Petco vs. PetSmart 🐾
⚡ Quick Key Takeaways: What You REALLY Need to Know
| ❓ Critical Question | ✅ Quick Answer |
|---|---|
| Which store is cheaper overall? | Petco wins on total cart price by roughly $36 on a 10-item basket |
| Which has better grooming safety records? | Both have documented fatalities—your vigilance matters more than brand |
| Who has more adoption impact? | PetSmart Charities—11 million+ pets adopted vs. Petco Love’s 6.9 million |
| Which offers on-site veterinary hospitals? | PetSmart (Banfield at 1,000+ locations) beats Petco’s limited Vetco clinics |
| Who has boarding and daycare? | PetSmart owns PetsHotel/Doggie Day Camp; Petco outsources to Rover |
| Better training certification? | Petco requires AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator status; PetSmart offers more course variety |
| Which rewards program pays off? | Petco Vital Care (paid membership with unlimited vet exams) vs. PetSmart Treats (free, point-based) |
🛒 1. Petco Usually Costs Less on Your Entire Shopping Cart—But PetSmart Wins on Services
When researchers loaded identical 10-item shopping carts at both stores, the bottom line came to $425.44 at Petco and $461.40 at PetSmart, a difference just shy of $36. That gap compounds over months of regular shopping.
However, individual product categories tell a more nuanced story. 73% of items selected at random were cheaper at PetSmart than they were at Petco in one comparative analysis. The discrepancy? Petco excels at big-ticket accessories (dog beds, aquariums, crates) while PetSmart often undercuts on everyday consumables.
| 🛍️ Category | 💵 Winner | 📊 Notable Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Dog Food (50 lb bag) | Tie | $61.98 Petco vs. $61.99 PetSmart |
| Dog Bed (largest size) | Petco | $14.99 vs. $35.99 |
| 20-Gallon Aquarium | Petco | $125 vs. $145-$187 |
| Cat Litter | Tie | Nearly identical per pound |
| Bird Seed (3 lb) | PetSmart | $10.39 vs. $11.79 |
💡 Insider Tip: Petco offers a repeat delivery option that shaves several dollars off already discounted prices—stacking this on recurring purchases like food creates significant long-term savings that outpace PetSmart’s typical promotions.
💇 2. Grooming at Both Chains Has Resulted in Documented Pet Deaths—Here’s What No One Tells You
This is the uncomfortable truth most comparison articles dance around. Over the past decade, 47 dogs have died during or within days of grooming at PetSmart stores across the country, according to a major investigative report. Thirty-two of the deaths occurred since the start of 2015—the same year PetSmart was bought out by a private equity firm.
Petco isn’t exempt. Multiple documented cases show similar tragedies, including Petco accepting responsibility for the death of a 2-year-old golden retriever that died of heat stroke after being left too long in a drying cage. The company fired employees and removed certain dryer types following the incident.
| ⚠️ Risk Factor | 🐕 PetSmart | 🐾 Petco |
|---|---|---|
| Documented fatality reports | 47+ (2008-2018 investigation) | Multiple individual cases |
| High-risk breeds affected | 20 of 47 deaths were brachycephalic dogs (bulldogs, pugs) | English Bulldogs, Chow Chows cited |
| Common cause patterns | Tethering/restraint issues, heat exposure | Cage dryers, protocol violations |
| Groomer training required | Over 800 hours hands-on instruction | Internal certification program |
🚨 Critical Safety Checklist Before ANY Grooming Appointment:
Animal groomers are currently not required to have a license to practice in any state—meaning “you can go out, buy clippers, buy a grooming book, open a salon and call yourself a professional.” Ask these questions BEFORE leaving your pet:
• Does someone remain with my pet at ALL times during grooming? • What type of drying equipment do you use? (Avoid unattended cage dryers) • Can I observe through a window? • Are your staff trained in pet CPR? • What’s your protocol for brachycephalic breeds?
🧠 Expert Insight: “If a dog acted up, the groomer needs to tell the client that”—honest communication about behavioral challenges during grooming is a sign of a trustworthy salon. Push back if staff seem reluctant to share details.
🏥 3. PetSmart’s Banfield Network Dominates Veterinary Access—But Read the Fine Print on Wellness Plans
Banfield Pet Hospital is the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the United States, operating over 1,000 clinics—approximately 300 located inside PetSmart stores. Basic visits cost around $40 and more complicated treatments can cost $500 or more.
Petco’s Vetco clinics, by comparison, focus primarily on vaccination and preventive care through periodic clinics at roughly 100 locations—a fraction of Banfield’s footprint.
However, Banfield’s “Optimum Wellness Plans” carry controversy. In 2013, a class-action lawsuit was filed after consumers complained that Banfield’s wellness plans became an endless cycle of consumer debt—where each wellness visit increased financial obligations required to cancel.
| 🏥 Vet Service Factor | 🔵 PetSmart (Banfield) | 🟢 Petco (Vetco) |
|---|---|---|
| Full-service hospitals | ✅ 1,000+ locations | ❌ Limited |
| Basic office visit cost | ~$40 | Varies by clinic |
| Surgery capabilities | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Wellness plan controversy | Class-action lawsuit filed over cancellation policies | Less documented |
| Emergency services | Select locations | Generally no |
💡 Smart Strategy: Use Banfield for convenience but understand the wellness plan contract thoroughly. If you cancel mid-year, you may owe the retail value of services already received.
🐕🦺 4. Dog Training: Petco Requires AKC Certification—PetSmart Offers More Variety
Both chains use positive reinforcement methods, but their trainer qualifications differ significantly.
Petco’s classes are taught by certified trainers and AKC evaluators—meaning they can administer the AKC Canine Good Citizen test directly. PetSmart offers beginner, intermediate, advanced, anxiety, therapy, and brain game courses—a broader menu but without the standardized AKC evaluator requirement.
| 🎓 Training Factor | 🔵 PetSmart | 🟢 Petco |
|---|---|---|
| 6-week group class cost | ~$119-$149 | ~$110-$149 |
| Private session (1 hour) | $89 | $70 |
| AKC evaluator on staff | Not required | ✅ Required |
| Specialty courses | Anxiety ($75), therapy, brain games | Separation anxiety ($99), AKC S.T.A.R. test |
| Total training hours offered | Fewer total hours than Petco’s multi-course system | More cumulative hours |
🧠 Expert Take: Petco also offers discounts for rescue dogs and runs frequent training specials—if you adopted rather than shopped, Petco may cost significantly less. PetSmart’s strength is course variety for dogs with specific behavioral needs like separation anxiety.
🏨 5. Need Boarding? Only One Chain Actually Owns Their Facilities
This distinction matters enormously for accountability.
PetSmart directly owns and operates PetsHotel and Doggie Day Camp facilities at over 200 locations. Everything from room quality to veterinary access falls under PetSmart’s operational control.
Petco outsources to Rover.com—meaning you’re booking through an independent network of pet sitters and boarders who set their own standards, pricing, and availability.
| 🏨 Boarding Factor | 🔵 PetSmart (PetsHotel) | 🟢 Petco (Rover partnership) |
|---|---|---|
| On-site at store? | ✅ Yes (200+ locations) | ❌ No—independent sitters |
| Nightly rate | ~$32+ depending on amenities | Varies by individual host |
| Corporate accountability | Direct | Indirect |
| Doggie day camp | ✅ Available 7 days/week | Depends on Rover host |
⚠️ Reality Check: Multiple dogs have become ill or died, often from neglect, after being left at PetsHotel boarding facilities—documented cases exist for PetSmart’s directly-operated boarding as well. Due diligence applies regardless of brand.
❤️ 6. PetSmart Charities Has Saved Nearly Double the Pets—But Petco Love Innovates Differently
Both organizations have transformed millions of animal lives, but their scale differs dramatically.
PetSmart Charities has helped 11 million pets find loving homes since 1994, partnering with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations and making more than $600 million in grants.
Petco Love has invested nearly $400 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts since 1999, with more than 6.9 million pets adopted.
| 💕 Charity Impact | 🔵 PetSmart Charities | 🟢 Petco Love |
|---|---|---|
| Total pets adopted | 11+ million | 6.9+ million |
| Grant funding | $600+ million | ~$400 million |
| Partner organizations | ~4,000 | ~4,000 |
| Unique programs | Emergency Relief Waggin’, partnerships with Feeding America and Meals on Wheels | Petco Love Lost (pet finding technology), vaccine grants |
| Charity Navigator rating | 4 stars (top 1% of charities) | Strong nonprofit status |
🎯 Bottom Line: If charitable impact drives your shopping decisions, PetSmart is the leading funder of animal welfare in the country—with checkout donations going directly to animal welfare causes. Petco Love excels at innovation, particularly their Petco Love Lost technology for reuniting lost pets.
💳 7. Rewards Programs: Petco’s Paid Membership vs. PetSmart’s Free Points
Petco Vital Care: $19.99/month — Includes 10% off nutrition, unlimited routine vet exams at participating Vetco locations, grooming discounts, and the 8th groom free benefit.
PetSmart Treats: Free — Points-based rewards with birthday treats, customized sale alerts, and member-only coupons.
| 💳 Rewards Factor | 🔵 PetSmart Treats | 🟢 Petco Vital Care |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | $19.99/month |
| Earning structure | Points per dollar | Flat discounts |
| Vet benefit | None built-in | Unlimited routine exams |
| Grooming perk | None | Every 8th groom free |
| Best for | Casual shoppers | Heavy service users |
💡 Strategic Calculation: If you use grooming 8+ times yearly AND need multiple vet visits, Petco Vital Care pays for itself. For product-only shoppers, PetSmart’s free program wins.
📊 Final Verdict Table: When to Choose Each Store
| 🎯 Your Priority | 🏆 Best Choice | 🔍 Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest total cart price | Petco | ~$36 cheaper on 10-item basket |
| Full-service vet hospital | PetSmart | Banfield operates 1,000+ locations |
| On-site boarding/daycare | PetSmart | Owns PetsHotel facilities directly |
| AKC-certified training | Petco | Trainers must be CGC evaluators |
| Premium/natural food focus | Petco | Stopped selling food with artificial ingredients in 2019 |
| Charity impact at checkout | PetSmart | 11 million+ pets adopted |
| Rescue dog discounts | Petco | Training discounts for adopted pets |
| Budget dog food brands | PetSmart | Carries Pedigree, Caesar, budget lines |
🔥 The Uncomfortable Truth Most Articles Won’t Tell You
Neither chain is perfect. Both have documented grooming fatalities. Both have customer service complaints about online orders. And both can vary wildly by individual store location—your experience may depend more on local management quality than corporate brand.
Your best protection? • Never leave pets unattended during grooming • Ask specific safety questions before every service • Read wellness plan contracts before signing • Check individual store reviews, not just brand reputation • Consider private groomers/trainers for high-risk breeds
The winner isn’t Petco or PetSmart—it’s the informed pet parent who asks hard questions and stays engaged.
📚 Sources Consulted: NJ Advance Media investigation (2018), CBS News, PETA incident documentation, Wikipedia (Banfield Pet Hospital), PetSmart Charities official reports, Petco Love grant announcements, Consumer Affairs reviews, Cheapism price comparisons, veterinary trade publications.
