Well Groomed Franchise System Commits to AKC SAFE Grooming Program

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Press release: American Kennel Club

The American Kennel Club (AKC), the world’s largest purebred dog registry and advocate for all dogs is pleased to announce that Well Groomed Franchise System, Inc. has committed to ensuring that all its franchise locations are AKC S.A.F.E. Certified Salons.

Well Groomed and the AKC are dedicated to improving pet wellness. The relationship includes in-store safety inspections by AKC, AKC Safety in the Salon training and certification for every salon employee, as well as on-going AKC grooming education and exclusive co-branded marketing efforts. In addition, Well Groomed’s proprietary technology platform will leverage AKC’s vast knowledge base of breed information to provide the most advanced wellness support possible to pet lovers and their dogs.

The American Kennel Club introduced its AKC S.A.F.E. Certification Program in 2015 for groomers and salons to improve the grooming industry’s safety practices. Now taught at grooming and pet expos nationwide and available online through AKC’s Canine College, this comprehensive program provides crucial training on safety measures and protocols within the grooming salon, including safe pet handling, accident avoidance, pet and zoonotic diseases, sanitation, and how to handle special cases.

Well Groomed is a modern high-tech, high-touch wellness and grooming concept focusing on extreme personalization and care for the purpose of improving pet wellness. Through this relationship, AKC personnel will visit and certify every Well Groomed store ensuring that they meet the AKC’s high standards for pet safety and care.

“The American Kennel Club recognizes that the health and safety of pets when outside of their human family’s care remains a genuine concern,” said Mark Dunn AKC executive vice president. “And we applaud Well Groomed’s commitment to third-party certification of their grooming facilities and professionals, while also giving their clients the peace of mind they deserve. We are excited to work with their franchise store owners in their effort to support pet wellness across the US.”

“At Well Groomed, we are all passionate pet enthusiasts. Our goal is to go beyond grooming and provide wellness information that is deeply personalized for every pet family,” said Roger Lloyd, president at Well Groomed Franchise System. “Our collaboration with the AKC is a game changer within the pet industry. The AKC is one of oldest and most respected authorities and providers of support to breeders, trainers, veterinarians and pet parents. This collaboration centers around the critical mission of improving pet safety and pet care. As pet owners demand greater service and accountability from service providers, AKC and Well Groomed are leading the way.”

Founded in 1884, the American Kennel Club is a not-for-profit organization, which maintains the largest registry of purebred dogs in the world and oversees the sport of purebred dogs in the United States. The AKC is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Along with its more than 5,000 licensed and member clubs and its affiliated organizations, the AKC advocates for the purebred dog as a family companion, advances canine health and well-being, works to protect the rights of all dog owners and promotes responsible dog ownership. More than 22,000 competitions for AKC-registered purebred and mixed breed dogs are held under AKC rules and regulations each year including conformation, agility, obedience, rally, tracking, herding, lure coursing, coonhound events, hunt tests, field and earthdog tests. Affiliate AKC organizations include the AKC Humane Fund, AKC Canine Health Foundation, AKC Reunite and the AKC Museum of the Dog. AKC Clubs comprise America’s largest rescue network.

Created by a team of respected and experienced business and industry leaders, entrepreneurs, franchise experts and elite groomers, Well Groomed Pets is a brand that deeply appreciates the commitment, passion and artistry groomers bring to this important industry, with a franchise system that has been designed to enable multi-store ownership through the use of proprietary operational and marketing technology. By combining deep knowledge of animal health with high-tech tools (like artificial intelligence, machine learning and mobile apps), Well Groomed Pets is designed to provide the most advanced, state-of-the-art wellness and grooming services available in the market today.

(Photo courtesy David Woo, AKC)