news

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today's the day we regrettably have to put our prices up, if only by a little. We are soaking up some of our additional costs and adding just £2 or £3 to the cost of most grooms. The exceptions are current clients in postcodes starting BB1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 where we will also be adding a small mileage surcharge to cover the ridiculous increase in the cost of diesel. We will try to book at least 2 dogs into these postcodes so the surcharge can be split between more than one client. Please note that we no longer cover Rossendale, Clitheroe or Skipton addresses and are not taking on any new dogs in the above-mentioned postcodes. We may revise this in the future if fuel prices stabilise.

 

 

 

This is a gentle reminder that we are still limited to grooming only for welfare reasons. This is in line with government guidelines which state that grooming is permissible if it is for the health, welfare, and comfort of the dog, but not for aesthetic reasons. This means that we CAN groom dogs which need a clip or deshed to remove or prevent matts or an impacted coat. But we CANNOT groom dogs just so they look and smell nice.

We are only offering the welfare elements of grooming – i.e., clipping, ear cleaning and nail cutting – no baths, tidy ups, or trims. We will only bathe dogs if the vet has prescribed a shampoo for medical reasons, e.g., skin issues, and the owner is unable to bathe them. Please note that a welfare clip is a short clip, designed to last the dog until lockdown is over.

We have reduced the number of dogs we groom to reduce the risk for Ed - and for our clients - and are contacting all pre-booked clients by phone for a risk assessment. We may ask for photos of your dog to check their welfare needs. And we will also ask you to state in writing (usually by email) that your dog needs a groom for welfare reasons – we need proof that each case is for welfare or we risk invalidating our insurance. If we deem the groom to be necessary for welfare reasons, we will keep the appointment as arranged. If not, we will put the appointment back a few weeks, and then reassess. In the case of short-coated breeds we will ask you to wait until lockdown restrictions ease.

Welfare is a broad term, and we believe it also includes the things we pick up on the health check which is an integral part of every groom, from over-long nails to lumps and hotspots. If you have concerns about your dog's health and welfare, do please mention this when we call you.

Unfortunately, Ed has been out to a couple of bookings recently where the dog was overgrown but the coat was in reasonable condition and the groom could have waited a few more weeks – because of this, he left without grooming them. Such decisions have a financial impact on us as we do not qualify for any of the business grants, so if we do turn up to a groom to find the dog does not meet welfare criteria, we will have to make a charge for our time.

In the most part we are unable to take on new clients. The only exceptions are puppies which have not yet had their first groom and dogs which have recently moved into the area. This is because we do not want to take custom away from other groomers. We are all working to the same guidance and all going through the same tough times.

It is more important than ever that everyone follows our Covid-19 guidelines - a copy is attached below, and we send one to all new clients. If you are unwell, have tested positive for Covid-19 or just feel uncomfortable with the idea of us grooming your dog during the lockdown period, please tell us. We will be happy to move your appointment. Your safety – and your dog’s welfare and comfort – are our number one concern.

 

   *****************************************************************************************************************************************************

 

COVID-19 update - Nov 1st 2020

Following yesterday's government announcement of a 4-week lockdown commencing Thu Nov 5th,  Eds & Tails Dog Wash will NOT be closing.

 

 

 

 

Eds & Tails Dog Wash – Covid-19 Guidelines

We are continuing to groom, but at the same time we are very conscious of the need to minimise the risk of catching or passing on the Covid-19 virus. With this in mind, we have made changes to the way we operate – based on advice from the Pet Industry Federation and DEFRA – and kindly request that you follow our guidelines…

 

 

• We are applying the 2-metre rule so cannot currently allow clients in our van.
• We need to access your power supply without entering your house, so please have an outside socket or an extension cable ready for us to plug into – it is important that only Ed handles our power cable. If the only option is to run our cable through a window, please ensure you wash your hands after handling it.
• We must maintain distance during handover. We have a long lead attached to the van and ask you to clip this to your dog’s collar/harness and then step away from the van. Please don’t hand your dog directly into Ed’s arms. It is vital that the dog is wearing a collar/harness that they cannot escape from. In some cases, we can collect a dog from a front garden or porch if they are happy to come to us but again, please ensure they cannot escape
• Ideally, all dogs should go straight in the bath (collars as well) where lockdown restrictions allow this. Some dogs cannot tolerate a bath due to age or skin discomfort and we can continue to groom them – but we cannot currently offer dry de-shedding with our blaster and may not be able to groom dogs with badly impacted coats. Please brush your dog’s coat as thoroughly as possible before the groom to remove matts.
• When the groom is completed, we will let you know your dog is ready for collection and either clip him to our long lead or release him into your garden/porch. Please leave our extension lead plugged in so we can clean down our van after the groom.
• We are implementing a more targeted cleaning regime between dogs, and this may mean we run late on some appointments.
• We would prefer hands-free payment by bank transfer – bank details are in the guidelines that we send to all clients. Please make payment as soon as the groom is completed. If you prefer to pay cash, please place money in a sealed envelope and write your name on the outside.
• Finally – and most importantly - if you, or any household member, show any symptoms, or are self-isolating due to possibly having the virus or having contact with someone who does, or have tested positive, please advise us ASAP. We will be happy to reschedule your appointment. If you need to cancel for any other reason, normal cancellation procedure applies. And if we need to suspend services, we will inform you – and reschedule your appointment – as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call or text us on 01282 694717 or 07530 130882. Email us at ed@edsandtailsdogwash.com or message our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/edsandtailsdogwash

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Robbi & Ed

 

    ************************************************************************************************************************************************