I know today’s post should be about something GREEN, but a woman here in CO recently got in trouble for turning her poodle pink. The Boulder Valley Humane Society, where we adopted Lilly, received calls of concern about the pink dog. They made a site visit and delivered a warning. When investigators returned a month or so later, the white poodle was still pink. They issued a $1,000 fine. The case is going to court.
And, it’s getting quite a bit of media attention here. Here is one link. If you want to read more, just Google “pink poodle Boulder.”
The animal dying laws in Boulder (city ordinance 6-1-14) stem from protecting Easter animals, like baby chicks or bunnies from being dyed colors for the holiday. However, the ordinance language includes “any other animals.”
I’ve seen some he said, she said, type interviews on local TV about what exactly is used to create the color on the pink poodle. Former employees at the woman’s hair salon dispute her assertions about beet juice. So, who knows?
Personally, I’m anti-hair dye of any kind. From what I’ve seen, it’s a beauty industry trap, where people get suckered into changing their hair color once and then get stuck keeping it up (at quite an expense) because letting it go back to normal is a long, sometimes unattractive process. I’m too frugal, I guess, for that. Plus, in our I-hate-myself culture, I guess it’s politically incorrect to say that I actually like my hair color, even with the gray creeping in.
So, suffice it to say, I’d never dye my dogs either.
Once, when we first adopted Lilly, she nipped Ginko in the nose and caused a bad skin infection. Our veterinarian told us to keep it clean with peroxide, which did turn Ginko’s black/brown hair redish, but that’s the extent of it.
It’s an interesting debate, apparently tied to Breast Cancer Awareness. But, if that’s the case … why not just get a cute pink T-shirt or something?
Some colours fade a lot faster, Kool Aid contains vegetable dyes I have been told, so if you thik about it going back to vegetable dyes is going back into the past. Pick up a good book on herbs and it usually contains info about natural dyes-onion skins, avacodos, indigo- all of which you cna grow yourself. I love dyeing my dogs and they love it they get jealous if one has dye! They know when they are dyed and they love the attnetion!
That makes sense. If kids drink it, it must be safe … right? Does it take forever to go away? I read something recently that suggested Kool Aid as a viable alternative to expensive clothing dyes. Goodness knows it stains like a mother.
Thank You very much! And the green is Kool Aid and Manic Panic..so think about Kool Aid before you let kids drink it!! LOL And he has been pink as well…
I don’t watch much local TV news, but it seems like every time I turned around last week … there was the pink poodle. What’s funny is that *if* it’s just a promo for the salon, then from what I’ve seen … it’s a pretty crappy dye job. Not very consistent, etc.
Some day, you’ll have to scan some college hair photos and post them. (smirk)
Ha! Carving that shamrock is a nice touch. Thanks for the link.
I heard that coworkers were claiming the dye was real hair dye, not beet juice and that it was meant as a promotion for her hair salon and that the woman had never shown the slightest interest in breast cancer awareness.
My own feeling is that if the dye is completely harmless to the animal then surely the city of Boulder has better things to worry about. If it’s harmful dye that’s another story. I had a friend that dyed his white cat pink but he used food coloring. The cat didn’t seem to care and never got sick off the food coloring so big deal. This story is hardly news really but the media loves to make fun of those wacky weirdos in Boulder.
I do like highlights/lowlights in my own hair though. And I had my share of fun with hair dye when I was in college.
I guess this groomer would be in trouble then: http://abcgroomingcenter.com/
(Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for the St. Patrick’s Day photo!)