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Business & Tech

Every Dog (and Cat) Here Has Its Day

At its new location, Pawz and Clawz Pet Grooming in Cranbury can give your pal a moment to shine.

Here’s the riddle of the day: What’s the difference between the jobs of a hairstylist and a pet groomer?

Answer: Pets are easier to work with because they rarely complain about the completed style.

If you walk into the newly opened at 62 North Main St. in Cranbury, you can quickly see that the outgoing and confident owner, Susan (Susie) Iafelice, is an animal lover. “We were located in that strip mall behind Walgreen’s on 571 and 130 for about three and a half years starting in 2007, but since I live in town, I found it easier to have my shop here in Cranbury,” Iafelice pointed out.

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After an early desire to pursue a career as a veterinarian, Iafelice tried her hand at hairdressing but found that her clients could be challenging and not always satisfied with the final styling.

Then she realized that perhaps there was a way to use her grooming skills but apply them to what seemed to be her passion — animals.

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“I took classes that trained me in pet grooming and then worked in mobile grooming services,” Iafelice explained. Thus was born the idea of matching her desire to work with dogs and cats with her previous hairstyling skills.

She did note that all was not perfect when working with dogs.

“I don’t like the ones that tend to bite,” she said, “but after I develop a trusting relationship with the dog or cat, I can work easily with them.”

In addition to managing her grooming business, Iafelice also owns eleven dogs and twenty horses. With hands upraised and with an enthusiastic tone Iafelice said, “I’m just an animal lover.”

To prove this point, Pawz& Clawz takes in dogs or cats that are up for adoption but are in dire need of grooming, Together with her trusted team — Fran Seip and Linda Genovese — these three groomers make pets ready for adoption and do all the work free of charge as a courtesy for the pet rescue shelters. Iafelice helped promote the recent Hightstown 5th Annual Paws Walk, which raised funds for local pet rescue and adoption centers.

Pawz & Clawz seems to be not only a pet grooming business, but also one that is owned and operated by three ladies who care deeply about the well-being and health of their clients’ pets.

Come to think of it, if you look at Susie’s surname, “Iafelice,” it does mean, “one who is very happy,” as in “felicity.”

After spending some time at Iafelice’s Pawz & Clawz shop in Cranbury, I think she has found what makes her happy. She enjoys grooming animals more than working as a hairstylist in a salon.

Perhaps her canine and feline clients — unlike the ladies getting a cut and color — are more likely to give her a thank you kiss when their grooming is done.

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