Petco — Local services in New York

I stopped by this location on 7/21/20 in search of algae wafers but was distracted by the appalling husbandry on display in the small animal and aquatics departments. Below are descriptions (corresponding in order with the attached photos) of some of the most reprehensible examples of neglect I witnessed at this location. All animals pictured / described in the following cases were on public display and marked for sale.

Dwarf hamster displaying classic stereotypical behavior indicative of poor welfare.

A deceased mouse lying next to a water dish in a heavily populated display cage.

A deceased, emaciated betta showing telltale signs of kidney and liver failure (subcutaneous edema indicative of kidney failure). There were also a number of other bettas who looked like they weren’t far behind this poor soul, including a blue crowntail who was gasping at the bottom of his cup, a red veiltail whose fins were so clamped they looked like they’d been fused together and a baby with advanced fin and body rot. Several more bettas showed physiological signs of chronic environmental and psychological stress including buoyancy issues (floating sideways on the surface of the water), lethargy and unresponsiveness to external stimuli. Of the 50 or so cups containing live bettas on display at this location, accumulated debris were present in almost every cup, a clear result of insufficient maintenance leading to poor water quality and stress.

A cichlid with an advanced case of ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis), a parasitic disease that is highly contagious and, if left untreated, can be fatal. At the time this photo was taken the affected fish was housed with at least three other cichlids, all of which were marked as immediately available for purchase.

A tank full of dead and dying mollies (which were incorrectly labeled as “yin yang guppies”). Most of the fish appeared to be deceased though there were a few remaining survivors gasping for breathe at the bottom of the tank.

A shubunkin goldfish with a large hole in their right operculum.

This is animal abuse. Petco needs to get their sh*t together and start treating your animals with a modicum of respect or stop selling live animals. I strongly advice prospective customers to avoid this retailer until corporate can ensure that their company’s employees can and will provide their animals with a bare minimum...

I took my flat-coated retriever and border collie mix for grooming and de-shedding. After reading positive reviews, I chose Diana. I hoped to meet her when I dropped off my dog, but she was with another client. I was a bit uneasy about not meeting her. Our regular groomer at another Petco always, always comes out to receive my dog and greet me so we can discuss my dog's needs. I left and received a text less than two hours later. Upon my return, Diana was free yet made no effort to walk my dog out and meet me to advise how my dog did. She was with no other clients, just having chit chat with a colleague. I checked my dog and had a question about some hair that needed trimming. She came out in an apprehensive manner, and after hearing me out, clarified that would be an additional service. I said okay and opted not to do it. I was put off by her arrogant and dismissive manner. She made derogatory comments about the other Petco I frequent because they've done me the courtesy of trimming a very small patch of hair... which Diana was passionate about that being at a fee. Diana said the other location "is a mess." I was speechless. No worries if you'd like to charge, but the commentary was uncalled for. She was so off-putting and borderline combative, I knew I would never return. On my way home and throughout the night, my dog kept shaking her head in discomfort. I don't know if they applied too much liquid or powder to her ear, but we've not had that issue before. Concerned I called and learned that someone other than Diana bathed my dog. This VERY much upsets me. I am very protective of my dog, she's a working dog, and if this particular location has more than one person touching the dog, they should have informed me. I would have then opted out. The next day (today), I spoke with the manager Enrique and shared specific feedback, especially about Diana's uppity demeanor. I hope it's not contagious if she's running off to manager another store. I'll stick with the other Petco, even if it means a...

This review is more than a year overdue so things may have changed (and I certainly hope so).

But the grooming experience we had last May was so awful that I feel it's not too late to warn others.

Let me start by saying the reason I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1 is because the retail staff has been nothing but wonderful and are the only reason we still stop in sometimes. If you just need to buy treats or toys, this store is more than fine for that. We also had a pleasant (one-time) training experience.

But do NOT use any grooming services here.

The salon manager will lie to your face and their so-called "satisfaction policy" does not exist.

My dog left her appointment with a mild rash on her stomach, enough that when we asked our vet about it, she said it was likely a reaction to some sort of cleaning product. I alerted the manager in a phone call but instead of being sympathetic to my concerns, he tried to gaslight us saying that they don't use any product that could cause a rash and all their shampoos are non-allergenic (we weren't complaining about the shampoos, she never had any issues with what they used), and also said that he won't give me a refund. So no, there is no "satisfaction" policy. Additionally, he told us that our dog had been left in their kennel for more than an hour after her bath was complete but we were not informed she was ready to leave until later so she was needlessly exposed for a prolonged period to whatever caused the rash (we were there in 5 minutes after finally getting the text). Horrible, horrible mismanagement.

It's a shame because we'd used them multiple times before and probably would have again if they had honored their satisfaction policy but now, we'll never be back to...