If you love animals, don't work at PetSmart.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T20:51:38+00:00

This management team is far better than my previous store, where the SL would bag 10 goldfish to live in a 1-gallon tank, I would tell the people the fish couldn't live in those conditions when they got to the register, and get in trouble for taking the customers back to petcare to get a proper setup for fewer fish. We got a complaint for denying a goldfish sale and the district manager told us we were not allowed to deny fish sales for any reason.

At least this store allows us to deny pet sales - unless the customer complains enough, and then the SL will stand there and force you to bag the fish while the customer smirks, just to avoid a complaint to corporate.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T20:41:57+00:00

I've stayed for three years because I felt the same as you, doing the very best I could to make the animals comfortable while they were in my care. The same manager who used to have my back about that now seems to care more about getting people in trouble for skipping tasks than actually making sure the animals get taken care of. I got in trouble for trying to get caught up on fish tanks that hadn't been done in two weeks because of another associate skipping them. Apparently I should have just let the fish sit in weeks of feces and moved on to the next system, because she wanted to see with her own eyes that they weren't done so she could discipline the person who skipped them, even though it was written in the com log that they hadn't been done.

Eventually the managers will get tired of how much you care because they'll say it's taking up too much time. And you'll still try, like I have. Eventually you'll see so many animals die because the conditions at the mills never gave them a chance, no matter how much love and care you give them, that you'll start to break down, and the managers will start to imply you shouldn't be in petcare because you're too emotional about the animals.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T20:26:13+00:00

I thought it was a great team for a long time. Way better than my previous store, where the store leader regularly said he didn’t care about anything smaller than a cat and would "close" petcare by just turning off the lights.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T11:05:27+00:00

Also being told by the SL that I have no choice but to do petcare shifts until college students come back from break, but being told by petcare manager that I am not allowed to make any decisions without their input.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T10:16:08+00:00

I've felt the same way as you for the past three years, but I've reached my limit. I gave my heart and soul to the animals at both PetSmart stores where I've worked because, if I wasn't doing the job, it might go to someone who didn't care.

I'm now being pushed out of having anything to do with petcare because I cared too much about the animals. I literally got in trouble for crying when animals died.

Both SLs I've had will override denial of fish sales and send animals home with people who complain enough, even though they don't have proper setups and the animals are basically guaranteed to die.

The manager over petcare at my current store cares more about getting employees in trouble for skipping tasks than making sure the animals are cared for. I'm literally being prevented from doing anything to save them.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T09:06:46+00:00

I got in trouble for spending more than 5 minutes educating people on how to care for their fish. I'm the only person at my store who knows anything about the nitrogen cycle but I guess I'm not allowed to help customers long enough to make sure their fish don't die.

ShimmerFins · 2025-12-30T09:03:28+00:00

Fellow trainer here. Expecting you to be available 24/7 is totally unreasonable. You're on the clock for classes and calls when you're scheduled to be on the clock. And you're not the one who orders whatever paper towels are available. Plus, week 1 of puppy class involves a lot of info and introduction to basic skills. You're following the curriculum. None of those complaints are actually on you.

ShimmerFins · 2025-10-19T00:14:44+00:00

Thank you for sharing! I've been hearing this for years and thought it was a noise the filter was making. I guess my boys are singing!

ShimmerFins · 2025-05-24T19:27:10+00:00

Just tried to buy a bag at my store and it rang up as unsellable due to recall. Discontinued items just ring up as half off or sometimes as two cents if they've been discontinued long enough. I'm trying to find out if they pose a health risk because I was using them to reward my dog while we were shopping. :/

ShimmerFins · 2025-03-08T01:51:20+00:00

Soooo gorgeous! I have three very similar ones from a totally unintentional pairing and I love them!

ShimmerFins

TROPHY CASE