A quick bath and a trim during routine visits — that is often what pet parents imagine w hen they hear the term ‘pet grooming’. But grooming goes far beyond appearances. It demands skill, patience, and emotional labour — caring for an animal that cannot speak, explain discomfort, or express fear in words. This understanding took root in 1999 in Saharanpur, a town a few kilometres from Delhi, where the concept of professional pet grooming was virtually unheard of. A dog lover from a young age, Garima Khanna began reading extensively to understand what her pet needed. With no trained groomers available, she groomed her dog herself, learning through books and experience. Years later, when Garima moved to Delhi-NCR, she noticed a familiar pattern. Despite being a large city, access to trained, affordable, and respectful grooming services remained limited. That was when she realised there was a significant gap in India’s pet grooming industry. With the aim of creating a model that benefited both pets and groomers, Garima Khanna decided to launch PetPipers. In 2017, while planning to start a marketing firm, Garima decided instead to address this unmet need. “Pet parents were struggling to get a good groomer at affordable rates. That’s when I noticed major gaps in India’s pet grooming industry,” she recalls. Through her observations, Garima identified three key challenges: A lack of quality grooming facilities in Delhi-NCR; Limited convenient options for elderly pet parents; Poor pay and little respect for service providers. “What I noticed in Delhi was that many groomers worked out of vans. They would go to the pet’s home, pick up the animal, and carry out grooming inside the van; all at high costs,” says the 26-year-old entrepreneur. “The vans required heavy maintenance, and many pets were anxious because they were taken out of their familiar environment.” With the aim of creating a model that benefited both pets and groomers, she decided to launch PetPipers. Understanding the industry gap India’s pet care market, which includes grooming services, is expanding rapidly as pet ownership rises across urban centres. In 2024, spending on pets in the country touched $3.6 billion, and industry estimates suggest this figure could grow to around $7 billion by 2028. Pet services such as grooming form a significant part of this growth, reflecting how pets are increasingly viewed as family members rather than just animals. Garima ensures her groomers learn the skill in 60 days and earn at least Rs 22,000 to Rs 25,000.” However, this growth has also exposed a major concern. Much of India’s pet grooming sector remains unregulated, with little emphasis on professional training or formal certification. Many groomers lack an understanding of breed-specific needs, animal behaviour, and safe handling practices. As a result, pets can face risks ranging from minor cuts and skin infections to stress and trauma during grooming sessions. Building a team with dignity at its core By 2019, PetPipers was launched in Delhi-NCR with a focus on training groomers, providing fair pay, and recognising the value of their work. “I have dignity and respect for the job I do — grooming others’ pets.” These were the words of Ashish, a pet groomer in Delhi-NCR who has been in the field for nearly 15 years. For the last seven years, he says, his professional growth has been rewarding. Sujith, another groomer, had a very different beginning. He started his career at a BPO before transitioning into pet grooming. “I earn three times what I earned there, and I have great job satisfaction,” he shares. “As soon as I launched my business, my first aim was to ensure my groomers were happy and satisfied at work. When I hired my first few men, instead of asking them to jump straight into work, I offered to train them with fair pay,” Garima shares. “They agreed immediately.” While hard work and skill are essential in blue-collar jobs, long-term growth often requires the right guidance and support. For Ashish and Sujith, that support came from Garima. ‘The job found us’ Both Ashish and Sujith have unique stories about how they joined PetPipers. “We did not find this job; the job found us,” they say. “That itself is a big green flag,” smiles Ashish. Ashish was working at another pet salon until 2018. “I wasn’t happy with my job, and the pay wasn’t good,” he shares. “Then Ms Garima reached out and offered me a position at PetPipers. I started with Rs 20,000, and today I draw Rs 55,000. I feel respected at work and also get other benefits from the company.” Over the last four years, Ashish has trained eight groomers and is now a senior member of the team. “In my earlier job, I neither trained anyone nor received training myself. Here, we are taught — and allowed to teach,” he says. Sujith, who previously worked in a call centre, describes joining PetPipers as the best career decision of his life. “My association with dogs goes back to my childhood. A dog once saved me from a wolf attack but died in the process. Since then, my heart has always yearned to give back to dogs. This opportunity came my way,” he recalls. Sujith became an expert trainer within two and a half months. Six years on, he now grooms 80–100 pets a month, earns Rs 30,000, and receives incentives based on client reviews. Garima explains, “A lot of people don’t recognise grooming as a profession. Groomers are often seen as people who do this work only out of love, not skill. Many don’t realise how much knowledge is needed to understand an animal that cannot speak.” She adds that grooming goes far beyond a simple wash. “It requires training, patience, and the ability to read behaviour and stress signals.” To address this, PetPipers focuses on educating clients about pets and the grooming process. “We actively take feedback from groomers, and we don’t hesitate to refuse clients who treat them poorly. Respect and dignity for groomers is non-negotiable for us,” she says. Expanding across borders After three years of operations in New Delhi, Garima expanded PetPipers internationally by launching a second branch in Dubai. “It was in 2022 that we opened our Dubai branch,” she says. Four months ago, the company launched its third branch in Mumbai. “I wanted a scalable business, so I built the model accordingly. We work from different parts of the globe. My three-person bookings team is based in Mumbai, groomers are spread across all three cities, and I travel to India every two months to review operations,” Garima explains. PetPipers currently has 12 service providers in Delhi, four in Mumbai, and six in Dubai. All bookings are managed online through the website or WhatsApp, while tools and inventory are stored in a warehouse in Delhi. Training before trust With pets as their primary ‘customers’, Garima ensures that every groomer spends time building comfort with animals before beginning technical training. “We ask freshers to get comfortable with dogs before starting training. Then we show them grooming videos and assign them to a senior service provider,” she explains. “Newcomers travel for sessions with seniors and assist them.” They are taught the importance of grooming , introduced to different breeds, and taken on field visits to observe sessions. “Freshers start as assistants, learn on the job, and take charge independently once ready,” she adds. Dogs — from Labradors to Poodles — are assigned based on the groomer’s training level. Dogs — from Labradors to Poodles — are assigned based on the groomer’s training level. Over the last seven years, PetPipers has trained nearly 24 groomers and served 15,000 pet parents across Delhi and Dubai. In Delhi alone, the organisation has close to 800 clients. PetPipers offers services ranging from nail clipping to medicated baths, with prices starting at Rs 750 and going up to Rs 2,000 depending on the breed and size of the pet. Clients notice the difference Cherry Sahini, a regular PetPipers client, says, “The experience has been satisfying. They visit home, which is convenient for us, and their prices are reasonable, making it easy to book regularly.” A first-time dog owner, Sahini recalls being unsure when they first got Oreo. “PetPipers helped us understand everything we needed to. Even during COVID, when things were really difficult, we could still rely on them.” She adds, “The service providers are caring. They don’t just groom him — they play with him, bring small toys, and show him affection. Oreo gets excited when he sees them and welcomes his groomer like a friend.” Another client, Shruthi, who has four cats and a dog, shares a similar experience. “The staff is well trained and polite. Their secret superpower is how gentle they are while dealing with pets,” she says. “It’s not easy to keep animals calm while clipping nails, but the groomers don’t even flinch when bitten by frightened babies.” “The biggest testament to their skills is how lovingly our pets greet the groomers every time they visit,” she adds. Recognition at the heart of the business While her vision is clear, Garima says her long-term focus is on ensuring groomers receive the recognition they deserve and on building wider awareness about the profession. “I feel pet grooming is an underrated profession in India. I want groomers to be recognised for the work they do,” she says. “I ensure my groomers learn the skill in 60 days and earn at least Rs 22,000 to Rs 25,000.” “My only wish is that the blue-collared segment is identified for its value, and people realise that dignity and fair pay matter,” she adds. To take this forward, Garima is currently in the process of raising funds. “I want to train more servicemen and start training academies. I wish to pick people from small towns and encourage them to take this up as a profession,” she says. Garima Khanna’s journey is not just about building a successful pet grooming business. It is about redefining how India values care work. In an industry growing at breakneck speed, PetPipers serves as a reminder that progress cannot be measured only in numbers, but also in how thoughtfully people are treated along the way. By placing dignity at the centre — for pets, pet parents, and groomers alike — Garima shows that blue-collar professions can be skilled, respected, and aspirational when supported by the right systems. Visit the official website of PetPipers to explore their work and check the services available. Sources: ' From chew toys to spa kits: Pet parenting gets serious in small-town India ': By Abhijeet Kumar , Published on 15 April 2025 ' India Pet Grooming Services Market Overview ': By 6Wresearch, Published in September 2024.