20/05/2026
After almost 17 years of grooming, with a very heavy but certain heart, I am announcing the closure of Moochie Poochie Dog Grooming.
This decision was not made lightly, nor overnight. Over the last 4 and a half years, I have held on with hope that the business would recover after the devastating impact of the COVID shutdowns and restrictions. I kept believing things would return to how they once were, but sadly they never did.
What many people did not see behind the scenes were the tears, the frustration, the sleepless nights, and the tremendous weight I have carried trying to keep everything afloat. I gave it my absolute best.
To survive financially, I also took on baking, printing, and nails over the past few years to try and supplement my income, but unfortunately it still was not enough.
Just to put things into perspective — this month so far I have groomed only 21 dogs. With an average grooming fee of around R200 per dog, you can do the math. Meanwhile, my monthly expenses, including medical aid, school fees, and daily running costs, exceed R18 000 per month, with medical aid alone being R14 000.
I open the salon every day, often grooming only 2–4 dogs , some day no dogs,depending on the season, knowing before the day even starts that I will not reach my monthly target. I continued showing up, trying to keep customers happy while silently struggling emotionally, mentally, and physically.
The burden has simply become too heavy, and I have reached a point where I need to choose my health, my peace, and my future.
I would like to thank every single customer who has supported me throughout these 17 years. To my loyal customers especially — thank you for trusting me with your fur babies, for your kindness, your support, and for standing by me through the years. I will always appreciate you.
I also want to mention that one of the biggest struggles over the years was unpaid accounts and late payments for services rendered. Small businesses survive on every payment, and unfortunately this also added greatly to the financial pressure.
The salon’s final operating day will be 29 May 2026.
Thank you for being part of my journey and for all the memories shared over the years.
With love and gratitude,
Illse
Moochie Poochie Dog Grooming
