The recent deaths of dogs during grooming at New Jersey pet stores has led to renewed interest in requiring licenses and proper training for those who bathe and style pets.

Bijou, a 6-year-old Shih Tzu, died in 2012 at a pet store.

"It is sadly far too common for us to read of dog grooming deaths in the news," Sen. Kip Bateman, R-Somerset said in a statement. "People take their dog to the groomers with the reasonable expectation that their pets will be treated properly and returned to them clean and healthy, and not in a box."

Bateman plans to introduce a Bijou's Law, which named after a healthy, six-year-old Shih Tzu that died while being groomed at a pet salon in 2012.

The proposal for pet grooming licenses was initially introduced several years ago, but failed to pass the Legislature. The bill was reintroduced in the state Assembly in February by Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, D-Bergen.

At least three dogs have died in recent months during grooming sessions at PetSmart stores in New Jersey, including a bulldog named Scruffles whose owner wasn't told how the death occurred.

Last month, a family's beloved corgi died after being dropped off for grooming at a Toms River PetSmart.

Since the deaths, people across the U.S. have shared similar stories on Facebook.

"It's clear that something needs to be done to improve training and oversight," Bateman said in a news release. "If we're going to regulate hair and nail salon for humans, we should do the same for our furry friends."

The law would ensure that pet groomers are licensed throughout the state of New Jersey and "elevate the dog-grooming industry to a regulated, licensed profession," Batman said.

If the law is passed in the state, Bateman said he would support its passage on the federal level.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.