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When Mark Imhof decided to go to grooming school after a 10-year career as a public accountant, the decision seemed only natural. Imhof had always loved animals, but it was after adopting a pit bull from a rescue shelter that he decided to follow his passion. The shelter lacked bathing facilities, so when he brought his new dog home, she was caked in dirt and in desperate need of a bath.
Imhof saw an opportunity and went for it. Now, in addition to running his pet services company, called Mark the Dog Guy, Imhof spends 15-30 hours a week as a volunteer groomer at animal shelters in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Imhof’s work is invaluable, not only because removing matted fur is crucial for dogs’ health, but also because a good groom increases a dog’s chance of being adopted. As Imhof told Buzzfeed, a dog’s eyes are its “connection to the human” - a reflection of its soul.
And Imhof’s efforts have paid off. He told Goodnet how remarkably fast dogs get adopted after being groomed. “Just Sunday, I finished grooming a dog and was walking her back to her kennel. Right there and then a couple on their way to adoption services asked if they could take her home,” he said.
With more than 8,600 followers on Instagram, Mark the Dog Guy has become something of an Internet sensation. But when Goodnet asked Imhof what makes all the extra hours worth it - why he does what he does - he said “to me, the smiles on the dogs faces post-grooming is just so satisfying.”
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