A new relationship with animals, nature and each other.

Dogs at the Groom-o-matic

Is the recession getting you down? Can’t afford to take Fluffy and Fido to the grooming parlor? Too lazy to do it yourself?

Just head on over to the “Joyful Honda” pet supermarket in Tokyo, Japan, where you can pop your pet into the groom-o-matic.

The owner of the service, Naka Honda, admits that it took his Yorkshire terrier, Benji, a while to get used to the machine – especially the dryer, which he would only put up with as long as Mr. Honda stood outside the glass where he could see him.

Looking, somewhat scarily, like a microwave, it washes and blow dries dogs and cats for approximately $5, compared to the average $30 for a regular wash and blow-dry. To confirm the safety of the device, one of the groomers subjected himself to a full wash and dry. (Not sure exactly how he squeezed himself in.)

The whole process takes 33 minutes and includes a shampoo, rinse and dry, using pure “ozone” water.

All in all, we think we’ll stick with the less-hi-tech, more traditional, even Luddite, way we’ve been doing it.