PetSmart — Local services in Town of Orchard Park

Once upon a comical Christmas, my son and I, along with Winnie, our not-so-little Great Swiss Mountain Dog, embarked on a festive adventure to PetSmart. The mission? To capture the holiday spirit in a photo with Santa. Little did we know, we were about to step into a canine comedy show.

Armed with a reservation made by my wife, we waltzed into PetSmart, only to find ourselves in a line that was less 'Jingle Bells' and more 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' Half of the pooches there were clearly playing hooky from the obedience class next door. It was a wild orchestra of barks, gags, and the unmistakable aroma of excited-dog-pee.

Amidst this furry frenzy, one could spot the ‘elite’ dogs, sitting prim and proper, casting judgy glances at the unruly bunch. Their owners, trying to hide smirks, were probably crafting mental notes for the next ‘Worst Behaved Dogs’ awards.

After what felt like a dog's age (about 45 human minutes), we finally made it to Santa’s chamber. And oh boy, what a sight! This Santa had just enjoyed a merry puff of his vape, leaving the room in a festive fog. The offer was simple: one photo, snapped with an ancient iPad.

Winnie, our furry detective, was instantly on alert. Something was amiss in Santa's workshop. She refused to cozy up to this off-brand Santa, who had suspiciously hairy knees peeking out from his costume. Trusting Winnie's instincts, I had her sit at a safe distance.

The resulting photo? A Christmas masterpiece featuring Winnie’s majestic pose, Santa's dubious knees, and a backdrop that screamed 'holiday chaos'. It's safe to say, this picture won't just deck our halls, but also bring laughs for many seasons to come!

Visiting Santa at PetSmart for a photo session can be a delightful experience, especially for pet owners who want to include their furry friends in holiday traditions. Here's what you typically can expect from such an experience:

Event Scheduling and Locations: PetSmart usually hosts these events during the holiday season. Dates and times may vary by location, so it's a good idea to check with your local PetSmart or on their website for specifics.

Pet-Friendly Environment: PetSmart stores are inherently pet-friendly, ensuring a comfortable environment for pets of all kinds. Whether you have a dog, cat, or another type of pet, they can be accommodated.

Santa Claus Interaction: A person dressed as Santa Claus will be present for the photo session. It's a fun opportunity for your pets to interact with Santa, and for many, it's a novel experience.

Photo Session: The photo session typically involves your pet, Santa, and any family members who wish to join. PetSmart might have a designated area set up for the photo shoot, complete with festive decorations.

Photo Packages: There may be different photo package options. Some stores offer a free photo with Santa, while others might have packages for purchase. Digital copies, prints, or holiday-themed frames might be available.

Preparing Your Pet: It's important to ensure your pet is comfortable and well-behaved in such an environment. Pets should be on a leash or in a carrier. Familiarizing your pet with the environment beforehand can be helpful.

Community and Social Aspect: These events are also a great way to meet other pet owners in your community. They often have a festive, friendly atmosphere.

Safety and Comfort: The staff at PetSmart are usually trained to handle pets and ensure their comfort and safety during the photo session. However, it's always good to keep an eye on your pet's stress levels.

Memorable Keepsake: The end result is a memorable photo of your pet with Santa, which can be a cherished keepsake for...

I do not recommend getting your dogs groomed at this location. I saw Brie V. on 9.26.24 and she cut my dog's tail so deeply that 2 inches of my dog tail had to be amputated. I usually groom my dogs myself but my clippers broke and I needed to have someone cut my dog's hair for me. I have been grooming my dog since she was 6 months old, she is now five. I warned the groomer that she does wiggle but she does not wiggle any more than the average dog. Luckily PetSmart has paid for majority of the medical bills so I didn't have the financial burden of the surgery and could just focus on my dog. The assistant managers Mike & Ashley were amazing. They checked in on me and my dog. They also made sure everything went smoothly but then I had to work with the Store Manager David and it was a night and day experience. The store manager would get upset and have a condescending tone with me when I would call 3-4 hours before each appointment so they could call my vet during some down time with their credit card information for my dogs follow ups. My vet would not put PetSmart card on my profile since it was not my card. David would get mad every time I called and proceeded to tell me each time I didn't need to call and then I would have to remind him that they would not keep the PetSmart card on file. I had to pay for 2 appointments out of pocket and had called multiple times to get information regarding the whole process and the assistant managers said that the store manager would call me back. Which after a week of calling multiple times to see how long it will take to get reimbursed for the appointments I had to pay for out of pocket and still not getting an answer I am assuming I will never hear back from this location and will just be out the money for the follow up appointments. Luckily my dog is completely healed now and is back to her normal self but do not go here so that you don't have an...

Doesn’t even deserve one star! Worst veterinarian office experience in all my life. My dogs are terrified to visit. Scheduled a routine teeth cleaning and called twice before the appointment to verify the fractured tooth in my dogs mouth needed to be removed. Most most important part of this visit was to have that tooth removed. When I called to see how he was doing I was not surprised to hear the vet actually had to remove 2 teeth. (Not surprised because my dog has bad teeth) The vet tech I spoke with verified that 2 TEETH were pulled. Then when my 8 year old dog awoke from ANESTHESIA and it was time to go home I notice...no teeth were actually removed. They said I didn’t answer my phone to give permission to pull the teeth. I was under the impression that I gave my permission when I talked to the vet on staff in depth twice before the appointment. We talked about how his tooth was fractured 2 years ago and has since fallen apart in his mouth. I LET IT BE WELL KNOWN THE TOOTH WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE VISIT. How many times will my dog need to be put under for their mistakes? It’s not safe. I call this negligence, poor communication, unprofessionalism. Highly disappointed and disturbed. Not only was I misinformed about the procedure but my dog came out with blood on his face. Like he hit his head on something and his eye was swollen. What is going on over there? Are these people trained professionals? One last thing, there are two doors in every office. One for patients one for doctors. I’ve been to many banfields across the country and this had never happened anywhere except Banfield in Orchard Park NY. Another patient walked into our room like he didn’t know where to go. My dogs lost it. A large confused dude walks into the room and he is clearly afraid. He could have been bit or something if I didn’t have the leashes held tight. Seriously? Putting patients, and...