Short Bark & Sides is the dog grooming service operating from the Waikiwi Clinic of Waikiwi Vet Services at 299 North Road, Invercargill. It was a new addition to the clinic in September 2013, arriving as part of a newly renovated space and bringing in new state-of-the-art grooming equipment along with its own team of specialist groomers.
Being based inside a veterinary clinic, Short Bark & Sides sits within a practice with deep local roots — Waikiwi Vets is Invercargill's oldest private veterinary practice, dating back to 1954 when it was founded by Irish immigrant Paddy Dunne, a mixed-animal vet and a pioneer of artificial insemination in New Zealand who also introduced the Charolais beef breed to the country.
Today's grooming team works alongside the clinic's wider staff of veterinarians, nurses and support staff, giving dog owners a grooming option backed by a practice with a long history of animal care in Southland.
Short Bark & Sides is the dog grooming arm of Waikiwi Vet Services, based at the Waikiwi Clinic on North Road in Invercargill. It joined the clinic in September 2013 as part of a newly renovated space, bringing with it new state-of-the-art grooming equipment and its own dedicated team of specialist groomers.
What sets Short Bark & Sides apart from a standalone grooming salon is where it sits: inside Waikiwi Vet Services, Invercargill's oldest private veterinary practice, with roots going back to 1954. The practice was founded by Irish immigrant Paddy Dunne, a true mixed vet who treated everything from farm animals to household pets. Paddy was also a pioneer of artificial insemination and is credited with introducing the Charolais beef breed to New Zealand — a piece of history that still underpins the practice today.
Waikiwi Vet Services describes itself as more than just a veterinary clinic, built around values of compassion, excellence, teamwork, communication and innovation. That same team culture extends to the grooming room, where the Short Bark & Sides groomers work alongside the clinic's directors, veterinarians, vet nurses, rural technicians and support staff.
Since its 2013 renovation, the grooming space has been equipped with new, purpose-built equipment for dog grooming. The specialist groomer team focuses solely on this side of the practice, giving dog owners a grooming option that's separate in focus from the clinic's veterinary work, while still being on-site at a practice they may already trust for their pet's health care.
Being co-located with a full veterinary clinic also means owners are visiting a practice equipped with the latest monitoring equipment, x-ray and surgical facilities, and pet intensive care — useful context for anyone choosing where to bring their dog for a regular groom.
Short Bark & Sides is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm at the Waikiwi Clinic, 299 North Road, Invercargill. Bookings and enquiries go through the same contact channels as the wider Waikiwi Vet Services practice — by phone on 03 215 9237 or by email at [email protected]. The clinic also offers the 'Book My Vet' mobile app for online booking, available on the App Store and Google Play, for those who'd rather book routine appointments from their phone.
For Invercargill dog owners who want their pet groomed somewhere backed by decades of animal care experience, Short Bark & Sides offers that combination: dedicated grooming equipment and staff, inside one of Southland's most established veterinary practices.