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this is a featured post by a Dogtime blogger

 

When our Golden Retriever Monte was alive, my wife and used to take her to a groomer whom we considered to be conscientious, caring and skillful. I know she used a hand-held dryer after washing Monte, but to my knowledge, she didn't use a drying cage.

In fact, I didn't even know what a drying cage was until I read the Huffington Post. Blogger Roseanne Colletti wrote about a dog that died from heat stroke in one of these cages when the groomer put the dog inside and apparently forgot about her.

Now the dog's owner, Thomas Bruckner of Point Lookout, N.Y., wants to have drying cages and crates banned. His Web site, Badgroomer.com, also explains his desire to promote legislation that would require groomers to be trained and licensed.

Groomers use the cages and crates, which have blow dryers attached to them, to dry dogs after they've been washed. This allows the groomer to work on another dog while the first dog is drying. But if the groomer is using hot air, it can cause a dog to overheat.

That's what happened to Bailey, Bruckner's 2-year-old Beagle mix. Bruckner won an out-of-court settlement of $1,000 from the groomer but wants to ensure that other owners don't go through the same trauma.

"Our goals are simple," he wrote on his site.  "We do not want Bailey to have died in vain. If this terrible and tragic experience could ever have any good come from it, it would be to prevent the needless death of any more animals. "

I agree.  If you live in New York, check out his site and offer your support.

 

Anonymous
April 27, 2009, 1:16 pm
These drying cages are a time saver for the groomers and that is why they are so often used. Please be aware and take your dogs only to those groomers who take the time to hand dry the dog's coat with a blower. Also be extremely cautious about those groomers who use a pole with a tie around your pet's neck to keep your pet from moving around while being groomed. Many dogs have been harmed with this method. Do a google search on it.
What_would_a_dog_do_small
April 27, 2009, 10:34 pm
I have read these stories about groomers being untrained on properly drying a dog. It just blows me away that these are still being used by groomers.I think they should be banned too. I wrote an article about dog owners that put coats on their dogs, most people are unaware that dogs have a coat on already and when you put one of those cute little coats on a dog during the summer time you just might kill your dog due to heat exhaustion. Dog owners need to wake up and read more about taking care of you pet before you have something done or buy something for your pet.
Anonymous
May 13, 2009, 9:34 am
Hi, I am Tom Bruckner and it was my tragedy that you wrote about. Thanks for your support. I appreciate it. I am trying to get some legislation passed but the budget "crisis" is taking all the legislators time. Hopefully something will happen soon. In the least of it, I helped bring greater awareness but not letting what happened go unnoticed. Since all the press I have gotten, I have become the enemy of the dog groomer who claim I am trying to destroy their livelihoods. What they should realize is that licensing will separate the good groomers form the bad and training will only help prevent tragedies in the future from occurring. I actually saw a groomer post on a message board that "just because a few dogs each year die in a drying cage, it doesn't mean they should be banned." Ummm... Earth to groomer- yes it does.
Anonymous
May 19, 2009, 12:25 pm
If you don't care about dogs, why do you groom them? Go groom humans.
Anonymous
August 3, 2009, 11:12 pm
There are many cage dryers that use cool air. These products shouldn't be banned, as there is no risk involved with these. I own a grooming shop, in which we have 4 cool air cage dryers. If we didn't use these, we'd be out of business. The time that these save is critical in finishing dogs quickly. I should also point out that if a groomer tells you they don't use a cage dryer, they are *lying*. The force dryer (hand held) is only used on the legs and body. It is unsafe to use one near a dog's head and ears. This is another reason a cage dryer is absolutely necessary.
Anonymous
August 4, 2009, 9:30 am
Cool-air dryers seem like the way to go. It would also be important for the groomer to keep a watchful eye on the dog to see if it's in any discomfort from the blower.
Default User Photo
August 13, 2009, 10:54 pm
I own a grooming salon. We don't use cages or cage dryers. They are very dangerous. We are able to groom dogs in 1 1/2 to 2 hours (most breeds). Responsible and time/task oriented groomers are time savers, not cage dryers.
Default User Photo
August 13, 2009, 10:56 pm
A dog died in Ohio from being left in a cage dryer too long. I am very sad and feel horrible that the poor dog had to experience such an agonizing death because of a lazy/negligent groomer. The only people who are going to change the grooming industry are the consumers.

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