Thursday, May 22, is going to the dogs.
And, that’s a really good thing because it means that folks in Las Vegas will be barking up the right tree when it comes to helping the surplus of homeless canines in animal shelters while having a fun time at a great happening. To exemplify just how bad the problem in Las Vegas is, The Animal Foundation sadly announced on the local news last night that many Pit Bulls and Chihuahuas residing at the shelter will be euthanized next week if they are not adopted.
But the fun and fur will fly when Shaggy Chic, the luxury, natural and eco-friendly pet salon and treat boutique, sponsors a Mutt Mixer from 5 to 8 p.m. at Tivoli Village in Summerlin offering guests – those with two and four-legs -- a night of live music and doggie entertainment. Mutt Mixer will be a festive outdoor fair for leashed pooches and their owners. Shaggy Chic has joined with Tivoli Village to host the special doggie themed evening featuring various vendors, including dog fashions, pet obedience training, caricatures, a pet psychic, pet CPR demos, and even “doga” (doggie yoga). Refreshments will include craft beer and wine tastings for the humans, and Shaggy Chic jerky samples for the pooches. There will also be raffle prizes and a doggie kissing booth to raise money for local rescue organizations, including A Home 4 Spot, The Animal Foundation, and Las Vegas Hot-Diggity Dachshund Club and Rescue. These organizations will also have dogs available for adoption at the event.
“I’m constantly trying to think of new ideas to do more to help these homeless animals,” says Kelly Petersen, owner of Shaggy Chic, a spa and grooming salon that, outside of its normal pet-owned clientele, donates its services to beautify dogs for adoption. “I have a page on our website, shaggychic.com, of animals up for adoption and we do adoptions at the salon once a month. But I would like the website to be a clearing house for all the animal foundations and dog foster parents that have dogs up for adoption so that people can go to one place and see what animals are available.”
In the meantime, Petersen works her magic on dogs of all kinds with the six all natural grooming product lines she has designed and developed along with a chemist. She has a shampoo and a conditioner called Let It Shine, which is an oatmeal-based chamomile product; a shampoo and a conditioner called Neem and Lavender, which she developed for dogs with allergies and/or sensitive skin; a detangler, which she uses on all the dogs that are groomed at Shaggy Chic to avoid matting, and Fur Fresh, a spray to freshen the animals.
“This was a hobby that turned into a business,” Petersen says about her products. “I had turned my garage into a grooming studio for my personal pets and my show dogs. It all began because one of my dogs had allergies so I consulted a chemist and told her in layman’s terms what I wanted and she figured out the formulations. It was a back-and-forth process and it took a year. I gave my products to other handlers. These products are all natural and all human grade – I use them on myself and my family, too.
“When it comes to the dogs up for adoption, the agencies and foster parents can contact us directly,” she adds. “We have an open door policy. We do all of a our grooming by appointment because each dog takes 60 to 90 minutes to do. I have an entirely different method than other groomers. I feel that when you have too many animals in a place at once, it increases their stress level. First, we brush a dog out, which can take half an hour to 40 minutes, especially for a homeless animal that may be terribly matted. I like to say that we save, we don’t shave. Then they go into the tub – each dog gets a blueberry facial, which whitens and brightens and cleans around the eyes. After that, we dry them by hand as opposed to putting them in cages and letting them be dried by a cage dryer as other places do. Then we scissor them. When they are finished, they wait in lounges out front where people can see them. It helps them get adapted. We also give a certificate for 60 percent off grooming to anyone who adopts a dog.”
Tivoli Village is located at 400 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 140, Las Vegas, NV, 89146. Shaggy Chic offers luxury natural, eco-friendly pet salon and grooming products to dog and pet owners; spa and grooming salons, and veterinarians. Manufactured in the U.S., all Shaggy Chic salon products are human grade and human-tested. In addition to its line of salon and spa products, Shaggy Chic offers all-natural dog treats and jerky, plus a tantalizing line of “Guilty Pleasure” dog toys. Soon to come are Shaggy Chic supplements, swag and grooming tools. Shaggy Chic is ardently committed to educating pet owners by offering access to its experts and by providing helpful and fun tips and advice in the areas of canine health, fitness and play.
And finally, Shaggy Chic is the ultimate matchmaker for dog lovers. As owners of award-winning show and agility dogs, it partners with some of the finest, most honest and ethical breeders throughout the U.S. From time to time, Shaggy Chic would love to introduce the public to their adorable prized puppies.
It would be a doggone shame not to meet them. And don’t forget about the poor animals that need to be adopted that can be obtained at the Mutt Mixer and then directly from the above-named agencies, and the others in Las Vegas, after this event.
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