I've been a loyal Petsmart customer for years. I remember when they were Petzezz, for crying out…read moreloud (well, the location on Wilson Road, anyway; this store is new by comparison).
We shopped at the store on Wilson Road, and then on Trabue, for years before this particular location opened. Since Grove City is closer and a bit easier to get to than Hilliard, we switched stores, and just like the other store, the staff has come to know my mom and I by name. I really like that about Petsmart. You're not just another nameless face to their staff. It doesn't matter if you're a novice or an experienced pet parent, either, which is really nice.
I have taken my husky a few times to work on his behavioral issues and work on his manners. By allowing pets into the store, Petsmart has made itself a fantastic learning environment for dogs like mine, who need to work on their obedience and learn that it's not okay to be a jerk when other dogs pass him. Since I'm training my husky to be a service dog, this is crucial. He's not a perfect angel, but the staff love him and he's learning to be more responsive to me and ignore other dogs. They also have training classes available, which I might take part in before we make the cross-country move to Montana. From puppy preschool to basic obedience, the classes cover a lot, including socialization. I do not recommend bringing dogs that are super-aggressive, though. That wouldn't end very well for any dog or person you encounter.
Their selection of food and various supplies is pretty good, though they don't carry a number of high-quality premium foods that I have found elsewhere. I keep track of pet food recalls like it's my second job. I know they don't carry most of the grocery store brands (like Dad's and Ol' Roy), which makes me really happy, but they have stuff like Kibbles 'n' Bits and Meow Mix, which are mostly animal by-product and "cereal," neither of which is good for your dogs and/or cats. My husky is on Wellness CORE (low-fat) dry food, and while I do not like feeding my cats dry food, they get Innova and Wellness in addition to their wet food (they get Fancy Feast). Thankfully, Petsmart does carry Wellness and Innova. All the same, I would rather not see grocery store specials on their shelves. Their prices are more reasonable than Petco, and certainly more reasonable than the snobby specialty shops, but I don't think they'd lose business if they pledged to carry only premium pet food as Petco has done.
As far as pet treats go, I would rather shop online. Too many of their treats contain ingredients that have no business going into any pet's stomach. My mom did find some organic, 100% chicken jerky that is made here in the States when the Canyon Creek Ranch treats were recalled, but I think that was sheer luck.
Like many Petsmarts, this one has a grooming salon for pets, a Banfield Veterinary Hospital, and an adoption center. It doesn't have a pet hotel like one of the other stores in the Columbus area (I think it's the Polaris location that does?) but I don't think the hotel is wholly necessary. They do sell some pet birds and rodents, as well as fish and reptiles, and all of their birds and small animals are vet-checked to ensure that they're healthy. They do NOT sell rabbits, ferrets, puppies, or kittens. I'm not quite sure why anyone would want to support puppy/kitten mills anyway, because those animals are badly-bred and horribly unhealthy. Instead, they host many adoption events to try to find homes for many unwanted pets. I have seen Colony Cats and Cat Welfare, as well as Tri-State Collie Rescue, among the dozens of general and breed-specific dog and cat rescues at their events. Since kill shelters also hold adoption events at local Petsmarts, many, many lives have been saved. When you check out at the register, you can also donate to Petsmart Charities, which benefits homeless pets.
Friendly staff, decent selection of food and supplies, helping homeless pets, and an overall enjoyable atmosphere warrant the five-star rating, negative aspects aside.
