are working together to develop these important health and safety standards.”
Linda Easton, president of IPG, said, “We believe that providing groomers with education and industry standards about the safe and humane handling of pets can give them the mindset, tools and desire to provide exceptional service to all pets in their care.”
“The integration of a ‘Basic Standard of Pet Care’ into industry guidelines and policies will provide an indelible assurance of the well-being of the pets entrusted to professional pet groomers and stylists,” added ISCC executive director Pam Lauritzen. “It can become a mutually beneficial cornerstone of care.”
Jeffrey Reynolds, executive director of the NDGAA, added “We are proud and excited to be part of this coalition of pet grooming professionals who have come together to share our experience to create these basic standards of pet care. We are passionate about ensuring the safety of all pets while in the care of pet grooming professionals.”
Final language will be released at an upcoming national grooming exposition. Alliance members are committed to incorporating these standards into their own training and/or certification programs, ensuring that groomers and stylists are taught to the same standards irrespective of which program they pursue.
About the Professional Pet Groomers & Stylists Alliance
The PPGSA was created to harness the experience and expertise of the three major national pet styling associations – IPG, ISCC and NDGAA – to develop industry-wide best practices for pet grooming. In addition to these groups, members of the Alliance include trade groups such as the World Pet Association, the California Professional Pet Groomers Association, the New Jersey Pet Groomers Association and the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, major retail partners such as Petco and PetSmart and pet care industry service providers such as the American Kennel Club, America’s Pet Registry, Inc. and Barkleigh. Alliance members meet regularly to review standards to ensure that they reflect current industry best practices. For more information, contact Mike Bober at (202) 309-3980 or mbober@pijac.org.