Certifying pet groomers is a waste of time

Creating a program that would require pet groomers to be certified is a waste of time and taxpayers money.

A San Diego lawmaker wants to create a certifying program for people whose basic job is to shampoo and trim the hair of pets, mostly dogs and cats. These are not veterinarians. They do not prescribe mediations or perform medical care.

The law, as now proposed, would only require groomers to voluntarily get a certificate showing they had gone through some schooling to perform their duties. Of course, we are certain they will be charged an annual fee for the certificate and the state and or county will have to oversee the program, increasing the cost of government.

Forcing pet groomers to be certified may be well intended, but is not necessary. When it comes to getting your poodle shampooed, let the buyer beware is the best advice. There are plenty of choices, even in a town the size of Porterville, from which pet owners can chose. A pet owner should be sure that they are leaving their pet with not only a person who has a viable business, but a person who maintains a clean environment for the pets.

Now, if the state does feel some form of regulation is needed, then it ought to go all the way and establish a licensing program. However, we are not aware of schools of pet cosmetology where groomers can be trained and licensed, so any form of certification or licensing program is moot if there is no schooling or classes available for groomers to be trained and licensed.

The best approach is for pet owners to do their homework and be certain the person handling their pet is competent, compassionate and have a shop that provides good care for all animals. In short, the best advice is Let the Buyer Beware.

This is just another attempt by the state to regulate in areas where regulation is not needed. What’s next, needing a license and training to wash cars?