Press

STERLING, Ill. (March 2, 2019) – More than three million dogs enter shelters each year, and a vast majority of them are dirty and matted. Unfortunately, less than half of these dogs are getting the necessary grooming to help them get adopted. Wahl has been working to fight this epidemic for the past seven year with donations of more than $155,000 in products and monetary grants, helping shelters and rescues nationwide clean up more than 100,000 dogs and get them ready for adoption.

“The transformative power of grooming is just amazing. It can make the difference between a dog being euthanized or finding its forever home,” says Steven Yde, division vice president for Wahl. “We understand the overarching impact our grooming products can have, and we’re committed to making them available to the dogs that need them the most.”

Two of Wahl’s major initiatives to help clean up and clear out America’s dog shelters include the following:

Dirty Dogs Contest and Gallery

This annual effort, focused on helping shelter dogs find their forever home, begins in the spring with Wahl donating thousands of bottles of Wahl pet shampoos to shelters in need, helping them to wash and ready dogs for adoption. The shelters then post photos of the hundreds of amazing transformations into the Dirty Dogs Before & After Gallery. The gallery shows the transformation the dogs make from when they arrive to after they are cleaned up. Visitors to the Gallery can also search for adoptable dogs in their area, learn more about their stories and share them on social media.

Ten of the most dramatic makeovers from the gallery are selected to participate in Wahl’s Dirty Dogs Contest with public voting determining the top three dogs. Those top three doggie makeovers win grant money for their local shelters. First place takes home $5,000, second place receives $2,000 and third place earns $1,000.

Dirty Dogs Calendar

To further raise money and awareness, Wahl creates an annual Dirty Dogs calendar titled ‘Bow to Wow: Amazing Shelter Dog Makeovers.’ Twelve adorable dogs from the Dirty Dogs Contest are chosen to demonstrate the transformative power of love, time and lots of shampoo through dramatic before and after photos. In addition to a short bios and images of the shelter dogs, the calendar also includes significant ‘pet holidays’ so you’ll never forget when to take your dog to work, hug your hound, or celebrate guide dogs. The calendar is available for $9.99 at WahlUSA.com/DirtyDogsCalendar. For each purchase, $5 is donated to GreaterGood.org with the purpose to further support animal adoption efforts.

For information about Wahl's pet grooming products, visit WahlUSA.com. Retailers interested in more information about Wahl products should call (815) 625-6525.

About Wahl Home Products

Wahl Home Products is a division of Wahl Clipper Corporation, based in Sterling, Ill. For the last 100 years, the company has remained a trusted name and industry leader, manufacturing products for consumer personal care, animal grooming and professional beauty and barber salon trade. For more information, visit WahlUSA.com.

About GreaterGood.org

GreaterGood.org is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that works to improve the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. It accomplishes this mission by partnering with charitable organizations and administering programs worldwide that address hunger and illness (particularly in women and children), promote education and literacy, feed and care for rescued animals in shelters and sanctuaries, and protect wildlife and restore the environment. Over the last 10 years, GreaterGood.org has granted over 175 million dollars to more than 5,000 charitable partners worldwide and created and operated several Signature Programs including Rescue Rebuild, Rescue Bank, and Girls’ Voices. You can learn more about GreaterGood.org on our website or by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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