'Extreme Poodles': Ethical?

On TLC's new show, relentlessly creative groomers turn dogs into "works of art." Is it entertainment or animal cruelty?

Should an innocent poodle serve as a blank canvas for unhinged "art" just because nature bestowed curly hair on him? That's one of the questions provoked by TLC's "Extreme Poodles," a show which follows a pack of competitive poodle groomers as they "clip, dye, and even glue" their pets into outlandish creations, including Native American tribute poodle, boa constrictor poodle, and roller derby poodle. Some critics say the dogs, subjected to long hours of grooming, are victims of "blatant" animal cruelty, while others find the show forgivably diverting: (Watch a promo for "Extreme Poodles")

The dogs are being abused: Poodles have feelings too, says Hayley Woodgate at Technorati. And, after watching these dogs "humiliated" on national television, I can't help thinking they must "suffer some form of canine psychological disorder thanks to their owners' dire need to turn them into... works of art."

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