Production Demand Floods... Plan to Sell at 17,000 Won
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] An online debate has erupted over a woman applying 'nail art' to her pet dog's claws. While custom orders are flooding in, criticism labeling it as 'animal abuse' has also emerged.
Mariza Rubalcava (25), who lives in California, USA, began making and selling artificial nails last October.
However, Mariza, who was an ordinary small business owner, gained explosive online attention after she started posting 'nails for pets.'
Mariza featured her pet Chihuahua 'Coco' (5) as the model.
It is reported that she spent 40 minutes doing 'nail art' on Coco's paws.
As videos of pet nails spread, Mariza has become so famous that she currently has 440,000 TikTok followers.
Photo by bellamourbeauty TikTok capture.
Netizens' reactions were sharply divided.
Positive responses such as "It's pretty," "I want to do it for my pet too," and "Such a great idea" were accompanied by a flood of production requests.
However, criticism poured in calling it selfish behavior, saying, "What are you doing to the dog's claws?" "This is animal abuse," and "Coco might dislike it. Pets are not just possessions."
In response, Mariza explained, "It was done simply for fun," adding, "I only put them on briefly to take photos and then remove them. It's not something I keep on all the time."
She explained, "Coco is my baby. One night, I was talking with my husband, and we thought, 'It would be so cute to make fake nails for Coco.' That's how it started, and I never expected the videos to become so popular."
She continued, "Coco also enjoys this process. This is just one of the games that build our bond. I am an animal lover who adopted Coco, who was abandoned on the street a few years ago, and I try to provide a good living environment."
Mariza plans to meet the overwhelming demand by producing fake nail stickers for pets and selling them for $15 (about 17,000 KRW). She stated that she will donate part of the profits to animal rescue organizations.
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