By Wendy Bedwell-Wilson

Groomers can earn their certification to prove they know their vocation, but grooming shops can become certified, too, thanks to a new program offered by the Pet Care Services Association (PCSA). Board member Lori Cawood, CAPCT, owner of Canine Classic Spa and Resort in Bloomington, Ill., said the organization will be offering a volunteer facility accreditation program that shows a grooming facility has been checked for safety and is staffed by knowledgeable professionals.

“It will show that a grooming shop stands out in a way that the shop down the road doesn’t,” she said. “They’ve been checked that they’re safe, they’ve been checked that they’re certified groomers or trained or experienced groomers, and that the shop has met a lot of the requirements that some states require for a grooming shop.”

The PCSA already offers the certification for boarding kennels and daycare facilities, and in October, the organization plans to formally expand the certification to include grooming salons.

“I hope some of the grooming shops will get onboard with it, because it could be a way to set your shop apart from somebody else,” Cawood said. <HOME>