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In our personal opinion, the greatest benefit that may, and should, result from the effort to license this important profession is the development of more joint working relationships between pet groomers near and far. It is far too common in this industry for pet groomers in the same town to not even talk to each other as professionals, and where they could co-support pet care in their communities. It is nothing less than a shameful blemish on our industry, and immature. Perhaps state licensing represents the maturation of our industry. There will always be competition in business, but today competition amongst pet groomers focuses on the available consumer supply. People, there is a great deal more business out there in the millions of pet owners that have to gain an awareness of the benefits of professional pet grooming. In fact, there are approximately 6,000 pet dogs and cats in the U.S. for every pet grooming business today listed in the Buyer's Guide. How many pet grooming businesses have such a clientele? Few. Why? Consumer awareness that is just being relied upon by thousands of pet groomers. As an organized and licensed profession, pet groomers could form advertising councils whose charge is to inform growing numbers of pet owners of the benefits of professional pet grooming. In California, there are many such organizations, for cheese, for milk, for grapes. They spread the word of the benefits of all cheese makers, dairy farms and grape growers as one. It works well for their collective goals. Wouldn't the same system work for pet grooming? Indeed, inserting a new public image of a professional groomer as a knowledgeable, well-trained professional offering qualified skills and services for both the pet and pet owner into the public consciousness could catapult the profession to a new and deserved level of prosperity from a largely increased demand for pet grooming services by consumers. In fact, how could it not?

Who are the members in our industry that desire not state licensing? Their dread may be well-founded, but what are they not seeing that licensing visionaries see? Do they not see the collective benefits of licensing for the industry albeit after the initial complications of implementing it? Are the nay Sayers so prosperous now they don't want change? Or are they troubled and fearful voices struggling to survive in an industry, beset by a poor public image of a pet groomer trying to validate their need for fair service fees in order to net a decent living from pet grooming and maintain a well-equipped operation? Perhaps they are fearful of affording change. How many of them have learned, as we have through our industry few business management consultants, that to become prosperous and stable through economic change they must become "business persons that groom," and not just highly-skilled and artistic pet groomers?

Licensing can bring about unique and affordable educational opportunities, and at the very least create more awareness, for management training as well as pet grooming training. Indeed there are licensed hairstylists that are not prosperous, but they have made choice not to listen and apply the wonderful salon management training available from their licensed industry. Pet groomers must unite on a party platform, a unified voice, if they want to make a tomorrow that will bring them prosperity gained only by unification. Not only will they benefit, but in the end, so will millions of pets, and isn't that the common bond of all pet groomers. If we must let us simply go forward as one, formally licensed, for the good of the pet and their families. Let us educate the mass of pet owners how we can best care for their pet's grooming needs and help them to make their pets happy and healthy with regular grooming. Maybe then millions of pet owners will make their first visit to a licensed pet groomer and discover the convenience, peace-of-mind and happiness that professional grooming offers them as a responsible pet owner.

Advancements are made by working together, locally and afar. But to proclaim advancement for one and all is an attitude. Attitude really is everything. You cannot unify and earn the rewards of unification without looking at each member's attitudes and looking for the attitude that says "I am willing to make the changes needed to unify my industry, and to gain the promised rewards of a unified voice. So be it!" It has worked for other industries, why not pet grooming? Now is the time. The majority of voting households in the U.S. have one or more pet dogs and cats that could benefit from grooming, and most households consider these pets as family members and the pet population is increasing. Now, how much more do we need as an industry to take to our Congresspersons than a majority of voters that love pets. Indeed, if the politician kisses the babies for votes, they can do the same for their pets! That's our attitude. If you communicate to it the politician and their aides, they will see it. In fact, we recently did just that and the Mayor of a California city came out and cut the ribbon for a new grooming school residing in their district. You know what, it was an easy sell too. This wise Mayor knew that pets are families and families are voters.

It really is the positive collective attitude of the pet grooming industry and its members' unending commitment that will secure formal licensing. It will require lobbying no doubt, and our funding a small amount each to the cause to support that effort. Why does it take so much commitment, effort and funding? Because "they", the system, know that formal licensing will bring the pet grooming industry hundreds of millions of dollars more gross income each year. Imagine that. The system knows it, but many pet groomers don't! The system clearly knows that with licensing the licensed professional justifies better fees, and exert more control on the cost and supply of its operational requirements. The system knows that collective purchasing power is certain to create more net income for licensed members. The system knows that a well-organized profession can reach millions of more new consumers through cost-efficient collective advertising. The system knows! Do we? Pet groomers can collectively send a new message to millions more pet owners and initiate them to advantages of professional grooming. Oh yes, nothing comes for free in the system. There is a price to pay for this golden acknowledgement. The system also knows that the price can easily be met by a unified industry. For example, if each of the approximately 20,000 pet grooming business in the U.S. today would only donate (or speculate as the attitude of the donor may be) $100 to the cause, our industry would have $2,000,000 to purchase the professional help our industry needs for lawyers and lobbyists well-versed in securing formal licensing. A small price indeed. In fact, it is ridiculously small and we should each give more as needed. If each $100 donation did eventually result in making licensing a reality, and as a result that brought the donor one new client, they would be reimbursed with interest for their donation within a few appointments. One client, a few appointments and some of my time to help for a revelation. Where have we been as an industry for all these decades? This is the imagination and reality that results from the collective force of a unified industry, and not from an industry characterized by the priority of individual viewpoints and little in the way of any defining boundaries and goals. "Do your own thing" industries are stagnant, and never are they highly-prosperous except for the very few.

Shall the industry continue to falter on state licensing because not all of today's pet groomers agree on the need for state licensing? In our opinion, not if it affects the prosperity of the simple majority. Not if it affects the certainty that more pets will receive proper pet care. Thousands of career seekers visiting PetGroomer.com have little or no resistance to the concept, in fact, most think licensing already exists. Limited thinking brings about limited results, but unlimited thinking can bring about a new reality for pet groomers unified with collective goals for pet owners, pets, their industry and themselves.

In 2006-7 additional attempts to license groomers in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and California. The latter is essentially shelved as we write this update. Unfortunately it is NOT groomers organizing these efforts to vocationally license the profession, but to reform proposed legislation written by non-groomers (legislators) responding to news coverage of pets tragically killed in grooming businesses sometimes broadcasted on CNN and published in major publications such as Wall St. Journal. You may additional information on groomer certification of interest on Certification & Licensing Main Menu. The GroomerTALK Message Board is also the best place to get the latest information.

The first step and most crucial step for professional licensing is the writing of a statement of fiduciary relationship. You are fortunate, we have an initial basis for one on the next page.