A DUNDEE animal parlour’s decision to cut short a dog’s hair was vindicated by the SSPCA last night.

An officer from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals visited Family Friends Grooming Parlour in Albert Street after a complaint by dog owner Fiona Whyte was reported in The Courier.

Fiona had taken her six-year-old Lhasa Apso to the parlour to get its long coat trimmed and was not happy that her dog’s hair appeared to have been shaved all over.

Parlour manager Irene Cunningham again defended her decision to cut the hair so short, saying last night they had “no other option because the dog’s coat was so matted.”

Irene called the SSPCA to show them the matted hair and prove she was right to have trimmed it so short.

An SSPCA spokeswoman said last night, “One of our investigators visited the parlour this morning to look at the cut hair and although it is not a major problem he will be talking with the owner. Although the upper coat of a Lhasa Apso can appear shiny and groomed, the undercoat can be difficult to maintain.

“The groomer was left with no option but to take the hair that short. Cutting a dog’s hair down to that level means it is easier to maintain and groom. Now the dog’s hair is smart and suitable for summer.

“Hopefully this situation will be resolved between the parlour owner and the dog owner.”

The spokeswoman emphasised the importance for owners to maintain their dog’s coat, both as a method of bonding but also for ensuring they are carrying out regular health checks on their pet.

“Every dog needs to be groomed,” she added.

“A matted coat is trouble for a dog... we have seen a case in the past where a dog owner was taken to court—their Lhasa Apso had not been groomed for a year and when the vet examined the dog its leg fell off because the matted hair had cut off the blood supply.”