Is It Ok To Dye Animal Fur?
Like many people, Ashley Spielmann loves Christmas.
And like many families, her kids love the classic Dr. Seuss tale of Mr. Grinch.
So when the 37-year-old Freeport, Illinois resident got inspired to color her miniature schnauzer Rizzo to look like the Grinch, she knew just where to go: Her groomer had done dye jobs on other animals and Rizzo doesn't get stressed when he's in the shop.
"My kids watched the Grinch every night last year and since schnauzers naturally have grumpy and sad looking faces we thought he would fit the Grinch perfectly," Spielmann told USA TODAY.
With the color set and Rizzo looking like a little dour Grinch, Spielmann decided to share groomer Hailey Degner's work on TikTok.
Then the backlash began.
"To be honest, I ignore all the bad comments. He is happy and healthy and fits the role perfectly," Spielmann said. "The coloring our groomer used is vegan and cruelty free and totally safe for animals."
TikTok videos featuring dyed dogs including Rizzo have renewed fierce debates on its safety and ethics this year.
Degner said Spielmann's viral video was the first time her coloring has been recognized on a larger scale but despite the backlash, she said her Muddy Paws salon has handled even more requests for a "Grinch" style cut and dye.
Don't dye dogs that get stressed at groomer
The groomer of around three years said that, on top of using products marketed as pet-safe, she wouldn't provide the service to an animal who has shown signs of distress or has a history of difficulty with other grooming methods like nail trimming and bathing. Rizzo, now a little over a year old, has gone to Degner for services every month since he was a small puppy.
"We know well before if they're going to even be able to get the hair coloring, just based off of previous grooming experiences," she said. "(Rizzo's) very used to the grooming process and literally didn't care before, didn't care during and didn't care after he left. It was just another grooming day for him."
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