Caldwell Groomer Assists Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Customers of Pupcake Dog Bakery and Boutique on Roseland Avenue in Caldwell are aiding the cleanup of the recent Gulf Coast oil spill, without ever lifting a finger.

The hair trimmed during the grooming process is being donated to the Matter of Trust's Hair Mat Oil Spill Program.

"I think it's great," Pupcake groomer Colleen Arnold said. "I'm glad that the hair can help the oil spill and that I'm able to help out."

Arnold and Pupcake owner Mike Dattolo decided to join the program after an employee found information about Matter of Trust on the Internet. They began collecting the hair clippings last week.

"It's such an easy way to help," Arnold said. "It's something I do every day and I usually just throw away the hair. It's nice to see that it can be used for such a good cause."

In the first week, Arnold had already filled one tightly packed garbage bag with hair clippings. She plans to deliver them to the nearest drop-off location, in Morris Plains, every two weeks.

Once delivered, various U.S. manufacturers weave the clippings into hair mats or hair booms. Hair booms are recycled nylon stockings shaped like sausages, stuffed with hair clippings and tied together.

Millions of gallons of crude oil have leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform on April 20. The mats soak up the oil from the disastrous spill. The hair booms, when placed around the spill, help prevent spreading by containing the oil.

Area customers help this process simply by bringing their dogs to be groomed.

"They don't even know about it," Arnold said, as she realizes that the salon has not made any announcements. "It fell into place so quickly. I've heard about [human] hair salons doing it, but I guess people don't really think about dog hair like that."

According to Arnold, Pupcake will continue donating the clippings for as long as necessary.

"As long as there is a demand for it," she said. "As long as we can do it, we'll do it."