POLL: Self-Service Doggie Wash at Car Wash

The next time you take your filthy Ford in for a cleaning at , you just might be able to get Fido clean at the same time.

That’s because the owners of Splash on Bridgeport Avenue recently submitted plans to create the area’s first drive-thru doggie wash.

While the application for a certificate of zoning compliance was discussed at this month’s Planning & Zoning Commission meeting in , commissioners opted to table the matter until its Feb. 14 meeting. PZC Chairwoman Ruth Parkins said commissioners wanted more information about Splash’s plans before the Commission takes any action. Several commissioners said they had never heard of the idea before.

Mark Curtis, CEO of Splash Car Wash, was hesitant to divulge details about the proposal, prior to the Commission’s vote next month, but he did say he is very excited about the concept, and hopes the commissioners feel the same way.

"It will be our first foray into dog washing, but I believe it will be a great service for all the dog lovers in the Shelton community,” Curtis said.

If approved, the way in which the dog wash would work is relatively simple. It would be a self-service station, where customers would be afforded all the necessary tools to wash their pooches: hose, shampoo, a large basin, dryers, towels, etc...minus all the messiness of doing the deed at home in the bath tub or kitchen sink.

According to Shelton’s Planning and Zoning Administrator Rick Schultz, the district manager for Shelton Splash, Jason Frank, said he saw similar dog washes operating out of Pennsylvania, which were quite successful and professionally run. And that’s why Splash is hoping to create the first-of-its-kind dog wash in the Valley for the thousands of dog owners living here.

Frank said Splash is hoping to create two dog wash bays, similar to the self-service bays currently in place for people to wash their cars. However, these bays would be dog-friendly, blocked off to car traffic to keep Spot safe, be heated and have ramps for pet owners to walk their dogs up into place for their wash.

Several commissioners expressed concern about dog poop, because, well, that happens, and suggested that each bay be inspected after each use, and any dog doo removed prior to the next customer using the facility. They also asked Frank to obtain information regarding state requirements necessary to add a dog wash to the business. Adding the dog wash requires a license on par with a grooming service.

A quick search of the Internet turned up several existing self-service dog washes in Connecticut, which offer everything from a basic wash to ones with all the bells and whistles.

For example, at in Berlin, a basic, “no frills” wash includes a standard shampoo and conditioner, with the cleaning, while a specialty wash offers a choice of fancier shampoos, ear cleaner, teeth cleaning and even a splash of cologne. Prices range there from $12.50 to $24.50 depending on the size of the dog, and type of wash.

In Trumbull, at , the self-service wash for Spot or Spike start at $10.