OTTAWA -- Pet grooming services have been closed due to COVID-19, and many pet owners are wondering when they’ll be able to bring their fuzzy friend in for a haircut or to have their nails trimmed.
Carissma Mathen is a first time dog owner, “he is the most important thing in our world.”
And she loves her dog Bolo.
“He has extremely soft, silky fur - he’s incredibly cuddly; but, it does get matted.”
Mathen tells CTV News Ottawa she’s concerned about at-home-grooming, “when it comes to the clipping of the nails and that kind of stuff, because I’m so nervous. I just don’t like to do it for fear of hurting him.”
Before COVID-19, she would take him to a professional groomer, just like Yvonne Sweetman does with her cats.
“Two of them have very long fur, their coats are - they’ll get mats, especially Little Miss Hiss, she will get mats all the time and we can’t handle her.”
Professional groomers like Jayme Montero hasn’t been able to handle Little Miss Hiss either because of the Ontario Government only allowing essential businesses to remain open during the pandemic.
“That’s been the grey, fuzzy area across the board for all groomers at this point.”
Montero owns Purrdy Paws on Bank Street, and has been closed, except for emergency grooming, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It does get a little fuzzy too, in terms of how do we determine what is an emergency, and what is not - when all grooming requirement are in the best interests of pets’ health and well being.”
Montero says that it isn’t clear whether pet grooming is an essential service.
“It’s been a mixed bag, depending on who you speak to… we’ve been told that businesses are to operate at their own discretion, and, interpret the business essentials list at our own discretion.”
What does the province of Ontario say?
CTV News Ottawa asked to the Office of the Minister of Economic Development for clarification on whether pet grooming is essential, and they responded with:
“Non-essential services can only be provided online, by telephone, or by other remote means.”
In an updated statement, they added:
“Business owners should review the list of essential business which are authorized to stay open, determine whether they fit into any of the categories and, if they do, make a business decision as to whether to stay open.”
You may wish to consider that pet grooming is not explicitly referenced in the essential businesses list.
Jessica Smith owns Groomers Touch, and thinks “we should be essential, for the fact that we take in these pets and we make a bond with them, and we make sure that we protect them and we do everything we can to be responsible for them.”
Bolo would agree, says Mathen, “Bolo wants his grooming.”
