Colorado is suing the pet care retailer PetSmart for allegedly “trapping” dog groomers in their jobs by having them sign contracts in which they agreed to pay thousands of dollars in training costs if they quit too soon.
The state’s Democratic attorney general, Phil Weiser, announced the lawsuit on Tuesday, saying the big-box chain had “lured prospective dog groomers with promises of ‘free’ paid training, only to trap them into staying with the company, even if they wanted to find a better job somewhere else.”
Weiser argues the practice violates Colorado’s consumer protection law and has asked the court to bar PetSmart from collecting any training fees from groomers.
PetSmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
HuffPost detailed PetSmart’s use of the contracts in a 2022 story about a dog groomer who was on the hook for thousands of dollars after quitting her $15-per-hour job before the 24 months outlined in her contract. PetSmart said she owed $5,000 for the cost of its grooming academy and another $500 for the cost of the tools she was given.
