Petco — Local services in San Marcos

do not bring your animals here for veterinary care please go to a real vet. we originally brought my 2 cats in for vaccinations because they had caught a mouse and needed de-worming shots and 2 other simple vaccines. We went in and were given options on different packages of vaccines. we picked the one we wanted and what was in our price range. it was originally going to be $130 each cat for 3 vaccines each. after we told the person thats what we wanted she went to talk to the vet and came back and told us we have to get lukemia tests for them. there is NO WAY our cat could have came into contact with another cat because they are ALWAYS watched by us. She then told us they would not do the vaccinations unless we got them blood tested for lukemia. she then explained it would now be $190. we were not okay with this but proceeded because our cats needed the vaccinations. They first start with my orange kitten who is very sweet, and is barely 14 lbs. he was moving a little bit but it was a normal amount of movement for a cat that is being cared for by someone else. 3 PEOPLE decide to PIN HIM DOWN on the table. they proceed to pull his blood, she messed up the first time and did it again all while 3 people are holding my defenseless baby down. he was NOT aggressive at all. he was VERY scared and shaking. After they finish they put him back in his carrier and he just totally stops meowing and backs into a corner of his carrier. he was very vocal when we came in and moving around a lot in his carrier. They then moved on to my next cat Vinny who is 11 lbs. They pinned her down on the table and the same thing happened but it affected this cat WAY WORSE. They could not pull blood and did it to her 3 times. twice in her back left leg and they flipped her over and did it again in back right leg. Also every time they “sterilized” a needle no gloves or any sort of protection was used. After the test results came back negative, like we KNEW they finally gave the vaccines. except they did it in the same spots they pulled blood. we pay, bring them home and one of my cats immediately poops on the floor. Vinny, the one who they pulled blood from multiple times the next day she will not move. she has not ate food unless its brought to her. AND SHE CAN BARELY USE HER BACK LEGS. She is very sore and very scared even though shes at home. Please go...

Extremely Disappointed with the Lack of Professionalism and Service at Petco

I don’t usually write reviews, but after the frustrating and honestly insulting experience I had at Petco, I feel obligated to speak up—not just for myself, but for others who expect to be treated with basic respect when visiting a business.

My partner and I went into the store simply wanting to purchase three small fish. What we got instead was 30 minutes of being completely ignored, followed by attitude, condescension, and rejection.

The associate, a blonde woman, was far more interested in casually chatting with another customer about unrelated topics than doing her job. After watching her talk endlessly while we stood waiting patiently, I asked if we could be helped. Instead of offering assistance, she looked annoyed that I dared to interrupt her social hour and continued her conversation like we didn’t exist.

I then approached the manager, hoping for professionalism—but was met with a cold, dismissive tone and a look of disgust, as if I was bothering her just by asking a question. She bluntly told me she’d help “once she was done” with other customers, even though those people had already wandered off to another part of the store. I felt completely disregarded and unwelcome.

When she finally decided to assist us, she went out of her way to tell me that she wouldn’t sell me any fish unless I bought 3–4 and had a tank bigger than 10 gallons. I told her I had a 10-gallon tank and had fish already, but now she changed her story—saying she couldn’t sell me any fish because “a tank that size shouldn’t have more than two.” It felt like she was making up rules on the spot, just to avoid helping us—all because I had the nerve to ask her to do her job.

It was clear that her refusal to help was not about policy—it was about ego and attitude. She didn’t want to assist us simply because I pushed her to be accountable and stop wasting time. The entire interaction was unprofessional, passive-aggressive, and unacceptable.

I will never return to this location, and I strongly urge others to reconsider visiting as well. If you’re looking for friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable service, this is not the place. There are plenty of other stores that actually care about their customers—and know how to treat people with basic...

DENIED ONE 35¢ GOLDFISH SALE FOR TEN GAL TANK. Spent all day building a home aquaponics system, came in late at around 8:30 to pick up some goldfish. A girl (JACKIE of the fish department) came up to me and asked what type of tank I had, (it was a hand-me-down and I did not know the size) I pointed to the goldfish display and said I have something of this size but a little bit smaller by half a foot. She immediately said no and that the water needs to be circled for 48 hours first. I tried telling her that I used water from my KOI POND and that I already knew what I was doing. She then mumbled no AGAIN and said something about needing a certain size tank and she would not sell me even ONE goldfish. When I asked her a question about this rule she became defensive and said I need a ten gallon tank MINIMUM for 1 BABY GOLDFISH, and refused to elaborate even though I told her MULTIPLE times this is a starting tank and they will move to a larger-in ground one later. Finally I asked her show me the minimum size tank, she rolled her eyes and said pointed to the 10 gallon tanks. After walking over and confirming that my tank at home was in fact a 10 gallon tank, I looked behind me and saw her round the corner and hide in the back! At first I thought she went to grab something so I waited by the door, but after a minute of waiting I heard her voice from the back say "please leave the store" and WHAT!? the guy next to me cleaning the bathrooms was confused as I was. I immediately asked for her NAME and asked if she was going to help me or not but she refused to reply to me like a toddler. Wow. Just wow. Defeated and goldfish-less, I left the store. On my way out I stopped by the front and asked for the girls name (its Jackie) and the guy explained you need a ten gallon tank for one fish (she never directly said that to me!) and I walked out. Thanks to Jackie for wasting my time and denying me a 35¢ fish sale, hope you feel big...