This is not a place to build a career, and as I learned, this isn't even a place to have a side job at. - Retail Sales Associate Petco Employee Review

1.0
Mar 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you have pets, the discount is pretty handy, I got a 40% discount on the brands of food I like to feed, and on petco branded products. A 20% discount was on most other things, but it helped a lot. Playing with dogs is also a pro

Cons

I never liked the company, but I have a lot of animal related experience and knowledge, and I needed a job alongside my self employment, and this is what I managed to get. But the company just got worse and worse the longer I worked there. Constant corner cutting, hour cuts, tone deaf corporate, and highschool clique level management, made my experience working there absolutely miserable. We never had enough staff to do anything, and when things finally started looking up, they cut hours terribly. I was hired to work the truck, but with hour cuts, and being out-competed by male coworkers for moving heavy bags a little faster than I could, despite me making sure shelves were tidy and presented well, I was relegated to working register instead of the job I signed up to, which killed my morale even further, I didn't apply to be a cashier, I applied to work at the back of the store, and of course help where needed as backup. The pushing and deceptive practices for customers to sign up for their, frankly terrible, but free rewards program was insane, even worse for the paid rewards program. And the company couldn't give a darn about the actual well being of the animals in their care. The training I was given was full of false or outdated information regarding several animals in the store, the standards they do have are strictly for presentation, not for what the animal actually needs. The shift towards more and more human products at Petco bodes very poorly for the company. They have shown where their priorities are. And its not for pets. This is not a place to build a career, and as I learned, this isn't even a place to have a side job at.

Explore other reviews about Petco

5.0
Jun 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good environment, good management and able to learn and improve

Cons

none so far that ive been working here

2.0
Jul 2, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

friendly store managers usually good discounts nostalgic

Cons

Forced to stay short staffed. Couldn't take proper breaks most days as a closing lead unless it was during the first few hours of shift. At the time the regional manager seemed more worried about the aesthetics of the back animal rooms floor that only employees saw when we had ac issues, issues getting access to an exotic vet, and only had enough hours to have two employees working at a time most shift on most days. I only had a couple interactions but that was one of them. Could not call off sick without leaving the store scrambling to find someone to stay open. Also sold improper habitats.

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