New auto pet wash service draws flak; NParks tells operator to stop its use

A new service in Buona Vista allowing dogs to be washed automatically in a machine has quickly drawn flak online, with concerns over how the experience could be traumatic and dangerous for animals.

- Ian Cheng

The National Parks Board (NParks) in a statement late on July 19 said that it has informed the operator, Just4Pets, to stop the use of the machine from July 18 while it evaluates its safety on animals.

Just4Pets, which is a local pet grooming salon chain, had said on July 18 that its machine is safe and called the washing process "calming and stress-free".

The machine is available at its 24-hour Just4Pets AutoWash outlet, which opened on July 12 in Holland Drive.

To use the machine, owners select their dog's size and then secure the animal to leashes in the wash chamber. The wash cycle begins automatically after the machine's gate and door are shut.

The animal undergoes two rounds of rinsing and shampooing, one round of conditioning, followed by a final rinse and blow-dry.

The process lasts 45, 55 and 65 minutes for small, medium-sized and large dogs respectively, and can be stopped at any time via an emergency button. It costs $30 to $50 depending on the animal's size.

Several videos on Just4Pets AutoWash's Instagram page showing how the service works as well as its safety features soon went viral.

However, comments on the posts have largely been negative.

One social media user likened the process to a person being "shoved in a washing machine" against their will, while another raised the "high risk" of animals panicking and inevitably inhaling water and soap.

A few highlighted that there were no videos showing how dogs were being rinsed.

In one of the videos, a woman is seen entering the wash chamber. However, it is unclear how long she was inside for.

"This only shows it seems suitable for you and your staff to use instead of dogs," one user said.