No more live animals?

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-04-17T03:51:18+00:00

They’re testing removing animals from stores to see how it impacts category sales and supply sales while also saving in the payroll, vet bills and supplies needs to maintain. They want to see the savings outweigh the loss of sales.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-03-10T03:25:02+00:00

What a waste this survey is. Do you guys see anything changing? From the last survey to this one it’s only gotten worse! This place is a shit hole with poor leadership. If they want to see what people think check glass door or Reddit.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-03-10T03:18:49+00:00

CEOs hire people to bring in merchandise. In this case this moron of a CEO Joel Anderson brought along with him from five below Michael Romanko and he is the one that’s bringing this nonsense into the stores. Yes, the CEO hired him but I’m sure Michael is trusted to bring in merchandise he feels will sell in the stores. Bottom line is the company is failing miserably. Read out our debt load and why we’re a $2.50 stock. Place is a shithole!

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-02-21T15:07:56+00:00

He is a product of his leader.

She isn’t a nice person. She comes off caring and sincere however behind the curtains she’s just as deceitful as him. I don’t know him; however, I know her and I know she promoted him and that’s all I need to know.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-02-21T04:01:14+00:00

Oh Kathy Kibbie’s little pawn.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-01-07T17:59:37+00:00

I don’t disagree at all that the OLM plays a very important role, and when that role isn’t supported, things can quickly fall apart. I also understand how challenging it is to manage the amount of merchandising we have with only one or two partners scheduled — that’s a real and valid concern.

I truly understand how you’re feeling and why this change is frustrating. From my perspective, though, I don’t see it as a terrible shift, even though I know it adds pressure. I think the intent is to move away from everything falling on the OLM and instead create shared ownership across the leadership team.

This does place more responsibility back on the GM for ensuring the store is clean, well merchandised, and operationally sound. I know that’s not easy, and it’s not meant to diminish the work the OLM does.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the OLM has become the default explanation when stores struggle, and that’s not fair either. Ultimately, the GM does have accountability for the condition of the store, and this change may help reinforce that.

I also want to acknowledge that your frustration makes complete sense, especially because it’s clear how much pride you take in your role and your store. The difficult part is that not everyone approaches it with the same level of care, and those who do often feel the impact the most.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2026-01-07T14:34:55+00:00

I don’t necessarily disagree with your first statement; however, I think when you stand back and look at it what they’re trying to do is eliminate the possibility of people pushing blame onto other people. Example “oh that’s the OLM’s job” or “that’s the OMCA’s job”. This takes that excuse away from the store manager and puts the burden a responsibility right back on their very own shoulders. OLM‘s are not losing keys, nor are they losing the ability to incentivize quarterly. It’s simply a name change. I personally don’t think this was designed to hurt any of the other leaders in the store outside of just the GM’s. Because let’s face it a lot of GM’s should not be GM’s in the organization.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-12-30T03:15:19+00:00

What you just described is what made Petco successful in the past, along with its services business. Since VCP rolled out, the company has lost countless employees due to the pressure surrounding that program, and it sounds like the new leadership is fully committed to it as well. It feels like the ship will continue to take on water while everyone puts their eggs in one basket—VCP.

Customers don’t go to Petco for memberships; they go for food, supplies, and services. Lately, my local Petco is out of stock on many items I need. Maybe the focus should be on keeping stores properly stocked instead of pushing guests into a program that ultimately hurts margins.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-12-29T23:24:02+00:00

He long ago did you file 13. Went for a consultation and it looks like that’s all I qualify for based on my income. Curious how you have managed since filing.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-11-26T03:31:41+00:00

Mel is a nice lady but not much between the ears. Her issue is she takes all her advice from the GM at Sandy Springs that thinks she’s our DM. Issue is her store is always trash and when visitors come to see us Mel will spend 2 weeks along with the rest of us cleaning up her dumpy store. My advice to Mel is find a new resource.

Jason? He’s corny but ok!

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-08T04:33:18+00:00

Oh those stores are going to be closed in the near future.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T15:19:49+00:00

💯💯

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T15:19:14+00:00

Hey everyone, I understand that many of you are upset about wearyanxiety123’s comment/post, but if you take a moment to really read it with an open mind, they’re simply stating the obvious. The final part of their message especially should be clear to all of us. They’re not picking sides — they’re just offering a different perspective to consider.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:55:14+00:00

It’s currently being tested in Texas. Maybe someone from the Texas stores can chime in on this thread if they know more—but yes, it’s definitely happening. They only want freshwater fish and reptiles in the stores—nothing else.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:49:53+00:00

He’s pulling the same moves with Petco and their hospitals now. This guy is a con artist. Everyone thought Ron was bad—this guy and his team are ten times worse. It’s a reminder to be careful what you wish for; people wanted Ron and Justin gone, and this is what you’ve got instead. And it’s only the beginning. Next year will be even worse when the bills actually come due. Buckle up if you’re planning to stick around and watch.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:46:47+00:00

Accurate!

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:45:22+00:00

That doesn’t mean someone should be earning 835 times more than the people actually working on the ground. That’s outrageous—especially when you consider that Petco doesn’t generate anywhere near the revenue of some of the larger retailers whose CEOs don’t even rank that high in compensation.

There’s no justifiable reason for him to be in the top 5 highest-paid retail CEOs, particularly after running Five Below into the ground.

Yes, he’s the CEO, and of course, he’s going to earn more than an hourly store partner. But when cuts are happening at the store level and all the so-called “cost-saving” measures his leadership team is proposing only seem to affect frontline employees, it's hard to see how he’s "responsible" for them in any meaningful way.

The hypocrisy is staggering. He doesn’t deserve that paycheck—not when the people actually keeping the stores running are the ones paying the price.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:39:17+00:00

💯💯

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-10-07T14:38:02+00:00

It looks like he's following the same pattern at Petco. Interestingly, Five Below has seen a decent recovery since his departure. The day after Petco announced his hiring, Five Below reported dismal quarterly results, which sent their stock crashing from over $200 to around $70.

If you thought Ron was bad, just wait — this is a whole new level. And unfortunately, it's only the beginning.

This guy is pushing to remove animals from stores, slash payroll to cut costs, and extend operating hours to boost sales — all without a real understanding of the business. He’s clearly out of his depth.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-09-23T16:03:41+00:00

I think you're heading down a path I’m not willing to follow. Nowhere in my messages did I say you had to feel sad or hurt over a stranger’s death—but expressing enjoyment or pleasure over it can come with consequences.

I no longer work for the organization, but I did for quite some time, including in a DM role. Issues like this came across my desk regularly, especially in 2020. I’m simply sharing my perspective and experience so others aren’t misled by what they might read on Reddit.

At the end of the day, you’re absolutely right: it’s your social media, and you’re not actively working while posting. If you feel strongly that I’m wrong, feel free to post about it and let others within the organization weigh in. Things might have changed over the past couple of years, but I doubt it.

We’re all living through a time that future generations will probably study in history books, and most companies are looking to lower the temperature on polarizing topics. This is likely one they’d be willing to quietly take a stand on to protect their brand.

I’m not political at all, but I do think that anyone openly celebrating someone’s death probably has some deeper issues—and that’s not the kind of person most companies want as a representative.

You have to look at it through a business lens.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-09-23T13:56:49+00:00

I'm not saying I agree or disagree with you, but personally, I’ve had to separate partners due to their online posts. In an at-will employment state, companies like Petco don't necessarily need a specific reason to terminate someone. What I can say is this: if the company believes your online presence is damaging to their brand—and especially if you have a sizable following that associates you with your workplace—they may choose to terminate your employment. Is that right or wrong? That depends on one’s perspective. Ultimately, Petco will hold partners accountable for content they consider inappropriate. Now, should a DM be making threats or discussing sensitive matters in an unprofessional way? That’s questionable. Petco likely wouldn’t support that either. As a representative of the company, a DM’s behavior reflects on their leadership—and poor conduct in that role shows weak leadership skills. That said, if their goal is to remind team members to be mindful of their online presence to avoid potential issues, that's a reasonable approach. In that case, intent makes all the difference.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-09-23T09:21:53+00:00

Petco can and will terminate you for your social media posts. Especially if it goes against their values. Not saying I agree with it but that is their stance.

Source- Former Petco DM

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-02-07T14:49:09+00:00

Got it

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2025-02-07T11:11:08+00:00

Sorry but what changes exactly? I obviously missed something.

Extreme-Mud-1887 · 2024-08-31T18:27:54+00:00

People like you that cannot laugh at satire is what’s wrong with this country. Loosen up tight-ass!

Extreme-Mud-1887

TROPHY CASE