Comments on Groomers as Cops

I couldn’t remember if Fozzie’s groomer requested those documents or not and he hasn’t been back since his latest (and last) vaccination “expired” after choosing to raise our dogs The Vital Way with your guidance. So, I visited their website to see if it was posted and what I found astounded me…
They have a link that includes some local favorite businesses such as doggy daycares, dog walkers, concierge services, etc. I clicked on a few before stumbling on Dog Boy’s Dog Ranch. By the looks of the pictures, it truly seems like a camp for dogs. But it wasn’t long until I noticed their Spay and Neuter Policy. Erk! They actually pride themselves in being “Central Texas’ first All Spayed and Neutered boarding facility!” Hopefully, they are also the last!!! So, not only are the boarding facilities trying to dictate what we inject into our pets’ bodies, they are also trying to play hero in stopping the pet overpopulation problem by refusing our intact dogs to board there. If they did a little research, they would soon discover, it’s a human problem created by irresponsible dog owners, not an issue of gonads or not.
On the surface, it seems like spaying and neutering is the obvious answer to our problem. But after a little research one will find out that European dogs are rarely fixed and Europe doesn’t have a pet overpopulation problem, as least not as extensive as ours. So how do they do it? They control their female dogs when they are in season. “By employing this strategy, a nation can have intact dogs, even free-roaming intact dogs, and not have a surplus of puppies.” I just finished reading Ted Kerasotes book Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs. He goes on to suggest, that our pet overpopulation problem is actually rooted in our social problem. He points out that among all developed nations, the US has the thinnest social welfare system and the most widespread poverty, and it kills the most dogs each year. Studies suggest that when people are on the edge of surviving, they choose to care for their children first and frequently the only way to do that is to surrender their animals even if the dog or cat has been a longtime companion. Nearly 20% of people who relinquish their dogs had lived with their dogs for 12-14years. And nearly 60% relinquished to shelter for euthanasia because of “old age” came from households earning less than $35,000.
If they are truly concerned with females becoming impregnated under their care, I would think that requesting a progesterone blood tests should suffice? More likely than not, I think it’s about a caring group of ill-informed people who made a policy without doing their homework. I wonder if they know about the flipside of spay and neuter?... the increase in prostate CA, urinary incontinence, obesity, osteosarcoma, diabetes, cushing’s disease, bladder cancer, hemangiosarcoma, orthopedic injuries, weak rear ends, shorter life spans, increase in reactivity, the list goes on. They might know (as we’ve all been warned at the vet’s office) about the risk of breast cancer and pyometria in an intact females. Karen Becker puts it nicely, “How did my profession end up preaching that because ovaries can cause two diseases, they should be automatically removed, even when the mortality rate for the two diseases they cause-pyometra and mammary cancer-is small? Have all the wet dog kisses licked away common sense?” And moreover, a .09% incidence of testicular cancer in intact males, is hardly an argument.
I would think, a responsible owner of an intact animal, willing to pay $45/night, would be an unlikely candidate to willingly drop off their in estrous female for boarding. Just sayin’!
http://www.dogboys.com/spayneuterpolicy.php

Hello Dr. Falconer,
There is a raw feeders website in the San Francisco Bay Area which lists vets, kennels, pet sitters, dog walkers and trainers who not only are pro-raw feeding, but most of them mention that they accept titers or reduced or no-vaccine schedules on an individual basis. There are no listings for groomers, but I do see that under the kennels/boarding facilities category, some of them also do grooming. Here is the link:
Also, I've taken my cat to a local groomer several times for shaving of matts, and she has never asked me for proof of any vaccines. She boards cats too, and I don't know if she requires them in that case, or in the case of dog grooming. She's Kathy Arratia at "Pet Palace" in Felton, CA. I'm so relieved she hasn't brought up the vaccine issue since Izzy hasn't been vaccinated in over 2 years and will never be again. Highly recommended for cat grooming needs.. she is a cat whisperer!

Hi Dr Falconer,
I am a dog groomer in Wimberley. When I opened my own shop I was able to make the decision that vaccinations where not required on any dog that comes into the shop.
I have 2 dogs that come to work with me, a 9 year old rhodesian, Josie and 2 year old chihuahua, Ruby. Neither have been vaccinated, ever.
I tell my clients I do not give them vaccinations and they shouldn't give their dogs vaccinations either.
Michelle Curry

Dr. Falconer,
I too would like to thank you very much for addressing this issue! I have often thought about asking you how to handle situations like this.
Although we do not take our dog to the groomer, I do worry about the apartment complex we live in. Two years ago (prior to adopting our puppy who was 10 month old at the time) had already received his first, second and possibly third round of vaccinations while in foster care. :( So upon adoption, I had the necessary proof my apartment complex required in order for him to live with us.
After adopting him, meeting you and hearing your explanation about unnecessary vaccinations; we chose to stop vaccinating him since he was/is fully covered by all the earlier shots he received.
From time to time however, the administration team at our apartment will check pet records on file for 'current' immunizations. I am happy to say they have not asked me again to produce such records, but I do worry about it in the years to come. What would I say if they asked for proof of his 'current' vaccinations? Him not being 'currently' vaccinated would be a violation of our signed lease agreement and grounds for making us find a new home for him (which would not be an option for us...as I'm sure for most people). We would never give away our friend and family member because some organization is uneducated about over vaccinating. We feel strongly as the guardians of this precious little Being that it's up to us to keep him healthy and protected from forced poisonings for reasons of corporate greed and the use of fear tactics to seemingly legitimize the practice. If we refused though, would there be legal grounds to evict us from our apartment if we did not comply? Not a situation we really want to find ourselves in!
Knowing I can get a letter from you is a huge relief! Still not a guarantee they will accept it, but it does leave us with an option, if, God forbid we ever found ourselves in that situation.
I am generally busy w/ two part time jobs and a hobby, but if you find you do not have any volunteers to make and keep up with a list of groomers, vets and even wise leasing agents that do not require continuous vaccinations, then I would consider taking on that role.

Hi, Nancy and Fu-An!
That's what finally tipped the balance, and got me started Pet Sitting myself...not having anywhere SAFE to leave my Whippets, if I absolutely HAD to. I now have a friend who can Sit for them, and I fill in for her, any time she can't take on "one more dog" in a specific time frame. So allow me to contribute to this Network, if you will, and I promise you I'll NEVER ask for your pet's shot records! I can't afford to do it for free (till I win the Lottery!!!), but if you live north or northwest of Austin, there is an alternative! And if you know a Professional Groomer in the Marble Falls/Burnet/Bertram/Lampasas/Kingsland area, who doesn't demand shot records, please let me know, so I can send referrals their way! There really are quite a few of us who don't vacc, but we keep our heads down below the radar!!

I have been grooming our dogs myself since we became Dr. Falconer's patients because we refuse to comply with the vaccination requirement most places have. The decision certainly has very little to do with trying to saving money (vs. life). But being almost 8 months pregnant, it's a challenge to bathe and groom them myself. So I started considering having someone come and groom the dogs. But even when I called mobile groomers, current rabbie shot records were still required, as the groomers claimed that the shots were for their protection. It was virtually impossible to convince them that my dogs are sweet and not at all aggressive.

Groomers and kennels are not the best place to leave your dogs and cats while you travel. If you have money to take a vacation, then you have the money to have a pet sitter come in to take care of a valuable member of your family.

Hi Dr Falconer - so glad you have addressed this subject. It's a real frustration of mine since I travel frequently with my 2 dogs. In the past at doggie daycare, trainers, airlines and even apartment buildings - when I have questioned the need for "current" vaccinations, I've always been told its because of their liability insurance. Of all the places I've contacted over the years and questioned I've only had 1 dog trainer allow me a waiver letter (SitMeansSit Austin) and 1 doggie daycare that does not require shots (Eastside Puppy Pals Seattle WA). How refreshing to read on their website -
"After thoroughly researching the subject, we found vaccination to be a dubious practice at best. It is harmful to animals, and most certainly does not prevent disease (nor has it ever been proven to do so). Therefore, we leave it up to each individual dog owner whether or not to vaccinate."