At Groovy Grooms, the health and comfort of your pet is my primary concern. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal – this includes prolonged de-matting, which is a painful procedure and is detrimental to the welfare of the animal. This also goes against the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses, as we “endeavor to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to my care.”
For this reason, if your pet is presented to me with mats which cover more than 5% of your pet, then I will advise that their coat be shaved off. Mats that cover 5% of your pet, for example, include a mat the size of a 50p behind each ear, the same size in the armpits and perhaps one or two in the groin or tail area.
If I have assessed your pet’s coat and found the matting is greater than the above, then I will offer you my shave down waiver so that I may obtain signed consent from you to proceed with the shaving.
In order to prevent matting, it is important that your pet is brushed at home between grooming appointments. I am more than happy to explain how to do this and recommend the appropriate tools to use at home. If this is something you simply cannot manage, I do offer the “Bath and Tidy” service, which will help maintain your pet’s coat health in between full grooming visits.
When a coat becomes matted, it causes discomfort as the mats pull tightly on the skin. This may even mask underlying health problems, such as skin conditions. When a matted coat is clipped sore, these issues may then become visible. It also has the potential to irritate the skin, because the skin has been unable to breathe for so long.
Clipping a matted coat can also take longer and cause additional wear and tear on my equipment, so a further charge of £10 will be added to the usual price of the groom.
By signing this form, you are confirming that you are granting Groovy Grooms permission to shave your pet’s coat short, and accept that on this occasion, any personal preference regarding the way your pet should be groomed will not be taken into consideration, as I am prioritising the health of your pet. By signing, you are also accepting that any irritation to your pet’s skin due to the removal of matted coat is not the fault of Groovy Grooms. On the rare occasion that this happens, please seek veterinary advice.