July 28, 2005

TULARE - For local dog owner Sandra Ferreros, the bi-monthly trip to have her dogs groomed in Visalia can be difficult.

She must manage to get her two Alaskan Eskimo dogs, Apollo and Napoleon, into their large cages in the family's Ford truck. Then she straps in her daughters, 9-month-old Abigail and 2-year-old Madelyn, into their car seats before the trip to Visalia.

"The dogs are angrily barking about being trapped in their stuffy cages in the meantime," Ferreros said.

On one such trip in late June, she drove by the mobile van of Cruzin' for a Groom-in', a new local mobile pet spa in Tulare County. Ferreros jotted down the number off the van and got an appointment for July 8.

Tulare residents Denise Haas and Darlynn Webster started the mobile pet spa in July as an alternative for pet owners who have difficulty getting to the grooming salon because of their busy schedules.

"It's low stress for both the owner and the pet," said Webster, a former dental assistant in Visalia.

The 24-foot-long van will travel to a pet owner's home or office to pay personal attention to their pet. The van is well-equipped with two grooming stations, Webster said.

A six-CD changer plays calming music - new age, latin and romance - to soothe the pets' nerves. For a few extra dollars, a pet can indulge in an aromatherapeutic bath, Webster said.

A specialized therapeutic bathtub includes an electronic platform for dogs with back or hip problems, said Haas, a former professional

See Groom/4C

Information

Cruzin' for a Groomin'

Call 805-7973 for an appointment

www.cruzinforagroomin. com

Ron Holman/Times-Delta

Denise Haas trims Molly on Monday in the mobile pet spa. Haas and Darlynn Webster began Cruzin' for a Groomin' in July.

Ron Holman/Times-Delta

Haas and Webster started their mobile pet spa to cater to busy pet owners.
Section: Local
Page: 1C

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