Pet groomers come and go, but Paw Spa has been a runaway favorite among locals in the 530 since 2008.
Much of the credit can go to owner Victory Lapp, who received her name from her father Robert Lapp, a race car driver who took a $500 bet from a pit crew member at Daytona International Speedway to name his newborn girl Victory.
Today, it’s Victory (also known as Vicki) who’s winning the hearts of fur friends and their families at Paw Spa on Joerschke Drive in Brunswick Village.
Maybe it’s Victory’s love for animals, which began early on when she raised several breeds of dogs, cats, cockatiels, fish, lizards and snakes. She and her brothers may have even brought home a few frogs and an alligator or two, but who’s counting?
One thing is for sure, this groomer’s gentle and calm demeanor, particularly around anxious and challenging animals, has developed a loyal fan base among pet owners far and wide across Nevada County,
Victory grew up in Placerville, where she first landed a job at Becky’s Pet Hotel, a boarding house that accommodated dogs, cats, pigs, birds, hamsters and a goldfish.
She later worked as a groomer in Vacaville and Rio Vista before she was hired in 2011 by Joni Holland, the former owner of Paw Spa who retired and sold the business to Victory in 2017.
Since taking over, Victory has expanded Paw Spa’s hours and the menu to include haircuts, summer shaves, nail trims, hypoallergenic baths customized to skin and fur type, skunk and flea baths, and, true to the spa name, even a tearless facial scrub.
Victory has a special place in her heart for rescues, which she grooms free of charge. According to one volunteer, this owner never turns away a rescue and has spa-ified many victims of neglect or abuse.
Recently, I caught up with Victory to ask her a few questions and share her story:
What do you think sets you apart from other local grooming businesses?
We offer some end-of-life grooms, sending these animals off looking their best with dignity and respect. We also work with disabled pets and those that are difficult to handle, using gentle and calming methods and avoiding muzzling if we can without putting the pet and ourselves in danger.
We work with every rescue and shelter in the area, ensuring the health and safety of someone’s future pet. We develop close personal relationships with our human clients, often becoming friends. We celebrate their lives, births, deaths, big events and just everyday successes and losses. We cheer for them, hug and hold them, love them and enjoy each and every moment spent with our amazing clients. For us, it’s all about making your pet comfortable during the grooming services.
Do you groom other animals like cats in addition to dogs?
Yes, we groom lots of kitties, several bunnies, and even have three huge iguanas who come in for nail trims with Misty-Dawn, my assistant.
Do you have any funny or heartwarming stories to share about your fur friend clients?
Collectively, we have all been grooming an amazing 15-year-old Great Pyrenees named Tilly since she was 1 year old. She may be the oldest Great Pyrenees in the world, but we don’t know for sure. The registry hasn’t been updated, and her birth records were never given to her owner.
We often get many tough cases – read “ungroomable,” aggressive dogs or difficult cats matted to the skin. They come to us as a last hope after getting denied or banned from other places, and 95% of the time we are able to work with these babies to get them groomed and feeling better. Sometimes it takes hours or several sessions. Sometimes it takes a muzzle, the inflatable neck donut that we offer or a silent room. Whatever it takes, whatever that precious baby needs, we can usually supply it to get them nice and clean in the least stressful manner.
Any tips for animal owners to keep in mind in the care and grooming of their pets, especially as we head into the spring/summer months?
Always, always, always brush your pets! Get a metal comb and a brush, and work at it so your pet doesn’t need to be shaved. Check them over for fleas and ticks. A lookover a day keeps the ticks away! Having a specific groomer you like isn’t a bad thing, because it makes it easier on who does the scheduling. Make your preferences known politely, and we will absolutely accommodate. When you have a new puppy, start brush and tool/table-standing training as soon as possible, so they can get through the grooming process with less stress all around.
Thanks Victory!
If you have an animal in need of a grooming service, you can contact Paw Spa at 530-272-5300, 147 Joerschke Dr, Grass Valley, CA. They are open Tues.-Sat., 9:30 am-3 pm and closed Sundays and Mondays.