Goose Creek woman finds niche as mobile pet groomer

There's more than one way to groom a cat.

Or a dog.

For a little more than a year, Goose Creek resident Heather Summers has been taking to the road to serve her four-legged clientele with her mobile pet grooming service, Four Paws and a Tail.

Summers spends her work days traveling across the Lowcountry to give personal care to dogs and cats in her custom-built van, which holds everything from a groomer's table to a small bath with running water.

"I didn't even finish high school because I knew this is what I wanted to do," said Summers, who has been grooming animals since she was 17. "I wanted to do things on my own and I wanted to be different."

While researching ways to strike out on her own two years ago, she discovered a company that builds specialized vans for groomers.

It seemed like the perfect way to set herself apart from the competition, so she established her own business last June. Now, instead of a lease, she has a car payment.

"It's kind of like having rent, but after a few years, it's mine," she said.

The van has worked as the main piece of advertising for the business. The sides are decorated with an eye-catching array of cartoon animals and she gets plenty of curious looks from passers-by.

"I've had people stop me while I was grabbing lunch at a McDonald's because they were curious and wanted to see inside," she said.

Each day, Summers keeps about six appointments, depending on the sizes of her clients. When she gets home, she then has a list of maintenance chores to handle: emptying vacuum bins filled with pet hair, refilling the water reservoir and checking the generator, oil and tires.

Because she handles only one pet at a time in the van, she's found the dogs -- and especially the cats -- are much more calm about the grooming experience than if there were several animals waiting to be serviced.

"They can't deal with the other dogs barking, especially the cats," said Summers, who likes to play soothing music while working with an animal. "The owners like this, too. They can go to work, come home and their babies are ready to go. Usually, I can get done in an hour."

Whether the business was mobile or stationary, Summers' primary enjoyment of the work comes from the transformation she performs.

"They can start out grungy or matted and they come out beautiful," she said.

Reach Bill Henley at 937-5433 or bhenley@postandcourier.com.