Ashleigh Beales: Dog groomer chuffed with business award recognition

From rescuing abandoned animals to grooming beloved pets, Ashleigh Beales has a long history of supporting animals in the Goldfields.

Linny Lu’s Dog Grooming owner was recognised for her work at this year’s Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Goldfields Business Awards, where she won the owner-operator category.

Ms Beales was so certain she would not win that she did not prepare an acceptance speech.

Surrounded by “amazing” businesses in the category, Ms Beales said she was just happy to be nominated.

Now that she has had some time to accept her win, Ms Beales said she was honoured to be recognised and to have the ongoing support of the community that has backed her since she opened in 2017.

Her passion for dog grooming happened by chance while Ms Beales ran a now-dissolved animal rescue group.

One of the rescue dogs, a Newfoundland, needed some serious grooming, and the lady she enlisted for the work said she could use some help.

From there, Ms Beales noticed she not only loved pampering and transforming the dogs but was also skilled at it.

A decked-out sea container and some grooming gadgets and accessories later, Linny Lu’s was born.

“It’s a 20-foot sea container that’s a salon space, and it has a little yard, too,” she said.

“It’s cage-free, so the dogs can come in and out and stretch their legs and enjoy a run around while they’re not being groomed,” she said.

“I love my job, and I love the time I spend with the dogs and the bonds I get to make with them. They become like a part of my family.

“I also really like the education side of things and teaching owners how to maintain their pet’s coats and keep them healthy and happy.”

Ms Beales, who is also the president of the Dog Groomers’ Association of WA, said she was always looking at ways to learn more about grooming to better her business in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Last year she went to Malaysia for a dog grooming course and next year she is booked to attend a cruise for dog grooming.

“I’m really privileged and proud to be a winner and I just want to thank my clients and family who allow me to do what I do and who trust me with their dogs every day.”