As a leading pet retailer with over 1,600 stores across North America, PetSmart is often the first place many prospective pet owners look when considering adding a dog or puppy to their family. But those who visit their local PetSmart in search of canine companions for purchase are in for a surprise – PetSmart does not sell dogs or puppies (or cats and kittens) in any of their locations.
It‘s a policy PetSmart has held since their founding in 1987 and one that sets them apart from many other pet store chains. While you can find just about every pet product imaginable within PetSmart‘s aisles, from food and treats to toys, apparel, and habitats, you won‘t find any puppies for sale. But that doesn‘t mean PetSmart isn‘t heavily invested in connecting their customers with new furry family members. In fact, facilitating pet adoptions is central to their business model and corporate values.
PetSmart‘s Commitment to Pet Adoption
Rather than selling dogs and puppies, PetSmart has put all their efforts into promoting and enabling pet adoptions. Every PetSmart store features an Everyday Adoption Center where they showcase animals available for adoption from local animal shelters, humane societies and rescue groups.
These glass enclosures house anywhere from 10-30 adoptable animals at a time, including dogs and puppies along with cats, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other homeless pets. PetSmart provides the space and supplies to the rescue partners free of charge so they can get more animals out of the shelters and in front of potential adopters.
"Our adoption program not only helps connect people with pets who need loving homes, but it also takes some of the burden off overwhelmed shelters," said Deborah Turcott, Acting President of PetSmart Charities. "Adopting a pet is a lifetime commitment, and our goal is to provide support and resources to make the experience as positive as possible for the pet and the family."
When a customer is interested in adopting one of the showcased pets, a PetSmart associate connects them directly with the shelter or rescue group to guide them through their application and screening process. PetSmart remains hands-off in the actual placement but provides everything else needed to make the adoption happen – a high-traffic venue, supplies and resources, and a direct line to a network of trusted welfare organizations.
It‘s proven to be a winning model. To date, PetSmart has facilitated over 9.5 million adoptions – that‘s more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. They‘re currently on track to reach their goal of 10 million adoptions by the end of 2021. On average, PetSmart helps find homes for over 1,600 pets every day.
Why Not Sell Dogs and Puppies?
PetSmart‘s decision not to sell dogs and puppies is grounded in their belief that homeless pets deserve a chance and that adoption is the most humane and responsible way to bring a new pet into a home. It‘s also a stance against the unethical practices of puppy and kitten mills that are common suppliers to other pet stores.
Puppy mills are essentially factory farming but for dogs. They‘re characterized by overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, inadequate veterinary care, lack of socialization, and overbreeding of female dogs. The puppies that come out of these mills often have health and behavioral issues. But they continue to supply pet stores because they can churn out large numbers of puppies to be sold for profit.
By refusing to sell dogs and puppies, PetSmart is taking a stand against puppy mills and the very concept of pets as a retail commodity.
"It is our firm belief that pets are not products to be sold, but rather, wonderful companions to be adopted and cared for," reads PetSmart‘s A Voice For Pets philosophy.
Instead, PetSmart works only with shelters and rescues that support spaying and neutering, provide full medical care and behavioral evaluations, and prioritize getting pets into the right homes. It‘s a much more welfare-centered model than treating puppies as just another inventory item.
How the Everyday Adoption Centers Work
The Everyday Adoption Centers are the centerpiece of PetSmart‘s adoption model. Launched in 2019, these are dedicated spaces within each store where a rotating selection of adoptable pets from local partner agencies are housed and cared for until they find their forever homes.
PetSmart collaborates with nearly 4,000 animal welfare organizations (and counting) across North America. These include municipal animal shelters, independent humane societies, breed-specific rescue groups, and more.
The adoption partners select appropriate dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, and other pets to send to PetSmart for the Everyday Adoption Center enclosures. The pets are typically housed there for about a week at a time to give them maximum exposure and socialization.
PetSmart provides all the habitats, bedding, food, and care for the duration of the animal‘s stay. They also promote them heavily online and in-store to drive foot traffic and encourage adoption. When a customer expresses interest in adopting a particular pet, a PetSmart associate contacts the partner organization to start the counseling and application process.
To ensure their adoption partners are well-equipped, PetSmart also provides grants for capital projects like new transport vehicles and facility improvements. To date, PetSmart Charities has donated over $500 million to animal welfare organizations across North America.
Benefits of Adopting Through PetSmart
If you‘re considering adding a dog or puppy to your family, there are many compelling reasons to adopt through PetSmart:
Save a Life
The number one reason to adopt is that you are quite literally saving a life. Every year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized in the US simply because there is not enough space or resources to care for them. By choosing adoption, you‘re ensuring one more dog or puppy gets a second chance in a loving home.
Get a Great Pet at a Lower Cost
Adopting from a shelter or rescue through PetSmart is significantly less expensive than buying from a breeder or pet store. Adoption fees typically range from $50 to $200, depending on the organization and the individual pet.
But that fee includes a lot – the dog or puppy will be fully vetted, spayed/neutered, microchipped, and often sent home with a starter supply of food, toys or other new pet essentials. It‘s a low-cost way to get a wonderful companion that is ready to join your family.
Support Vital Animal Welfare Work
Adoption fees go directly to the nonprofit shelters and rescues doing the lifesaving work of pulling pets from high-kill shelters, providing housing and medical care, and matching them with new families. By adopting through PetSmart, you are supporting these organizations with your dollars and enabling them to save even more pets in need.
Find Your Perfect Match
With millions of pets entering shelters and rescues each year, PetSmart can connect you to adoptable dogs and puppies of all types. Whether you‘re looking for a particular breed, size, age or set of characteristics, the nationwide PetSmart adoption database will help you search for your ideal pet.
Adopting also gives you a more complete picture of a pet‘s health, behaviors and needs vs. buying from a breeder or pet store. Since the animals are fully evaluated by the welfare groups before being placed for adoption, you‘ll have a better understanding of whether they‘re a good match for your home and lifestyle.
Be Prepared Before You Adopt
All those doggy eyes can be hard to resist as you stroll past the Everyday Adoption Center. But as tempting as it is, adopting a pet on a whim is never a good idea. To set you and your new dog or puppy up for success, PetSmart emphasizes going in prepared.
Before visiting your local store or attending an adoption event, do your research about what kind of pet will fit your family, home and lifestyle. Use their online search tools to look for dogs and puppies that match your desired criteria and needs. Make a list of must-haves and can‘t-haves so you stay focused on finding the right pet for you.
Spend some time learning about the adoption requirements and process of the various organizations PetSmart partners with. Most will require references, a home visit, and a contract stipulating you will provide appropriate care and not rehome the pet with another party. Have all your paperwork and answers prepared in advance.
When you find an adoptable dog or puppy you‘re interested in, ask detailed questions of the staff. Inquire about the pet‘s history, medical needs, behaviors, and what kind of home they would do best in. Spend time interacting with the dog outside the enclosure if possible. PetSmart also recommends bringing all family members to meet the pet before deciding.
If it‘s a match, know that the adoption process can take time – typically at least 24 hours for the welfare partner to review your application. To make the transition easier, PetSmart offers a free Puppy Starter Kit with a puppy gate, potty tray, training guide, and coupons for new dog owners. They also provide a wealth of new pet resources online and in-store.
"We are here as a partner in your adoption journey," says Turcott. "From the second you sign the adoption contract to the moment you welcome your new family member home and every day after. We will continue to provide products, services, and expert advice for every milestone."
Setting a Positive Example
PetSmart‘s commitment to not selling dogs and puppies and instead facilitating adoptions has made them a leader and role model in the pet retail industry. Sadly, many other chains and independent pet stores do still sell puppies supplied by large-scale commercial breeders.
The arguably most well-known is rival Petland, which has been repeatedly linked to puppy mill suppliers. Even as jurisdictions like California, Maryland, and over 380 US cities have banned the sale of bred pets in pet stores, Petland continues to fight the legislation.
In contrast, PetSmart proactively supported the passage of a humane pet store law in Illinois in 2021 that prohibits pet stores from selling commercially bred dogs and cats. They celebrated it as a win for pets and adopters alike.
"Laws like this accelerate the end of unethical breeding while helping shelter pets find the loving homes they deserve," said J.K. Symancyk, PetSmart CEO. "We proudly offer space in our Illinois stores for shelter and rescue partners to adopt out pets, and we continue not selling dogs or cats in any of our stores."
Other major pet specialty retailers have followed PetSmart‘s lead on animal adoption. Competitor Petco also hosts in-store adoption centers in partnership with local welfare organizations. Online pet product giant Chewy recently launched an adoption portal to help customers search for adoptable pets in their area.
But PetSmart remains the trailblazer. In addition to adoption, they are committed to addressing the root causes of pet homelessness through programs that make veterinary care more accessible and prevent pet relinquishment. Their goal is not just to find shelter pets homes but to stop them from ending up there in the first place.
The Bottom Line
So no, PetSmart does not sell dogs and puppies. And they are extremely proud of that fact. It‘s a policy and philosophy grounded in their commitment to putting animal welfare over profits and doing everything possible to end the homeless pet crisis.
By offering their stores as venues for local rescues and shelters to showcase adoptable pets, PetSmart is not only saving lives but providing their customers a more ethical way to find a new canine companion. It‘s a model that puts adopters in direct contact with dedicated welfare experts and surrounds them with all the resources they need for a successful match.
For anyone looking to welcome a dog or puppy into their family, PetSmart adoption is the smart choice. You will find extensive options, save money over pet store or breeder purchases, and make a life-changing difference for a pet in need. And by offering your patronage to a retailer that stands adamantly against puppy mills, you can feel good about supporting a business that is on the right side of animal welfare.
So skip the pet store puppies and head to PetSmart to adopt your new best friend. They‘re ready and waiting to complete your family – while PetSmart stands beside you with guidance, supplies, and a promise to help you be the hero they know you can be.
