The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday announced that it would implement standardized contracts as early as next year to better regulate the pet grooming industry.
The national pet grooming market has reached NT$10 billion (US$307.83 million), part of the overall NT$60 billion pet industry, the Department of Animal Welfare said.
About 2.79 million domestic dogs and cats in live Taiwan, with approximately 1.48 million of the former and 1.31 million of the latter, it added.
Photo: AP
The pet grooming market is behind only pet food and veterinary services, Department of Animal Welfare Director Chiang Wen-chuan (江文全) said.
To protect pet owners, pets and service providers, the ministry has drafted a new law standardizing contracts for dog and cat grooming services.
The Executive Yuan has approved the draft and next month the Cabinet-level Consumer Protection Committee would meet to review it, Animal Protection Office Director Sung Nien-chieh (宋念潔) said, adding that if the committee passes the draft, the ministry can implement it as early as January next year.
The proposal clarifies the length of the grooming service, as well as how to handle situations in which an issue occurs, including allowing owners to specify contact people or preferred veterinary hospitals in an emergency, she said.
To resolve issues where owners do not pick up their pets in a timely manner, the proposal also includes clauses to allow groomers to transfer pets to animal shelters if they are not picked up within three days, Sung added.
The proposal also aims to regulate contract disputes such as refund issues or early contract terminations, she said.
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