A Motherwell dog grooming salon will now be training canine stylists of the future by offering top qualifications in the profession.
Beautipets, which is based in Brandon Street is now offering Ofqual regulated iPET Network qualifications in dog grooming, which owner Leah Doran believes will elevate standards in the industry.
Leah, who has been grooming dogs for 20 years, said: "We are so excited to now be offering the iPET Network qualifications as it is so important that people get training if they want to start dog grooming.
"At the moment the industry is not regulated, and this is something our industry would love to see happen.
"We are skilled professionals, not just in dog grooming, but a lot of the time we also alert owners when they need to seek vets’ advice.
"As we work with dogs so closely, we see things that owner miss.
"There are still too many people that set up and think they can groom because they have watched a YouTube video, but that is very dangerous."
The salon has also thrown its weight behind the RSPCA-backed Safe Pets and People campaign which is calling for mandatory first aid qualifications for all UK pet professionals, including dog groomers, dog walkers and pet sitters.
At the moment people working in these fields do not have to know what to do in an emergency, and a national petition has been set up calling for action.
Leah said: "People don't understand the dangers of this job, and sadly some only realise these things once a dog has been injured.
"We are proud to back the campaign and the petition and hope that by spreading the word more people will sign."
To find out more about Beautipets go to www.beautipets.co.uk
To find out more about the Safe Pets and People campaign go to www.safepetsandpeople.org
