Just like most major retailers, PetSmart has been the subject of more than a few complaints. But though some of you may have wanted to do so, no Consumerist readers have taken out their PetSmart-related anger with the assistance of their car — and a baseball bat. [More]
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Owners Of Deceased Puppy Claim PetSmart Strangled It During Grooming
By 4.10.12
A couple is suing a PetSmart in California, claiming that their puppy died as a result of injuries it sustained during a grooming session. They say their four-month-old English bulldog was “healthy and happy” when they brought it to PetSmart last May, but then took a turn for the worse while in the groomer’s care. [More]
Watch Out For Petsmart's Bad Dog Fee
By 8.16.10
Justin’s dog Desmond — pictured here –owed him $6 after he went a little wild during a Petsmart grooming session, spurring the staff to sic a difficult dog fee on him. To Justin, the charge gave him a shock collar-level jolt. [More]
Petsmart Redefines Coupon Expiration Dates
By 7.7.10
If a coupon says that it expires on July 4th, most people assume this means that you can use it on July 4th. Not so, in Petsmart’s universe. In their coupon vortex, July 4 ends at 6:00 AM on July 4th. Which is a little weird for an online coupon, but completely insane for a printable in-store coupon when no Petsmart store opens until several hours later. [More]
Petsmart: Bad News Is Your Guinea Pig's Dead, Good News Is We're Taking It Seriously
By 7.2.10
Katie bought a pair of guinea pigs from a Bay Area Petsmart and noticed one was having sneezing fits. She took the furballs into a vet, who recommended taking them back to the store, which could get them treatment for upper respiratory system treatment. The company refunded her money and told her it would keep her posted on how the pets were doing. [More]
Petsmart Manager Not Too Concerned About This Parakeet Corpse In Bird Habitat Door
By 6.25.10
Jack is an animal lover and a mechanic. He writes that when he went to fix a habitat door at a local Petsmart store, he found a dead parakeet trapped inside a hollow part of the door. It wasn’t the dead bird that bothered him the most, though: it was the manager’s total lack of concern about the situation. He was upset enough to e-mail Consumerist. (Warning: post contains non-graphic dead pet photo.) [More]
Man Sues Petsmart For $1 Million After Stepping In Dog Poop
By 4.1.10
When visiting a pet store that allows leashed pets to visit, is it unreasonable to keep an eye out for dog poop? Inside the store? The Virginian-Pilot reports that a man is suing Petsmart in federal court after slipping and falling on a pile of feces in a Norfolk, Va. store. He alleges that the fall exacerbated his existing back injury and knocked out four of his false teeth. [More]
Is Bringing Your Dog To Work At PetSmart "Theft Of Services?"
By 1.19.10
A former PetSmart employee says he was terminated for “theft of services” after he brought his dog to work on an overnight shift that he was doing as a favor to the store manager — and left the dog in the pet day care facilities. No other employee was working at the time, so he was supervising his own pet. Should this count as “theft?” [More]
This Petsmart Uses The Opposite Of Bulk Pricing
By 1.14.10
Maybe, you, our wonderful and brilliant readers, can figure out the logic behind the pricing scheme for aquarium air stones that Kevin discovered at Petsmart. Because we sure as heck can’t. In a move that would make Target weep with envy, air stones become more expensive the more you buy. [More]
Should PetSmart Provide In-Home Services?
By 7.24.09
Would you hire your next dog-walker from PetSmart? RetailWire says the pet store chain is considering offering in-home services such as “dog walking, backyard clean-up and aquarium set-up,” to help differentiate it from retailers like Walmart (who offer steeply discounted fish).
Petsmart Tries To Sell You Something To Stop The Bleeding They Started
By 8.18.08
Reader Sara wants to share the experience she had with Petsmart’s dog grooming service. She says that after they accidentally cut her dog’s toenail too close they tried to sell her a product to stop the bleeding.
Grocery Shrink Ray Hits Purina Dog Food
By 7.9.08
Michael sends in this latest Grocery Shrink Ray victim, found at the Petsmart where he works. He writes, “The price is the same, and the 20lb bag is apparently being “upgraded” to an 18lb bag. This was the only 20lb bag left, but consumers who pay attention may be able to still be able to find some of the larger bags in stores.”
Widow Sues Petsmart For Selling Killer Hamster
By 4.11.08
In 2005, Petsmart sold a woman a hamster infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, or LCMV. The woman died of a stroke, and her liver was transplanted into Thomas Magee. He subsequently contracted LCMV and died from complications. His widow is now suing Petsmart. According to MSNBC, the lawsuit claims that “two other people who received organs from this woman died and one became seriously ill.”
Owner Still Has To Pay For Dead Cat's Banfield Health Plan
By 1.16.08
Sarah Harper was surprised to learn she would have to keep making payments on her cat’s “wellness plan” even after the cat was dead. She was told that she had signed a one-year contract and would have to honor it. Though the service sold by Banfield pet hospitals is packaged like and sounds like insurance, it’s not, it’s a payment plan. The media kit Banfield sends to reporters explicitly says “wellness plans are not insurance policies.” The contract does say that owners will still have to make payments even if the animal has passed away. However, brochures provided to consumers don’t say anything like that, instead saying things like it’s, “”the best preventive care your pet needs to maximize its life,” and that after you enroll, “your pet is on its way to a happier, healthier and longer life!” Catveat emptor.
PetSmart Employee Beats Dogs, Keeps Job
By 11.4.07
Reader Matt watched a PetSmart PetsHotel employee strike several dogs while waiting to pick up his pet. Matt immediately spoke with the store manager, who called the next day called to condemn the employee’s actions as ‘horribly inappropriate,’ and to promise that the employee would no longer work with dogs. Ten days later, Matt received another call, this time from the District Manager.
..the District Manager called us back and stated that she watched the video in slow motion, and that while she could understand how we interpreted the employee’s gestures to have been inappropriate, that she has concluded that the man was just playing with the animals, did not in fact strike any dogs, and was not inappropriate.
Matt writes:
Mass Schadenfreude
By 6.7.06
• The thing about car dealers is that they can refi their soul at anytime. [Copyranter]
