The Greenwich Village store also dyes cats, which may enter the shop white and leave transformed into the most exquisite green. The cost ranges from 45 to 85 dollars, and the non-toxic dye lasts two to three weeks, says Gonzalez.The idea was born several months ago when a friend asked him to dye two dogs for a fashion show. One went blue and the other violet. ``The audience looked at the dogs more than the design,'' laughed Gonzalez. He then dyed his white cat pink, a video artist had his dog dyed and the clients started pouring in. ``For Halloween, we did orange, we did green, we did pink, like a fuchsia, purple, almost every color,'' he said.

For Christmas, some clients aren't happy just tormenting their Fifi or Spot with silly Santa Claus hats but want the hapless animals dyed red.

Gonzalez is getting readyfor St Patrick's day on March 17, when green is usually extremely popular. For Easter, he is considering pastels like pink, yellow and blue.

``That's a catchy thing, it might become fashionable again, it's fun, it's safe, it comes off very easily,'' says Gonzalez.

The process has become so popular that Gonzalez plans in January to begin marketing a dye kit that can be used in the home.