Q - Why doesn’t PetSmart donate broken food bags?

A - Products that might receive minor damage are marked down and sold at discount.

We recognize that this isn’t a popular policy. On the surface, one could easily conclude that it’s simply a matter of picking up the damaged bag and giving it away. But in truth, it’s a much more complicated and challenging problem given the volume of products we deal with in our stores.

Damaged food bags can expose the food to contamination. Damaged foods also create storage and distribution challenges for our stores. For example, our stores have extremely limited storage space and it becomes a problem to store damaged goods.

We admire the passion you show for pets. We share that passion. That’s why as a company we continue to promote animal welfare by donating valuable retail space in every one of our stores to facilitate pet adoptions. We voluntarily feed and house thousands of homeless pets daily as they await adoption. And we’re proud that more than 1,000 well-fed and -cared for pets find new homes each day because of our in-store Adoption Centers and the dedicated efforts of our 3,400 Adoption Partners.

Q - How do I become an Adoption Partner?

A - Contact the store you are interested in partnering with and ask to speak to the Store Manager who will discuss availability in his or her store or provide you with information about alternative PetSmart locations that may be looking for an agency. If all store locations in your area are at capacity, you may still want to complete an Adoption Program Interest Form so it is on file should an opening become available.

Q - Does my organization need to be 501c3 to be part of the in-store program?

A – Yes. In order to participate in our in-store program your organization will need to be non-profit 501c3 or State Tax Exempt.

Q - Does your adoption program include partnerships with bird, equine or reptile agencies?

A – No. We do not currently include bird, reptile or equine organizations as a part of the program. In the future we hope to determine how we can extend the program to these types of rescues.

Q - Who is responsible for the care of the cats in the 7-Day Cat Program?

A - PetSmart associates will either assist Adoption Partners in caring for cats or will provide the primary care for the cats in the Adoption Center (as agreed upon with Store Manager and Agency Director). However, the Adoption Partner should provide staff when available to assist with the cats’ care.

Q - Who do I speak with to have my agency considered for the 7-Day Cat program at a new store?

A - Speak to the District Services Manager until a Store Manager has been identified for the new location. To get contact information for the District Services Manager, contact a local Store Manager in your area. The interview process for a new store normally begins 6-8 weeks prior to opening the store. The Store Manager will ultimately make the decision on who the store will partner with after completing the interview process.

Q - Does my organization have to provide the food and supplies for our cats that are in the 7-Day Cat program?

A - No, PetSmart donates the pet food and supplies for this program.

Q - When can I expect to receive my Rewards check for each on-site adoption my Agency performs?

A - Rewards checks are sent out on a quarterly basis. Our quarters end the last day of April, July, October and January. You should receive your Rewards check within 4-6 weeks after each quarter closes.

Q - Do I need to reapply for partnership if I want to participate in another PetSmart Store?

A - Once your agency has been approved you’re eligible to participate in any PetSmart store within your state. However, you will need to first contact the Store Manager at any additional locations to determine if they have space and scheduling availability to add another partner. When adding a location we ask that Store Manager to perform a site visit so he or she can become familiar with your shelter or foster network.

Q - Does PetSmart only partner with Limited Admission (“No Kill”) shelters?

A - We support both full-service facilities that perform euthanasia as well as limited admission ones that don’t. The limited admission facilities ensure that every pet they take in will not be euthanized. However, because of this policy, they fill up quickly and must then decline pets. Consequently, the majority of the homeless pets end up at full-service facilities. Both full-service and limited admission facilities care about homeless pets and truly want to end euthanasia.