The coronavirus lockdown has affected us all in different ways, and it’s safe to say that small businesses have been struggling the most. With many of us being furloughed or given pay cuts, we simply can’t afford the luxuries that we used to take for granted, such as a trip to the beauty salon – or in the case of our pets, groomers. Sadly, a lot of these services are offered by small businesses, and their lack of clientele can result in a serious loss of money.
But one dog groomer from New York wasn’t going to let the lockdown put a damper on his spirits. Instead of fretting about the money that he was missing out on, he decided to raise money to be able to offer his services for free to those who were desperately in need of them.
His story soon went viral and he ended up raising much more money than he could have ever dreamed of – but every last penny went to helping others out.
View this post on InstagramI’m just a guy who wants to travel across the country in my mobile van helping pups. 🌈✊🏿🐾❤️🖤💜💚
Brian Taylor from Harlem, New York, had such a passion for animals that he quit his job in finance to become a full-time dog groomer at Harlem Doggie Day Spa. He also offered daycare, cage-free boarding, and dog walking services.
When the New York State government ordered “non-essential” businesses to temporarily close more than two months ago, Brian was forced to focus on just the grooming side of things. We have to admit that giving adorable pooches washes and blow-dries every day sounds like a dream job, but with Brian being self-employed, it was a tricky time for him financially when lockdown hit.
“I lost 80 percent of my businesses. I went from seeing 400 to 500 dogs a month now down to about less than half of that,” Brian told CNN.
The problem was, people just didn’t have the money to be visiting the groomers anymore.
Luckily for Brian, he had a few loyal clients who would do whatever it takes to keep his business up and running. Brian had the idea to create a pup relief fund, and when he shared his thoughts on social media, people instantly began buying gift cards to help keep his business open – and to help those who can’t afford grooming services.
“They’ll say, ‘I know other people who can’t afford it – here’s $50,'” Brian said.
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Apparently, the cost is $75 for regular grooming. But because most of the dogs’ coats are very badly matted after a couple of months without grooming, the fees could be up to $200 for a proper cleaning.
“Owners want their dog to smell good,” Brian said. “Dogs are such a big part of our life. Especially when you can’t find happiness from people.”
With the support of generous strangers, Brian raised over $2,000, enabling him to groom 12 dogs free of charge!
It’s no wonder that he’s nicknamed “The Dogfather of Harlem,” as it’s clear to see that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to keep as many dogs as possible happy and healthy.
Although his shop is closed, Brian has been able to continue caring for dogs in his mobile grooming van.
After the success of his local funding, the selfless groomer plans to take an eight-day cross-country road trip from New York City to Los Angeles in July. His goal is to offer free grooming and supplies in every major city – though with safe social distancing, of course.
“Everyone must wear masks and gloves when they come in.” Brian said. “I take the dog right into the tub and use a shampoo that kills anything on contact.”
Thanks to the selflessness of Brian and the generous strangers, dogs all over the US are going to be looking and smelling gorgeous! You can keep up to date with the groomer at harlemdoggiedayspa.
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