Animal Welfare
Matted Dogs & Animal Welfare
Did you know that matted coats are a breach of The Animal Welfare Act 2006 and penalties for neglect and cruelty and you could face fines of up to £20,000, a maximum jail term of 51 weeks or a lifetime ban on keeping pets.
Matted coats can cause a variety of skin & health problems for your pet. Matted fur does not allow for air circulation to the skin, causing hot spots, bacterial and fungal infections. Fleas, ticks, maggots and other parasites may be lurking in the coat causing further skin infections.
Matted fur also pulls and binds, causing pain to your pet when they move or lay on mats. The skin underneath is usually raw and inflamed. Matted coats will not dry properly and can lead to rotting fur and skin. Due to matting, your dog’s hair may need to be shaved extremely short to the skin and may show signs of skin irritations and sores due to matting, wet undercoat and dirty coat.
In order to take care of a dog that has not been groomed often enough, and is matted, the required grooming sessions may be long, stressful, or painful (please note, more than 1 grooming session may be required if your dog is severely matted).
It is the goal of Doggy Style Cheshire to make your pet’s grooming experience as stress free as possible. Due to the condition of your dog, we may determine that the only humane thing to do is to shave the dog’s coat down. This is a short clip, removing all the matting. Where feasible, we work to de-mat/brush out the dog’s coat, but only when it would not cause excessive pain and suffering to attempt to do so.
There is a strong chance that your pet’s skin will become irritated during the clipping process. We will use a sensitive shampoo to help sooth any irritation that may occur. The matted hair rests tightly against the skin – the only way of removing mats is to use a short enough blade to clip between the skin and mats. Your dog may be nicked and cut because we have to work so closely to the skin to remove the matted coat. We are very careful, but the possibility of injury exists.
We will be happy to show you how to care for your pet’s coat so that severe matting does not recur. Please schedule a consultation slot to speak to us about the best methods for maintaining your dog’s coat.
Should your pet need veterinarian care after or during the process, you – the owner – remain liable to pay any and all veterinarian fees.