N.J. Pet Groomers Can Reopen, But State Bans In-Home Hairdressing Appointments

A golden retriver dog. (Photo: Fernanda Cerioni/Flickr)

New Jersey issued guidelines on hair care Monday – for both humans and their four-legged friends.

Under the latest order, announced by Gov. Phil Murphy and State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan, pet grooming businesses, pet daycare, and pet boarding businesses will be considered essential retail businesses and will be able to open to customers.

But for humans hoping to get their hair cut by their favorite stylist or barber, even in their own homes, the practice is banned. Under the order, no one licensed to cut or style hair will be able to “provide personal care services in their own homes, the homes of others, or in any facility or business setting” with the only exception being immediate family members or those with whom they have a “close personal relationship,” such as caretakers or romantic partners.

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“A prior business relationship alone does not qualify as a close personal relationship,” the statement said.

The same guidance issued Monday allows “stores that principally sell items necessary for religious observation or worship” to reopen, under the determination that they are essential, and clarifies how car dealers may operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Car dealers may permit customers that have ordered or purchased a vehicle online or by phone to test drive the vehicle at the time of pick-up or prior to delivery, provided the dealership adopts social distancing policies, the individual is given access to the vehicle alone, and the dealership “appropriately cleans and sanitizes the vehicle after such test drive if the customer does not purchase the vehicle.”