PetSmart employs a multifaceted approach to animals in their stores, distinguishing between different types of pets. Generally, healthy unsold pets continue to receive care until they find a home, either through direct sale or adoption partnerships.
PetSmart's Approach to Dogs and Cats
PetSmart does not directly sell dogs or cats. Instead, the company focuses on facilitating adoptions through partnerships with local animal shelters and rescue organizations.
- Adoption Events: PetSmart frequently hosts adoption events in its stores, providing a venue for local shelters to showcase dogs and cats available for adoption.
- In-Store Adoption Centers: Many PetSmart locations feature dedicated, in-store adoption centers operated by partner shelters. These centers house cats and sometimes dogs awaiting their forever homes.
If a dog or cat is not adopted during these events or from an in-store center, they remain under the care of the partnering rescue organization. They are typically returned to the shelter's main facility or continue to reside at the in-store center, where they receive ongoing care until they find a suitable family. PetSmart's role is primarily to provide exposure and support for these animals, not to manage them as their own retail inventory.
What Happens to Other Unsold Pets?
PetSmart directly sells a variety of smaller animals, including:
- Fish
- Birds
- Reptiles (e.g., geckos, bearded dragons)
- Small mammals (e.g., hamsters, guinea pigs, rats)
These animals are considered inventory, and PetSmart provides ongoing care for them while they are in the store. While specific policies for unsold small animals are not always publicly detailed, the general retail principle for live inventory suggests continuous care.
In pet retail, especially for animals treated as inventory, if an animal is not sold quickly, its price may be adjusted. For example, some pet stores acquire young animals, like an 8-week-old puppy, for a fraction of the price they initially charge customers (e.g., an initial price tag of $1,500). If such an animal remains unsold, the store might lower its price and continue to mark it down as it grows larger and gets older, to encourage a sale and ensure the animal finds a home. While this specific example relates to puppies in general pet stores, the underlying principle highlights how some retail models manage unsold live animals.
PetSmart's commitment is to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. Healthy animals are not euthanized for being unsold; rather, care continues until they are purchased by a new owner.
