On August 08, 2025, at 7:40 PM, my sister & I visited the Petco store #01205 located at 3548 S…read more Findley Ave. This is usually my favorite Petco location when I'm in town because it tends to be the cleanest, best-stocked, and has the friendliest associates in the area. Unfortunately, that was not the case on this particular day.
The store was crowded with new Halloween items, a couple of costumes, toys, & Various items strewn across bins and tables, & appeared so overstocked you almost did not feel comfortable shopping it for fear you would cause a domino effect if you knocked anything over. Creating an environment that did not give a good impression to customers or visitors with pets. Upon entering, we noticed a woman at the register who seemed unhappy to be there and was on her phone.
I miss the days when employees would leave their phones in their lockers or bags at work. It would be nice to bring back customer service and to have staff engaged in their jobs while being paid by the company again.
During our visit, my sister wanted a few items price-checked due to multiple sales going on, so we could ensure we had the correct products. She was also looking for bulk biscuits to make thank-you treats for our friends' dogs to go in their baskets of goodies we got them. However, we were disappointed to discover that many of the cute, new cookies were filled with artificial chemical dyes. As a certified pet nutritionist, I wouldn't purchase those for my pets or for others' pets.
Fortunately, we found some cute and tasty dye-free treats in the bulk section. As I helped my sister hold the bag open while scooping, I noticed that the biscuit dust in the scoop seemed to be moving. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was crawling with ants that had emerged from the disturbed pile of dog cookie crumbs.
I informed the woman at the register, whose name I didn't catch as it wasn't displayed. She responded, "Eeww, that's gross," and then specifically asked if it was the bacon ducks, suggesting that we weren't the first to report this issue. Meanwhile, a man named Josh, whom I assume was her manager, was on his phone and appeared indifferent to the situation. Neither employee seemed embarrassed that a customer had just encountered such an issue. No one came over to address the problem, offer me a fresh batch of cookies, clean up the ants, or even show any concern.
It's disheartening to see great companies that want to bring customers back struggling with employees who lack basic customer service, people skills, and social skills. These are the qualities I look for in employees because they reflect what I want others to expect from me in any job I hold.
Despite this unfortunate experience with two associates, I still don't want to stop shopping at Petco. I love the unique pet apparel, products, and brands they carry. However, this particular trip was disappointing. I hope they improve in the future. I did manage to buy some outdoor toys like a dog tent and a splash pad, as well as some great toys that our dogs really love. So, while the products in the store were good, the experience was marred by the incidents involving the two associates, Josh and the woman working that evening.
