Groomer, Jenny Farrell provides an insight into grooming in a pandemic in the USA

COVID-19 UK vs USA

Groomer Jenny Farrell, who has grooms in the UK and the USA looks at how support for groomers differs across the Atlantic:

The global Covid-19 pandemic has impacted many businesses around the world, in the UK dog grooming has been dramatically affected, but is the UK worse off than the USA?

In the UK, groomers were first forced to close in March 2020 as the whole of the UK went into its first lockdown. All businesses except essential shops and medical services were forced to close. Grooming salons were allowed to reopen with social distancing measures in place in June 2020.

Salons were allowed to open with less staff and less tables to ensure a 2 metre distance and PPE in place leading to reduced dogs and staff to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.

The re-opening was short lived as once again in November 2020, salons were forced to close unless carrying out grooms on matted dogs that required grooming for welfare only and medicated baths for welfare only.

This reduced the amount of clients’ groomers were allowed to take dramatically, forcing many businesses and self-employed groomers to close for a month in November 2020 lockdown.

Salons were again allowed to reopen for Christmas with social distancing in place, reduced clients and staff. All staff and clients were now required to wear masks and staff to wear PPE when working.

On January 2nd 2021 England, Wales and Scotland again went into a full national lockdown, with all but essential businesses forced to closed. Grooming was allowed to stay open but under extremely strict guidelines for welfare only, many have used this as a loophole to run their business as usual. However, those who have followed the rules once again struggled with welfare grooms only and had to close their doors due to lack of funds.

The UK remains in lockdown until April 2021 with some measures been lifted slowly after then. Businesses such as grooming, beauty and non-essential business can look to re-open April 12th and it will be a long time before normal business is resumed within the UK.

UK has thwarted groomers keen to reopen but has offered financial support to many

Help and assistance in the UK

Some groomers and businesses were entitled to a government grant of 80% of their 2018 earnings, staff could be furloughed (government paid % of their wages), however many groomers and businesses did not meet these grant requirements as they did not have a business or were not self-employed in 2018 meaning they did not have tax returns for 2018 - 2019.

This was a huge issue as they were not entitled to any grants or funding and forced to close or dramatically reduce their clients.

However, for some of the people and businesses that did not qualify for the grant before, they can now claim a small grant of up to £1000, which as we all know, is not enough to cover a businesses out goings let alone a wage.

How has this impacted the industry

The industry has been dramatically impacted throughout the UK and many have had to close their doors for good, as business rent, rates and staff outgoings with little to no in comings was not feasible.

For those businesses that have remained open or will re-open

In the US groomers have been able to continue but for those that weren’t comfortable continuing, support was lacking

Miami Beach USA

clients should be coming back as normal once lockdown and restrictions are lifted. However, there will be a huge struggle to make up for the lost income over the past year of closures.

As you may know I groomed and have connections to the US grooming communities since 2011. With the help of my friend and Master groomer, Lindsee Lee, who works in Palm Beach, Florida we share a glimpse of how grooming has been impacted by Covid in the USA.

In the USA governments have different rules for each state, some states have had to be restricted like the UK salons. However, they have not been closed. In Florida it is the responsibility of the salon owner to close or not. Unlike the UK, Florida has no restrictions and businesses can remain open as usual, seeing all clients and not just welfare grooms.

In Florida salons have been under no rules to social distance but many owners ensure social distance is in place within their salons with tables set 8ft apart. Social distancing may reduce staff in some salons but generally speaking salons have more space in Florida than in the UK so the 8ft table rule can usually be done and business remain fully staffed and open at full capacity.

How has this impacted business in Florida?

In the USA in general many businesses have been under similar restrictions to the UK salons. In Florida this has not really been an issue and business has continued as usual with social distancing measures and PPE. It is the owner’s decision if they remain open or not.

Some salons closed as owners or staff were high risk of Covid-19. Business was a little slow when the outbreak first started as people did not want to go out, masks are not mandatory in Florida but many businesses enforce them. However, people have already gone back to normal regarding visiting the dog groomer, salon or barbers. v Businesses that make less than $1,000,000 per year could apply for a loan to pay employees and support their business during the pandemic.

What is the future for dog grooming after Covid in Florida?

In Florida and most States the Covid-19 pandemic has not really had an effect on the economy and therefore the future remains similar to before Covid for dog grooming in Florida. That said, many businesses throughout the USA have had to close for good, including New York and California where restrictions were much harder and similar to the UK.

Although the grass looks greener on the other side, I will make you all feel a little better with a little insight. The average salon rent in Florida is around £2500 - £3500 per month and you need licenses to have a salon. You will also be working a 50 hour grooming week minimum with no paid holidays, high taxes and no sick pay, in fact your health insurance would be around £450 a month if you have zero health issues and dental about the same, the cost of living is a minimum of £60,000 per year for basic living. The high cost of living and owning a salon is why Florida did not close down - people could simply not afford to.

Whereas in England, Scotland and Wales there is a lot more support overall.

Special thanks to Lindsee Lee for sharing the Florida grooming insights!