A survey conducted by GreaterGood.org found that 97.8% of their 100+ shelter partners say that grooming is “very important” to dogs trying to get adopted. For this reason, Wahl, makers of grooming equipment, has partnered with GreaterGood.org for the last five years, helping over 70,000 animals find homes after a good grooming.
“We’ve always had a soft spot for dogs in need,” Robyn Nowak for Wahl told iHeartDogs. “Wahl’s been making pet clippers for more than 50 years, and have donated clippers and other grooming products to local shelters for several decades. When we first launched our pet shampoo line five years ago, we saw an opportunity to take our pet shelter support to the next level.”
In the past, Wahl has also donated grooming supplies to shelters affected by natural disasters and sponsored a tour that showed shelter volunteers proper grooming techniques, Nowak added. They also have resources on their website to help volunteers groom dogs properly.
This year, the team’s goal is get over 20,000 dogs transformed and ready for adoption.
“Due to lack of resources, less than half of dogs entering shelters are getting the grooming they desperately need,” says Shay Moeller, pet product manager for Wahl. “First impressions are crucial, and without proper grooming, many of these dogs are perceived to be ‘damaged goods.’ By providing shelters with much-needed grooming supplies, we can transform these dogs into the healthy, fun loving pets they really are.”
Part of this is The Dirty Dogs Contest. After receiving hundreds of submissions from shelters and rescues, 10 of the most amazing transformations they have seen are in the running for grant money to help the groups transform even more dogs.
It is also a way for Wahl to raise awareness about the importance of dog grooming at shelters; they hope it will inspire people to volunteer at their own shelters to groom dogs.
Here are this year’s 10 finalists:
Chester
Chulo
Elvis
Knotts
Mopsy
Mouse
Olaf
Snooky
Tweed
Zelda
Voting goes until August 1, 2016 with three prizes awarded to the winning shelter or rescue: first place – $5,000, second place – $2,000 and third place $1,000. Public can vote on the Wahl Pets Facebook Page. Winners will be announced August 2.
