October 29, 2018
Phoenix, AZ – October 29, 2018 – PetSmart LLC (“PetSmart”) commends the objectives of the “Pet Groomers Licensing Act,” designated as “Bijou’s Law,” to require pet grooming licenses, a law which will potentially serve as a model for future legislation.
PetSmart President and Chief Executive Officer J.K. Symancyk commented, “PetSmart recognizes that the interests of pets must always come first, and we support the continual pursuit of improvement in the grooming industry. PetSmart maintains and continues to raise the bar with the highest grooming standards in the industry. We believe a balance of state and groomer responsibility will underline the importance of health and safety in grooming, increasing public trust and supporting a better experience for pet parents and pets.”
Due to the impact this legislation will have on pet owners and groomers alike, PetSmart believes a holistic and more effective licensing program should include additional amendments to address incident triggers, reporting and details regarding enforcement.
Earlier this year, PetSmart implemented improvements to its industry-leading grooming standards, including performing a broader safety assessment of every pet at check-in, specialized care for specific breeds, enhanced salon monitoring and an independent review of its training curriculum.
Editor’s Note:
A summary of PetSmart’s safety standards, an overview of PetSmart’s Grooming Academy, tips for pet parents to consider before having their pet groomed, a video tour of a grooming salon, and a behind-the-scenes video of its grooming curriculum are available here on PetSmart’s website.
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About PetSmart®
PetSmart LLC is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. PetSmart employs approximately 55,000 associates and operates more than 1,600 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. The retailer provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption. PetSmart, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada work with more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 8 million adoptions, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.
Contact:
Bethany Sherman, Teneo
917-373-6465
