Supreme Court rejects appeal over fish pedicure ban

The Supreme Court won’t hear an appeal from an Arizona salon owner challenging a decision by local regulators to stop her from offering pedicures using fish that nibble dead skin off people’s feet.

The justices on Monday left in place a lower court ruling that said the state Board of Cosmetology didn’t violate Cindy Vong’s constitutional rights.

Vong had opened a fish spa at her nail salon, but was later forced to close it after regulators said they were not safe for skin exfoliation. State officials said the fish couldn’t be sanitized between uses.

A state appeals court rejected Vong’s claim that the board violated her constitutional due process and equal protection rights. The justices decided not to review that decision.