Creative dog grooming has become a huge and wonderful industry in the United States.  However, due to some outdated laws in certain states/cities (South Carolina being one of them) that was originally designed to protect baby chickens, ducklings and rabbits from being dyed to boost sales during Easter; many dog groomers and dog owners cannot participate in these competitions without breaking the law.  

Other than the creative grooming competitions held in several places in the US, the AKC has even begun to accept colored dogs into their trail competitions!  All dyes used on dogs (and many places this includes equines) are completely pet safe and many of the dye companies such as manic panic, arctic fox, opawz, crazy liberty and more promote their dyes to the pet world!  They have even designed pet-safe airbrush kits!

I am a SC native dog groomer of 11 years and a creative grooming enthusiast.  I am looking to have this law amended to particularly exclude the dying of pet dogs over the age of 5 months.  Please sign the petition and if you are willing to help assist with this petition when submitted to the state with either a testimony, photos or monetary donations please email washesandwags@gmail.com.   

Until 2012, FL also had the exact same law in place and it was overturned by the dog groomers of Florida and pet parents that united in wanting to be able to creatively color their pets!  This is what I suggest as well!  I know there are a lot of animal activists that feel this is inhumane and are against the coloring of pets, but there has been more than enough research done on the products used to prove it is not at all harmful to the animal.  In all reality, most pet owners that choose to color their pups bring their pet in for grooming more frequently and are less likely to end up with a matted dog or shaving their double coated dogs.  Both of these situations can lead to permanent damage to the pet's skin or coat where-as the temporary dye cannot. 

In 1980, South Carolina passed this law:

Section 47-1-125. Coloring or dying animals
prohibited; sale or distribution of certain young
animals prohibited; penalty.
(1) It is unlawful for any person to dye or color artificially any
animal or fowl, including but not limited to rabbits, baby
chickens, and ducklings, or to bring any dyed or colored
animal or fowl into this State.
(2) It is unlawful for any person to sell, offer for sale or give
away as merchandising premiums, baby chickens, ducklings
or other fowl under four weeks of age or rabbits under two
months of age to be used as pets, toys or retail premiums.
(3) This Section shall not be construed to apply to any animal
or fowl, including but not limited to rabbits, baby chickens
and ducklings to be used or raised for agricultural purposes by
persons with proper facilities to care for them or for poultry or
livestock exhibitions.
(4) Any person violating the provisions of this Section shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be
fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned for
not more than thirty days.

Please sign and help all of us groomers and pup owners unite in being able to express holidays, birthdays, memorials and more through creative grooming!