Burlington Mayor Meed Ward Statement: 'Dog-Grooming Essential to Pet Health'

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UPDATE (Feb. 4, 2021): Great news! The province has provided the clarity we were seeking on dog grooming -- Open with restrictions. Click here for more.We have heard loud and clear from our community that dog grooming is essential to the health of our furry friends -- that includes trimming nails, dealing with matted fur and more.Provincial COVID-19 regulations allow businesses that provide services to animals that are "necessary for their health and welfare" to remain open. There is no specific language in the regulations closing dog groomers.Until such time as the Province provides clear and consistent provide-wide instructions on dog-grooming, City of Burlington bylaw staff, in conversation with legal staff and regional partners, will not be issuing violations for dog groomers.These businesses must demonstrate they are serving the health and welfare of animals and are following appropriate COVID-19 protocols, such as curbside pickup and by-appointment services.Each business will need to determine, before they make a decision about offering services, whether they meet the provincial regulations around providing services “that are necessary for the health and welfare of animals” and can meet the COVID-19 protocols.Our bylaw and legal staff see no provision in the provincial regulations that would allow them to ticket a business that is providing such services and abiding by COVID-19 protocols.We have been in touch with our local MPP who had some additional information to share that may be of value to the community, advising businesses to also check with your liability insurance company before reopening. Some insurance companies have advised dog groomers that their insurance will not be valid if they reopen.The MPP advised that businesses connect directly with their insurance company to obtain written confirmation of their continued coverage before they reopen.We are happy to convey this information on behalf of our MPP to the community.-- Mayor Marianne Meed WardRELATED LINK:

—PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.A consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

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