ANIMAL WELFARE GROOMING–VICTORIA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- How are we currently able to groom, whereas some others are not?
The Victorian Government have updated their restrictions to include that pet grooming may occur in situations where “failure to provide the service would create an animal welfare issue for the pet, and no other options for resolving that welfare issue are available. “Grooming is only allowed to take place at an “Authorised provider”–pet stores are defined as “Authorised Providers”.
- If challenged, how do we prove there is an animal welfare issue?
Some issues would be obvious (eg matted coat), but otherwise, Groomers would need to rely on the notes taken both at the time of booking, and the assessment conducted prior to the groom commencing, to justify the decision to groom. This is why asking the questions and conducting the assessment is so important.
- What if I get it wrong?
“Animal welfare issue” is not clearly defined by the Government, and we are confident that our process is adequate to ensure that we are compliant with the rules. Provided the correct processes are followed, please know that we will support the team and back their judgement.
- What do I do if my assessment doesn’t support what the customer has told us, and I don’t believe there is a current or potential animal welfare issue?
We are only able to groom under the above conditions, so in some situations, we may need to refuse to proceed with a groom. Always have a conversation with the customer first to try and resolve why the assessment doesn’t align with what they told us –maybe it’s something that was missed. If you do need to refuse, then make sure you remain polite and explain the reasons to the customer. If you are uncomfortable about doing this, then speak to your Store Manager for assistance.
Are additional fees (eg matted coat charge) still applicable?
Yes