We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Petco, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the popular chain of pet stores that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: Not All Petco Stores Are the Same
In fact, in 2009 the company launched Unleashed by Petco. Unleashed by Petco was designed to be smaller and provide customers with a more personal pet choosing experience.
Number Seven: Its Philosophy Is ‘Think Adoption First’
Some pet-centric companies have come under fire for their use of puppy mills. However, at Petco the philosophy is “Think Adoption First,” and the company encourages its customers to consider adopting before anything else.
Number Six: But it Sold Rabbits Until 2008
Though the company’s philosophy focuses on adoption, it continued to sell rabbits until 2008. It has never sold dogs or cats.
Number Five: For Some Time, it Was Considering Merging With PetSmart
Many people confuse the company with PetSmart, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to learn that they were considering a merger. However, it didn’t pan out.
Number Four: PETA Put a Stop to Their Selling Large Exotic Birds
The company came under fire from PETA when it was discovered that they sold large exotic birds that weren’t up for adoption. As a result, they stopped selling large exotic birds in 2005.
Number Three: It Owns the Naming Rights to a Park
Specifically, the company owns the naming rights to San Diego’s Petco Park. The park is a baseball stadium and is also the home of the San Diego Padres.
Number Two: It Owns a Charitable Foundation
The Petco Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created in 1999 to help improve the welfare of all pets. Since it was started in 1999, the foundation has raised more than $125 million.
Number One: It Sells More Than 10,000 Unique Products
Seriously! We knew the company was big, but the fact that it sells more than 10,000 different pet products is just insane. We hope you enjoyed our list of 15 things you didn’t know about Petco!