WAKE FOREST, N.C. — If you’re looking for a career change or just need a new job, pet grooming is exploding.

According to a recent survey by the American Pet Products Association, a staggering 70% of U.S. households own a pet. That's more than 90 million homes.

 

What You Need To Know

  • According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be over 65,000 openings for animal care and service workers projected each year over the next decade
  • The American Pet Products Association reports nearly $104 billion was spent on pets in the United States in 2020
  • Dirty Dogs Spa in Wake Forest works to keep up with grooming demand across the country

 

Dirty Dogs Spa, a Wake Forest pet salon, is doing what it can to keep up with record demand.

“All of these blue spaces are our clients," Vanessa Davis, owner of Dirty Dogs Spa, said while showing us all of her bookings for the month of November. "I feel very blessed."

Davis says the demand for appointments at her spa has reached all time high levels

“The holiday season quadruples the demand. You can definitely tell a lot of new pet parents in this area and I'm sure all over," Davis said.

The American Pet Products Association reports nearly $104 billion was spent on pets in the United States, in 2020.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be over 65,000 openings for animal care and service workers projected each year over the next decade.

Haylie McCollough started at Dirty Dogs several weeks ago.

“I've always had a really strong love for dogs but didn't think the veterinarian field, thought too depressing, so I thought why not do dog grooming. That's a little more positive," McCollough said.

McCollough is a grooming student.

She and many other spa employees came to Dirty Dogs from the food and beverage industry.

“Especially right now with COVID, the service industry is very unreliable so a lot of people are starting to transition out of it," McCollough said.

Dirty Dogs also operates as a school and Davis says in pre-pandemic years, there would be just three to four new students each year.

That number is now close to a dozen.

To keep up with demand, Davis opened a second dog salon in October and recently doubled the size of Dirty Dogs.