The Problem
In Texas, there is no regulation of dog care businesses such as dog boarders, trainers, groomers, and walkers.
These businesses can be started and operated by anyone, with no training or licensing required. When things go wrong, these businesses are not held accountable.
- If a dog dies under their watch, there is no regulatory body that does an investigation.
- If multiple dogs are injured or become sick at one of these businesses, there is no facility inspection.
- If an employee is abusive to the dogs, there is no record of that person and they can easily continue working at the same business or another one like it.
The list goes on and on. The lack of regulation creates a dangerous situation for Texas dog families, leaving us to rely solely on word of mouth research, Google searches, Yelp reviews, and other means of trying to determine if we can trust a business with our beloved dogs.
It’s worth noting that those other forms of research should still be used, but the state should create a starting point that ensures that these businesses are licensed and adhere to certain requirements.