A bath towel bib including a collar adapted to form a releasably securable loop around a user's neck, an actuatable means for releasing the loop from around the user's neck, and an absorbent cloth fixedly attached to the collar and operatively arranged to hang from the collar in front of the user's torso when the loop is releasably secured around the user's neck, wherein the actuatable means for releasing the loop from around the user's neck is operatively arranged to actuate when the absorbent cloth is pulled in a direction away from the user's neck. The bath towel bib is particularly adapted for use while bathing a pet, in a system for bathing a pet including the bath towel bib, a bathing receptacle, and a bath mat. The bath towel bib is arranged to receive a pet from a bath, while allowing the bather to keep her hands free.