Summary of Changes

SURVEY DISCUSSIONS Summary of Changes

Boom in Mobile Grooming Awareness Nationwide media attention for restricted availability of grooming services and eventually essential status created significant public awareness for pet grooming. Leading the way were contact-free mobile grooming services often allowed to resume operations early on while commercial shops remained closed until curbside and essential issues were resolved.

New and Closed Grooming Businesses Unofficial estimates range from 2,000 to 4,000 grooming businesses have closed business in the U.S. There is evidence from our surveys of business owners closing businesses for various reasons. Some closed staffed businesses to either retire earlier than expected and others resizing to one-person businesses. On the flipside there is evidence of new businesses, especially mobile. With new demand projected from high adoption rates of dogs during the 2020 lockdowns logically we could see annual sales for grooming industry increase by 5% to 7%. Future of Essential Grooming is Uncertain Should we feel confident that any future calls for lockdowns won’t close some or all grooming businesses? Only 11% of commercial grooming business owners felt that essential status meant they will be likely to be able to operate during lockdowns. Spokespersons for the Industry Today, who do you think are the spokespersons for the grooming industry? Surveyed groomers indicated the industry needs them, but who will it be? With little to say about the essential nature of grooming, groomers feel someone must represent their interests in any regulation of the industry.

Employee Work Rights During Pandemics The confusion of the early pandemic for both employers and employees exposed a new issue. What are the rights of employees to choose not to work for personal safety without losing jobs. Our employee survey showed their confusion and questions that still may not be answered. Employed to Self-Employed Since 1998 PetGroomer.com has done annual industry surveys. In 2020 striving through the pandemic a record number of groomers said that eventually being self86 Copyright © 2013 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved Subscribe www.egroomer.com employed appeals to them, and 24% are very motivated and working on it now.

SURVEY DISCUSSIONS Additional Commentary

“I don’t think we should have to work during a pandemic. I lost my job after grooming became essential and I did“I was forced to close while other businesses selling pet food as well as grooming could stay open. n’t want to work again. My employer I lost $21,000 income from grooming. asked how much more time off I I had to layoff employees. I am glad needed. I don’t know when the pan- they got unemployment and more. demic ends. When it is over. People What about us business owners? Sure should not have to work during a pan- I can get a SBA loan but now I owe demic but we need more government thousands which will take years to support beyond unemployment.” payoff. All because I didn’t sell pet wage while putting myself in harm’s way just leaving my house to work.” I helped her apply for an EIDL emergency grant she got $4,000. That food! Outrageous! I could have done ”I barely get more than minimum the business?” better as an employee. Why not sell ”We all lost our jobs. We got some severance which was nice and not ”I felt sorry for my employer. She took required. The owner did not want to good care of us until we could return use up her retirement income at 62 to work. We were closed almost 3 years old. I get it. But this has been months and the landlord demanded terribly hard as unemployment will rent on time. end. I hope more jobs are out there soon. Not so many right now.” helped with a month’s rent and utili- ”No one should decide for us if groomties. She got the additional loan but ing is essential or not. Not a vet, not a doesn’t know if she will ever make up doctor, not anyone in grooming. Tell the sales to pay it off. We may lose us what we need to do like sanitation our jobs even with the great PPP as- and masks but don’t let people withsistance.” out any pet care background tell us eGroomer Journal Copyright © 2011 Find A Groomer Inc. All rights reserved 87what is essential. We are pet pros.” PetGroomer.com Magazine www.petgroomermagazine.com

SURVEY DISCUSSIONS Additional Commentary

“I had to close my business after 2 months with no opening in sight. I could not get the EIDL help more than $1,000. I had just gotten my new business open and suddenly had to close doors. I had invested thousands. The only good thing was I was on just a one year lease. I still owe the lease and just may go bankrupt.”

“I felt guided to be a mobile groomer after 3 years as a shop employee. I just got my van. At first I was dumbfounded why is this happening to me? But in a couple weeks it was OK to do mobile. My phone was ringing off the hook within days and I think I will have a full clientele very soon, much faster than had the pandemic not happened.

You just never know but I feel bad for groomers that rent shops and cannot operate.”

“Thank god for mobile grooming both for the pets and their owners.“ “I have a doctor’s order that I not wear a mask due to asthma and breathing passage issues. I tested negative and went back to work. I get tested once a month. But some of the public are so rude they don’t even ask but tell me I am killing people.”

“I have a doctor’s order that I not wear a mask due to asthma and breathing passage issues. I tested negative and went back to work. I get tested once a month. But some of the public are so rude they don’t even ask but tell me I am killing people. So I cannot be let go from my grooming job for such reasons. What a life!”

“I am furious if we ever have to have local officials or government tell us what is essential or not. I hold the same line with groomers telling other groomers what is essential. As we have seen with extensive but practical precautions there was no need for the extended lock down and the financial harm of their opinions. Never again.”

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