MINT HILL, N.C. — A mobile dog grooming business is making changes after the cost of gasoline increased in the last month.

 

What You Need to Know

Gas prices are expected to increase in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida

Over the  past month, Anything’s Pasawble Dog Wash, Grooming and Training noticed the increase of gas prices firsthand

The owner of the mobile grooming business increased her prices to make up for the price hike

 

At the beginning of August gas was more expensive due to high demand during a peak driving season.

According to AAA, the national gas price decreased by two cents as of Sunday, which is the cheapest price since early July. The prices increased Monday morning, however, after Hurricane Ida.

Anything’s Pawsable Mobile Dog Wash, Grooming and Training has been watching gas prices for a while because her business is in high demand.

Her employees take vans equipped with grooming tools to the homes of their clients. The pets are groomed in the van parked right outside their homes.

Owner Janis Jaeger said her four groomers are booked through the end of the year.

“The people we do have gotten more dogs, which takes us more time,” Jaeger said.

She expects for them to groom 2,500 animals this year.

Her vans and generators use gasoline, which has been more expensive in August.

“My gas expenses have gone up in the last month $150,” Jaeger said.

On Aug. 1, she started charging between $5 and $10 more. Jaeger said it’s the first time she has raised her prices in years.

“It’s necessary to keep the business running,” Jaeger said.

She said it’s also vital to retain quality groomers, including Kayla Stringfellow.

“This is not something you want to rush. The dogs know you are in a hurry,” Stringfellow said. “We just want the dogs to enjoy the process as much as possible.”

AAA is predicting temporary spikes in gas prices after Hurricane Ida left more than a million people in Louisiana and Mississippi without power and 13% of the U.S. refining capacity offline.