Danger At The Groomers: Cage Dryers
This is a must read for every dog lover out there who loves to have their precious ones groomed.
Lisa and I were watching The Today Show this morning when Meridith Viera did a segment on the dangers lurking at the groomers. She told of a story about her assistant’s dog, Sushi, who died while getting groomed. Tragically Sushi was put in a cage dryer, set at 100 degrees, for 30 minutes.
Since we usually bathe our dogs at home we had no idea there were such things as cage dryers. We have, however, on occasion had them bathed when they were boarded so that they would be nice and clean when we brought them home. This was a real wake-up call to us, as I’m sure it will be to many of you. The most disturbing fact is that the pet grooming industry is unregulated, anyone could be working those machines.
The horrifying story of a dog that died after being left in a kennel drying machine is a tragic warning about an unregulated industry, an expert said Friday – and a wake-up call to pet owners who need to do their homework about the facilities they trust with their beloved animals.
It’s hard to think of anything more awful than your beloved pet dying while getting a routine bath.
Groomer and instructor Joey Villan gives important tips on how to find a qualified groomer. Hopefully, making everyone aware of this heartbreaking tragedy will prevent it from happening again.
Villani encourages every pet owner do research on the facility they’ve chosen before handing over their pooch or kitty. And his tips go beyond inquiring about the usage of kennel dryers.
“You have to ask questions,” he said. “But first, a groomer should really be asking you questions. They should be professional. The place should look and smell clean. They should ask you to tour the facilities. They should show you where the dog is going to be caged, what the procedures are going to be.
“If they don’t, ask them,” Villani continued. “Get a little bit more involved and ask, ‘OK, what’s the procedure here? What are you doing to my dog?’ And if they’re reluctant about showing you the place, walk away.”
In addition, Villani says pet owners should inquire about the products and foods used at a facility. They should also investigate safety procedures, to the point of examining the length of leashes and their safety nooses on grooming decks.
“A lot of people call it a noose, but I call it a safety noose because it sounds better,” he said. “If that’s not adjusted properly and it has a little bit of play in it, when a dog jumps off the table and that snaps, it will break the dog’s neck. Groomers need to be within hands-reach of the dog at all times.”
Thanks to Amanda and Keith Bushey for sharing their very sad story so that others won’t have to experience the pain and loss they did.
OMG that is SO sad. Those poor people. That POOR dog. How awful. I hope they are suing that dumb groomer.
Does anyone know who the boarding facility and groomer were? I live in NYC and want to be sure we never send our boy there!
Thank you so much for sharing this story. I will pass it on. We have our first dog that needs to be groomed and it has not been easy. He has come home cut on more than one occasion. When we first started going to groomers we were told they used benadryl which made me nervous. I just don’t know who to trust.
It’s always good to do research and ask around before you take your dog to a facility you will be leaving them at.
How awful! Our hearts go out to the poor pup and the family. We will definitely make sure that our groomer doesn’t use those cage dryers and will talk to them about the nooses (scary).
People are missing the point of the story. The story did not say that cage dryers are bad. They have their place. The story is about how thhey CAN be dangerous in the hhands of the wrong people who have not been trained correctly to use them, or choose not to use them correctly.
You should research and ask friends for recommendations, as well as ask your vet. View the facility and interview the groomers about procedures. I don’t care how safe, I wouldn’t let a smooshed face breed be placed in the cage dryer. no medications or treats should be given, who knows what a dog is allergic to or what the reaction will be?
I only wish this business/profession was regulated. Thank Dog we have a trustworthy groomer, we’ve used for many years.
I think the point of the story is not just about the cage dryers, but know about the place you take your furbabies.
I have been a dog groomer for five years now and always hear new clients with horror stories from past groomers. I have alot of stories about past horror clients. I personally groom less dogs in a day because rushing to get as many dogs done as possible causes too much stress for the client and Fully drying a dog out is the best way to get a dogs coat to lay right and blow out dead coat. Cage dryers should only be used for last resort. And there are such things as air dryers that don’t use heat. We use them at our shop because heat dryers left unattended are dangerous.
Did anyone notice when the camera panned on the dryer that was set for 100 degrees, it was actually set for fan only and not heat?
Equipments used for grooming your dog either used in a grooming clinic or just at home must be handled with care and prior attention when in use as so many things may happen without as knowing or anticipating (accidents as we call it). This case should not stop us from bringing our dogs to grromers, instead, would make us more aware and vigilant in giving our dog’s the best and safest treatment possible. When it comes to our dog’s health , we must be very observing, keen and careful as some things will not always go our ways.
Wow. I have never heard of a cage dryer and I worked at a grooming shop! We just had dryers that hung on the kennels and they were warm never hot…. cause we would have burned up too the shop was so small. That’s awfull that had to happen. The shop I worked at was compleatly open. Customers who came in could see the grooming tables, kennels, bath tub and the dogs. My suggestion is to just take a tour of the facility before leaving your pet. If they refuse then just walk out.
As Health Editor for National Pet Press, I feel that I must speak out about this cage drying, which is essentially a drying machine used on pets.
Unfortunately, people who come up with such insane ideas for washing or drying machines for pets do not have the animal’s best interest at heart. Their ideas are often just get rich quick schemes. LIke many pet products, they are simply about how much money someone can make.
To ruin a load of laundry in a machine is one thing, but to frighten or harm a pet is another!
For myself, bathing and grooming my 3 cats is about the love and attention – keeping them clean is a side benefit.
Pets should not have to suffer for convenience, and certainly not so the groomer can make more production.
Bathing and drying machines are becoming popular on the internet. I certainly hope that pet owners will start to take notice. A machine for bathing may seem convenient, but the experience may be trumatic for a pet. And now we know that the drying machine can be deadly!
No matter what you are considering for your pet – do the research before making a decision. And always read the warning labels on all products.
WOW… I did not even know those things existed. I called my groomer and they said they use a drying machine. I told them that I would prefer to pick my dog up wet than to risk her dying.
Thanks for sharing this important information
Coco
Our local news recently ran a story about the horrible things taking place at the groomer’s, and the deaths of several dogs. One notable piece of information they conveyed was that these type of atrocities and carelessness by employees was particularly prevalent at the large chain pet store’s grooming centers. Definitely something everyone should be wary of!
It is very important whenever you hand your dog over to someone else or you entrust someone else with your dog’s wellbeing that you know exactly what is happening to them
Just another reason why my husband and I do our own grooming. Have you ever stopped and watched the groomers at PetSmart??? I have complained many times on how mean and mishandling the groomers where in the shop with the animals. Think about it. IT’S JUST A J.O.B. to them, regardless that is someones family member, someone they love!
I am a dog groomer I hate these dryers that some groomers are using the dryer that I have turns the heat off when the sensor gets too hot at 89. Plus I keep cool air blowing on the dogs at all times. It makes me wonder how things like this happen like a couple of years ago when a groomer cut a dogs ear off and super glued it back on and never told the owner. I think some people are just in it for the money and not for the animals.
I started at the bottom and worked my way up I have seen many things go wrong, and I try not to make mistakes.
American Mastiff, Dawn, and others – careful how you paint us all with the same brush. I am a groomer at a “large chain store” (NOT Petsmart) because of the benefits (particularly heatlh insurance) not because I can’t work anywhere else. We DO NOT use heated dryers and our babies are NEVER handled roughly. I have a tremendous following of regular customers who want ONLY me to groom their furbaby because of the love and care they receive.
I would LOVE to see the grooming industry regulated and believe that groomers should be certified and licensed, however this still will not prevent stupid careless people from grooming. Look at how many quacks we have for doctors!
The large chains will not allow customers in the grooming or bathing areas because of the liability involved. PLEASE ask lots of questions and, if possible, check with your friends and neighbors regarding their preference of groomers. When my customers bring their furbabies to me they are MY babies while they are there and they receive the very best care. Please don’t think all chain store groomers are hacks. Many of us love your babies like our own!
The place where this happened was at Dog Spa on 91st street (415 East 91st Street).
A dog died two weeks ago also in a cage with a dryer on it at the groomer’s here in Toronto, Canada. BloorWest Village)
Very sad.
Thankyou Sierra Thunder!! I am so sick of these blogs. I have been a groomer for 6 years and I am very good at my job and I love my job but those of you who say were doing it fo rhte money and not the animals ask yourself why you do your job?! I have a child to take care of so yes I use dryers that dont go to 100 degress because I need to do more dogs per day. Not because I dont love animals but I also have responisbilities. You should consider that while we do love our pets we take care of it is also our job
Nice post, keep up the good work.
I work for a groomer specifically doing the bathing and drying. In many situations – especially dogs that seem to have had bad experiences – it is dangerous for us and much too stressful on the dog to NOT use the dryer. The location I work for does NOT use heat – specifically for the reasons stated in the story. We have never put a dog directly in the dryer. We dry them as much as possible, but when the dog is struggling and screaming because it is so scared of the hand held dryers – it isn’t fair to them. Those same dogs will lay down and calmly sleep in the cage dryer. We even have a dog that instantly poops if we try to use the hand held to dry his face.
As far as the complaints about corporation grooming salons – I agree completely. I would NEVER take my pets to the chains. That is not to say everyone in them is bad, but in a corporation it is harder to watch the employees closely and weed out the bad ones. There have also been many, many complaints about the condition of the pets for sale in many of these same stores. Something I have sadly witnessed for myself many times.
Unfortunately, in any industry, there will always be people who are in it just for the money. Yes, the grooming industry should be regulated. All we can do until that time is check for ourselves, and don’t forget – you can always check with the local SPCA, Humane Society, and Better Business Bureau to make sure there haven’t been any complaints against your chosen groomer.
Thank you, Katie. You took the words right from my mouth. As you stated, the problem with the grooming industry is that it is not regulated. Any one can buy a set of clippers and some dog shampoo and open up shop. There are many “self taught” groomers out there who haven’t taken the time to educate themselves on safety procedures. I had a pet product salesman tell me he sold a girl a book on grooming and she started her business that day. He laughed and thought it was ridiculous that I took out a loan to pay for grooming school when I could have just bought a book. Wow! Grooming is a skill, just like any other service, that takes time and practice to perfect and should be learned under the watchful eye of an experienced professional. Even fresh out of grooming school, most students are not ready to run their own business. So, to think that someone with no education at all can open a business working with live animals is extremely scary. THIS is why dogs die or get injured. Ignorance.
It’s disheartening as a groomer to hear about these tragedies which shine a negative light on the industry. I became a dog groomer because I LOVE dogs and every day I’m reminded of how lucky I am to have a job where I get to work with the animals I adore. In addition to the BBB, you could also check with your vet. Chances are clients have either complained about or praised their groomer at the vet, so they will have a good idea of what groomers in town have happy customers.
I know that finding a groomer for your beloved pet is daunting especially when you hear horror stories like this one, but the majority of groomers are not abusing dogs or overheating them in dryers. hundreds of thousands of pups are safely groomed every day and many clients love and trust their groomers more than some family members, haha.
As the article stated, look for a clean salon (just because dogs are groomed there doesn’t mean it has to smell like dog or have grime built up) and professional staff. They should ask you how you want your dog styled and give you time to explain your pet’s needs/health problems/concerns. If someone just grabs the leash and walks away, ask for your dog back and leave the salon. You always deserve a minute of the groomer’s time…if they’re too busy for you, than they are too busy for your dog. The only time that would be acceptable is if you are a return client and you would like the “same as last time”. Even then, I like to at least greet the client and make sure they don’t have any additional requests. It’s just good customer care.
Also, keep in mind the adage, “you get what you pay for”. Any groomer who value’s their skill and ability will charge a fair price. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the highest price in town is the best groomer, but a good groomer is not going to try to undercut the other grooming businesses in town to steal their customers. In order to make that work, they have to groom more dogs in a day, meaning that they are spending less time on your pet and possibly taking dangerous short cuts. I get a lot of people calling and price checking. They usually only come to me AFTER they’ve had a bad experience at the cheaper groomers.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns about finding a groomer. I hope to set an example for the industry that not all groomers are bad.
Hello,I’m a dog groomer here inTexas my shop is Pampered paws pet grooming, I’m the owner groomer, bath and blow dryer. I started out as bath help 20yrs ago and I had a wonderful lady with 30 yrs under her then who taut me how to groom.This may sound funny to some put I think grooming is a gift and I don’t think ever one has the gift to be a grooming I’v meet some other groomers and people who thought they wanted to be groomers who I wouldn’t dare take my dogs to, come on would you leave your kids with someone with a Nasty addatuda NOT ME!! But grooming is not a easy job it’s is hard work and can be stressfull work at times you have to Love animals have lots of paystions and enjoy and love working with them. I’v been doing this sense I was 19 and I will be 40 this yr and I can’t see my self doing any thing ealse
I only use air force dryers NO HEAT I think the story is so sad and should have never happed, here again my self DOES NOT use heat dryer but if any one does there should be a person who is incharge of the drying area to prevent that from happening!!! SO SAD sorry for the peoples loss and the poor dog
I live in a small town in BC Canada. One of the groomers here did the same thing just a couple of weeks ago. The groomer put the dog in the dryer and went to another part of the building and fell asleep.. The dog died. I thought this was an isolated freak incident here, but it seems tthat it must not be that uncommon. Be careful with your pets. I don’t think I want any dryers on my pets from now on. I have small dogs I take in from time to time, I think I’ll bath them first and then take them in after they are dry.
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I have been a groomer for 21 years I don’t use the cage dryers that you are talking about. ours are the ones you hang on the kennels and are on a timer. people ask me all the time about these dryers they need to know these aren’t the same type and do not reach such temperatures. I’ve never had any accidents with this type. Stories like this give all groomers bad names it’s really not fair. I am a small town groomer and have a waiting room for people to stay and watch if they are worried. Maybe they should out law those dryers that are basically microwaves with the heating systems buit in. As far as nooses I have someone stand by the dog when I walk away another solution is to put the noose around the neck and under one front leg so if the dog falls it atomatically is freed never tighening around the neck.