By Joe Potter
Laker Correspondent
Master groomer Deborah Shivvers opened Happy Hearts Professional Pet Grooming Salon May 17 in Wesley Chapel.
Shivvers has been working with animals for 37 years and said her goal is to provide excellent services for her customers at affordable prices. Shivvers’ 32 years of experience as a master groomer and her positive attitude virtually guarantee success in achieving her goal.
She went into business for herself after she and her husband purchased some property off Old Pasco Road in April. She had been working for a pet motel near her old home in St. Petersburg.
What had been a short 15 to 20-minute commute turned into a grueling hour-and-a-quarter trip after she moved to Pasco County, Shivvers said. Although she considered her previous job an awesome place to work, she was ready for a change.
Happy Hearts Pet Salon, 7900 Bay Pines Drive, opened within six weeks of Shivvers moving to Wesley Chapel.
She had previously had her own pet grooming business for several years while living in North Carolina. She decided now was the time for her to start her own business in Florida.
“My main focus is to save people money anyway I can and for the whole experience to be pleasant — for them to be happy, for their dog to be happy and for me to be happy,” Shivvers said. “That’s why I named the business Happy Hearts Pet Salon.
“Life should always be lived with a happy heart,” Shivvers added.
The salon offers various ways for customers to save money on grooming services. For a list of discounts see the box below.
Dental care is a big part of animal grooming services, Shivvers said. Some dogs only get their teeth brushed when they are taken to a salon. Pets’ teeth should be brushed more often because plaque buildup and tooth decay can cause heart disease and kidney failure for pets, Shivvers explained.
“I’m all for dental prevention,” Shivvers said.
Shivvers has also received massage training that can be used to help relax pets while they are being groomed, Shivvers said.
While Shivvers primarily provides grooming services for dogs, she will also groom cats. However, rates charged to groom cats vary depending upon how well the cats cooperate.
The salon is located on an outbuilding on Shivvers’ property. She said she plans to make improvements to the building, including installing patio doors, putting a colorful coat of paint on the exterior, having an enclosed inside dog run and having an outside exercise area for pets.
Happy Hearts Professional Pet Grooming Salon is open most days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Customers may drop their dogs off whenever it is convenient for them. It usually takes two to three hours for her to groom a dog. She uses all natural organic plant-based oils in her grooming.
For more information on the salon, call Shivvers at (813) 991-1404 or (727) 744-5094 or visit www.happyheartspetsalon.com.
Available discounts
–Schedule and keep your next grooming appointment and save $1 on that groom when you keep the appointment.
–Schedule and pay for five grooms in advance and save 10 percent on the total bill.
–Pay with cash and save $3.
–Pet owners save $3 on the first grooming if they bring their pet in within 30 days after having adopted it from a shelter or rescue organization. Customers need to bring a copy of the adoption papers to qualify.
–Pet owners save an additional $10 on the first grooming if they bring their pet in within 30 days after having adopted it from a Pasco shelter or pound that uses euthanasia as a means of population control. Customers will need to bring a copy of the adoption papers to qualify.
–A $3 savings if a customer’s dog has been groomed within 60 days at another salon. Customers will need to bring in a receipt to qualify.
How to get there:
Take SR 54 to Old Pasco Road. Turn onto Old Pasco Road and drive 2.3 miles to Lindenhurst Drive. Turn left on Lindenhurst Drive. Bay Pines Drive is the first street on the right. Turn onto Bay Pines Drive and drive 0.7 miles. Happy Hearts Professional Pet Grooming Salon will be on the right side.
The salon is a few miles from the Grove at Wesley Chapel mall located off I-75.
