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Petco
Rating Details »
Categories: Pet Stores, Pet Boarding/Pet Sitting [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Flatiron, Union Square860 Broadway
(between 17th St & 18th St)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 358-0692
- Nearest Transit:
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Union Square (4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W)
14th St-6th Aves (F, V, L, 1, 2, 3)
34 reviews for Petco
If I happen to be in the area, like walking through the farmers market on the weekends. I'd pop in and browse and pick up some necessities for my doggies.
This store is huge, bi-level. It smells, but expected when they have live animals there. They are decently stocked and I do find things there that I can't locate at my smaller, local petshop. But customer service is next to non-existent as I always spend an average of 10 minutes walking up and down the store to find assistance.
But the location can't be beat. Nice to know you can pick up something for your pets in a big box store right in the middle of the city.
The only reason I go to this store is because it sometimes has the things that the little, local stores don't. I absolutely hate the crowds here and the line goes on forever.
And where is the floor staff?! There's never anybody to help me find things or answer my questions.
Again, I only go here because they seem to have more things than other smaller stores. Although a crowd nightmare, it's nice that it's centrally located at Union Square.
the other day, my co-worker and i were talking about this segment on 20/20 ... apparently, there was a story about four women and their devotion to their 100+ cats. it was all very tortured and unsanitary with the health department throwing out furniture for contamination, shots of the women cooking huge vats of cat food stew, clips of 'em sleeping on lounge chairs since they're easier to clean, etc. their whole schtick was - where does one draw the line between rescuing and hoarding cats when everything is blurred by fur?
and, that, by far, is my greatest fear. *shudder*
because i have absolutely no desire to become a crazy cat lady, i typically stay the hell away from places called cats-4-u, kitty boutique and/or kat heaven. but, when your new job asks you to do some research on pet food, you don't say "no, that's scarrrry" ... you run, jump, hell, SKIP your happy ass to the nearest petco.
if i had a pet, i'd imagine that this would be one of happiest places in NYC. people are all smiley, there are HUGE barrels of bulk dog treats (whaa? that exists?!), holiday gifts as well 65434432 types of shishi pet food. call it a pet utopia if you must.
the employees were pleasant, chatting me up as i perused through the dog food and asking about my little poochie at home. and, when i didn't have the strength to pretend that i had a pet - explaining that everything was for work was too stressful - they knew better than to ask questions as i left with 6 huge bags of canine deliciousness in tow. nice.
one note - beware of the adopt-a-kitty section ... not sure about you, but aimee o still prefers men to cats. thanks.
I primarily visit this Petco to pick up Greenies for my cat, an item that is not easy to come by in my parts of New Jersey so I've never done a huge, in depth exploration of the place. I have walked through the entire store to check out the assortment of critters and see different types of cat food, but it looks to me like any other large scale store - a gigantic warehouse of "stuff".
I do have to give this place kudos for their adoption program. I swear every time I see the wall of cats, I feel horrible that I can't take them all home. I call it the "Wall of Guilt" which I try to assuage by donating to the wall's food fund now and then.
I've always found the staff here friendly and willing to help out. They also manage to get a register line processed really quickly which they deserve kudos for.
I have been a patron to this Petco location for years and years. It looks like a typical petco store but with another floor where they have their livestock of fish, herps, aviary, and small animals in the lower level. This store also has a larger than usual cat adoption program as well. On Saturdays, there is a free Dog training clinic going on which makes coming here pretty fun.
As an avid aquarium hobbyist, they have a decent selection of fish and supplies. Since they are located in the busy Union Square location, they do tend to run out of supplies and their prices seem to be somewhat on the pricier side (the cost of running a business in Manhattan). From time to time they will have a good sale on their fish stock (freshwater and marine), so make sure you have your petco card available.
Like one of the yelpers who reviewed this place, it is a good idea to purchase your aquarium fish on a Monday or Tuesday, as they do receive their stock from the suppliers on Wednesdays. Thus, buying these fish too early, the subsequent handling, traveling, and changes in water chemistry when introducing them into your tank will make your newly purchased fish susceptible to illness or infection from all of that stress. Better to wait it out and select the fish that have acclimated to their new surroundings and in healthier condition.
Also, slowly introduce your tank water into the fish bag to acclimate them and to lessen the shock when they are released. Try not to get any of this petco's water into your tank as it is infected with that dark green beard algae (I should take away one of their stars) which has at times been difficult to control in my 30 gallon freshwater community tank. Their water chemistry always has a high pH (alkaline) so if your water is acidic, do a good water change before purchasing your fish from this place.
I have a fondness for the big box Pet Stores as I had once worked at a Pet Stuff store on Niagara Falls Blvd in Amherst (Buffalo), NY. It later became a Pet Smart store.
This Petco store has a bit of a funky layout, and their selection is fairly limited when compared to one of their normal box-store locations. However, this IS Manhattan, they have great prices and the people that work at this location have always been helpful. 3 stars for getting the job done.
Seriously though... the layout? What the hell?!
The Petco has a very limited selection. I can never find what I need when I visit the store. They don't sell many dog toys (no puzzle toys at all) or higher-end dog food (Natural Balance is great but it's not that expensive, I don't see why they don't carry it). It's always extremely busy and it's hard to find someone to help you find something. The check-out line is always very long, but it does move pretty quickly. I end up going here because it's convenient, but Petopia on 3rd and 29th is much better for dog and cat supplies.
I've never brought my dog to the vaccination clinic, but my roommate strongly recommends it, so I'm sure that service is excellent.
I was on a calling binge, desperately trying to find food for my axolotl. Figured that since Petco is huge and a national chain, perhaps they'd carry a wider breadth of products. Not so much.
Called her once--explained what I was looking for, and was transferred to the aquatics dept. Listened to tinny jazzy hold music for five minutes, and then hung up and called back.
Explained to the same person as before that I was on hold for five minutes with aquatics, and no one picked up. She transferred me again. I was on hold for five minutes again.
Called back yet a third time. Finally managed to reach someone after another few minutes of holding. And...they had no clue what an axolotl was. Fail.
Tip: The actual store itself isn't much better--it always has this weird anti-septic-covering-up-urine smell that I find kind of off-putting...
This store is okay for what it is, but I probably wouldn't go here if I could find a decent pet store on the UES. The prices don't seem any better to smaller neighborhood stores I've been to in Manhattan and the selection is strangely more limited than smaller stores for many items, particularly grooming items and toys.
They carry about 80% of the stuff I've wanted for my cat, which is a little annoying --you'd think they'd have everything with all the space they have-- but the selection should be okay for most people.
But here's the really bad thing about the store: it stinks and it can be hard to breathe in there. As soon as you enter, you're hit with heavy air mixed with animal smells, dust, and animal food. They really need to get better ventilation and cleaning practices or something. The last time I was in here, my eyes started watering, my airways closed up, and thought I was going to have to rush out before I could I could buy the cat nail clippers I was looking for.
Petco in Union Square has a good variety of pet supplies and their prices are way better than any of the smaller pet stores in the area. I actually just love coming in here and checking out the live animals downstairs - all the fish, hamsters, gerbils, etc. And they have cats up for adoption as well. There is a dog grooming parlor which I can't speak for since I don't have a dog.
If you're looking for some of the more high-end pet food brands you won't find them here, but there is still a good selection of the slightly higher quality brands like Nutro, which is what I feed my cat. And the aquarium staff downstairs is friendly.
It is truly a stretch to give this three stars ...
The last time my small dog and I visited there was a roof leak that was not being tended to, imagine plaster, shelving and a hodge-podge of items sopping wet and sitting in disarray. Ignoring that since I had schlepped her tiny ass all the way from the BK for a nail trimming we got down to business. I award all three stars for the grooming department. The lil bitch won't let anyone touch her nails. She just straight up won't have it. Except for the woman with multi-colored hair, she is fabulous and has some sort of hypnotic calming presence.
I find the rest of their staff to be pretty clueless, product knowledge is zip, zero, none! I don't exactly expect the wisdom of Cesar Milan when I walk in the door but if you could at least tell me what aisle my dog food is in that would be GREAT.
I have mixed feelings about this location as well, and I have only been there once. Something tells me subsequent visits will not always go as well as yesterday's Of course, I went in with my mother, and since she is my good luck charm, she's most likely the reason we got such good service from two very kind gentlemen, Rob and Rob. Yes, the Robs.
Upon walking into the store, the smell was pretty horrible, like "used" cat litter and dog treats. Strike one. Something tells me they are not big on cleaning. We were shopping for a new kitty condo for my babies, and the ones they had on the floor were not bad, but most were stained or otherwise dirty. While the Robs said that the one we wanted on the floor was the last available, my mom immediately spied another one like it just across the way, in a better color and not stained. They don't know their own inventory, or they simply do not care. Either way, strike two. However, I will take away that strike because the Robs were so helpful. They went out of their way to carry the big-ass kitty condo outside and get it into a cab for us. They certainly did not have to do that, so an extra star for Petco for having such rare gems in the house.
The food and other kitty supplies they had were nothing special, but exactly what I needed. I got canned and dry food, a litter carpet thingy so the babies don't track litter every where, a new scooper, bath stuff, a kitty-crack plant and treats.
The lines at the register were entirely too long, and the place was unbearably crowded. I got run over by a stroller, several other people and their dogs. I couldn't even get close enough to see all the kitties up for adoption, although I did get to meet Danny, an adorable grey and white kitten. However, he seemed absolutely miserable. Mom pulled me away before I could coo at him any more. In any case, all the checkout folk seemed miserable as well. Petco has what I need, but it is a sad, sad place.
I'm rating and commenting on one aspect of Petco only - their BETTA fish selection! I've been raising bettas for years and typically end up buying from a pet shop (hit or miss) or my local aquarium (Fish Town USA, which usually has a good pick). I've been to Petco before and there's usually been a decent selection. But a recent visit to Petco bested them all. I was amazed to see a chain pet store carry so many:
1) female bettas
2) crown tails
3) half moons
4) deltas
It was a really prime selection too -- the bettas were mostly young, in excellent shape, vibrant hues, and a variety of colors/patterns. The prices were good/average with typical betta pricing. Awesome! Do the wee fishies a favor if you buy though -- bettas thrive best in larger pools (i.e., a one gallon tank), even though they can survive in those itty bitty bowls.
I just got back from taking my dog to the low-cost vaccination clinic at Petco, run by Luv My Pet. The clinic is there on Saturdays from 10-12 and 2-4, and no appointment is needed. This is a great low-cost option for routine shots. There was quite a line when we got there but it went very quickly. The attendants were very helpful and clearly dog-loving. The vet was friendly and very fast, and there wasn't even an exam fee. I'd definitely recommend taking your pet here for shots.
As a supply store, this place is fine.
As caretakers of living creatures, they need a lot of work. It used to be better than this, but I went in a couple of days ago to look at small animals for adoption, and they had 3 rats in their adoption center in deplorable conditions. Each was in a separate tank. Each had feces caked all over their food bowl and shelter -- it looked like they had never been washed. Each animal's water bottle had algae or mold growing inside, so the poor critters had no access to clean water. (See photo.) This is inexcusable for any animal, but can be a cause of longterm health problems for rats, which have very sensitive little digestive systems. Mold is a neurotoxin for them.
It took 1/2 hour to get attention from a staff member. I asked her if I could handle the rats in the adoption center and if she would change their water bottles. She was really rough, slamming the sliding cages out, flipping the lids on top of the tank harshly and making a lot of loud, sharp motions which clearly unnerved and upset the rats. She told me, "I hate rats! I don't like them and they don't like me!"
and... it just depresses me profoundly that PetCo seems to have a fairly significant staff population of people who hate animals. It's not like working retail, where the items being sold have no feelings. These are living creatures, and they deserve respect and care.
The employee changed 2 of 3 moldy waterbottles. So at least 2 of those rats had a better night.
- good/great selection depending on the pet you're shopping for
- not particularly helpful or knowledgeable staff
- Kittykind is non-kill and fabulous (ADOPT or DONATE the next time you're there!!!)
- great return policy, you can pretty much return or exchange anything within 15-30 days of purchase (even if its your pet fish that died 2 days after you brought it home!)
I have mixed feelings about this Petco location. On the plus side, they host adoptions for kittens and cats on weekends. They also have little signs around the small animals that they do sell, saying that you should consider adoption first. (You should!! Try http://petfinder.com to find adoptable animals near you).
On the negative side, their fish tanks aren't always clean. When I tried to buy an African dwarf frog, there were dead frogs floating in the tank. I was wary of buying from a dirty tank, so I came back a week later. Still dead frogs in the tank (hopefully different frogs?) I gave up and ended up buying a Beta fish, which was housed in its own container and looked clean.
So try Petco for pet supplies, but maybe be cautious buying their fish? If the tank has dead fish, let someone know and keep walking. That said, my Beta fish is still perfectly healthy two months later. I guess it's hit or miss.
The grooming is overpriced, as are most of their products. I took my 4 pound teacup poodle to be groomed, and they charged me $90, took 8 hours, and cut my dog in several places with the clippers. I could have done it that badly myself, for the $25 clippers would cost me!
Spare your pet and your wallet, and explore the other options out there.
The WalMart of pet stores: one-stop shopping for all your furry, scaly, feathery and slimy friends. Just like a WalMart, the shopping experience might be impersonal but the prices for supplies (and pets) are cheap.
My beautiful late hamster Sven was from this PetCo, she was the sweetest little darling a small pet owner could ask for, and she came home with me happy, well-treated and healthy.
The fish selection is really large in both freshwater and saltwater, but unfortunately hit-and-miss as far as quality and health of the fish. The tanks are generally healthy and clean, but I've been there on bad days when they all seem to have diseases and floaters. Just be really careful and check the tank thoroughly before you buy.
There are some employees in the fish department who really know their stuff, and others who wouldn't know the difference between a tetra and a clownfish, so you have to go a few times and get to know the employees a little bit so you know who to ask for help.
And speaking of help, on busy weekends, you can wait a long time to be able to talk to anyone or be served. It's not so much a deliberate neglectfulness really, just that they get really busy on weekends, and are usually woefully understaffed.
There are two "display tanks" -- one tropical freshwater and one saltwater -- that are so gorgeous and well-maintained that I sometimes come to this store even when I don't need to buy anything, just to admire the tanks.
They have a 15-day "guarantee" on all their pets, so if your new little friend doesn't -- ahem -- make it, and you bring back the remains within 15 days, they'll replace it free of charge. This sounds like a good deal until you realize that it's a real PITA to keep a fish corpse in your freezer until you have time to cart it back to PetCo for a replacement. (Luckily I have an understanding roommate.)
All-in-all, the WalMart vibe might make me feel a little dirty when shopping here, but even so, I always make a point to stop in and look around whenever I'm in Union Square.
Today, Lily and Frankie had their first official date.
They went to Petco's annual Valentines Extravaganza.
(Did I mention Lily is a shih tsu and Frankie is a yorkie? My little babies!)
What a lovely idea! The doggies got to have their photos taken, and we got to design cookies for them (mine got peanut butter and carob chip). As an added bonus, Lily got her nails painted for free in the grooming salon (cherry red!) and Frankie got a goodie bag of bones.
Thank you, Petco, for a perfect afternoon of fun!
This review focuses entirely on the fish section.
Petco has a huge selection of livestock, which occasionally includes some rarities like amano and bamboo shrimp. Unfortunately, the livestock is usually in poor health. The store also has a large stock of supplies, which is my main attraction to the store. Prices aren't the best, but you can get some really good deals during their sales, which do happen often.
They also have a good selection of easy plants for $1.99 each - a nice deal if you want to setup a simple low-light, low-tech planted tank.
The staff isn't the brightest. A guy by the name of Wayne seems to be the cream of the crop there.
It's also worth mentioning that the store is spacious, so you won't be stuck in tiny aisles like some LFS.
Is it just me or do the animals in this place always look half dead? It's actually a tactic in some pet stores to sell the animals. Customer thinks, "Oh, I could take better care of that poor mouse at home" and they get their money which is all that Petco cares about.
The customer service at this particular location is horrible. I had to just pick up a dog bag (to get my kittens home, the cardboard box I adopted them in freaked them out) from the shelves even though they had cheaper ones attached to the wall (which doesn't really make any sense). I was in a hurry and the sales associates were nowhere to be found. I saved about $5 when the girl who rang me up insisted I sign up for a Petco card, so there's an extra star there.
Contrary to what seems like popular belief, you can't actually purchase livestock (the horses, cattle, sheep, and other useful animals kept or raised on a farm or ranch) at this Petco (or any as far as I know)... You can get rodents, fish, birds, maybe cats or dogs if they're running an adoption event, but no barnyard animals.
Cheaper than your independent pet store...
didnt think the customer service was too bad, i even had to make a return and we all know retail employees hate that process. Its always crowded but its Union Square...its to be expected.
They usually have the adoption center set up so if you'd like a furry friend and youre in the area check this place out....or go to the shelter where they need homes badly as well
Let me just say, I love my dog, as nutty as he is - he is a chocolate lab after all. If I'm in his spot on the couch, I'll move over so he can hop up and enjoy his right to feel cozy and comfortable. And when he started knocking is food out of the bowl insisting he eat from the kitchen floor (he had a bad ants-in-his-bowl incident) I didn't get mad - I accomodated him.
But wait on a line for 20 minutes to buy a new collar? Couldn't do it.
So yeah the line was very long. The place was a bit messy. Granted it is in Union Square, but geez.
The couple of times I went to Pet Menu - an independent but big store in Queens I had a much much better experience.
Is it just NYC? Is it just me?
Why do so many people that HATE people and service get customer service jobs??
GRRRR!
Petco is cool for having lots of stuff for my cat. Its not always the cheapest but its location and selection make it convient - sometimes. So I go. The people that work there seem to hate it there as much as I do.
It's my one-stop shop for pet needs. My one roommate has two cats, my other roommate has a rat, and I have fishes. Additionally, the family dog resides in NJ with my parents, so it is necessary to sometimes pick up a toy or a treat for her.Naturally, we have many differing pet needs, but all can be accomplished here!
My main complaint about this place is how crowded it gets. It sometimes makes it difficult to shop. Also, it sometimes feels like there are not enough employees (especially in the fish department) to help everyone. I've sometimes walked out empty handed because I waited for so long to speak to an associate and couldn't wait any longer.
Otherwise, I have had pretty good luck finding what I've needed to get for my various fishes (et al).
Stores like Petco are a big part of the reason people leave the fishkeeping hobby -- the "I had fish once, but they died" stories we've all heard (full disclosure: Petland Discounts seems to be even worse). Most of the staff here are neither well-trained nor experienced aquarists, so don't expect them to be able to advise you on compatibility, care, or feeding -- or if they do, don't expect them to be right. Plus, the fish and invertbrates sold here are usually in poor health -- no surprise given that the tanks are inevitably overcrowded, often with fish that don't belong in the same tank.
Oh, and many of the "aquatic" plants they sell are not true aquatics (Spathiphyllum, mondo grass, Brazilian sword, etc) and will rot in your tank.
You just can't sell fish the way the Gap sells t-shirts. That might be fine for Purina dog chow, but living things deserve a lot better treatment.
And the whole store quite literally stinks. Ugh.
My main knowledge of this particular branch harbors around their fish collection, and I can say that it's a formidable collection. A large variety of goldfish breeds, inverts, and the addition of many uncommon species that one can even have trouble finding online. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the information they have with these fish are very good; the more uncommon species don't even carry any description whatsoever. The people there vary from person to person, but most know enough to tell you the basics and aren't rude about it.
Other notables include a fair number of chemicals as well as varieties of fish food from the repugnant (Spongebob fish food?!) to the reliable(Hikari/Wardley), as well as plants of terrarium and aquarium nature (beware: if it looks like it should be in a pot, chances are that it's terrarium-based).
If there's any particular issue I have with this place, it's the quality of the fish. Speaking with some of the employees, it seems that a sizable portion of the problem harbors from their supplier, who believes in overstocking their fish per bag. This is why I recommend coming around on Tuesdays right before they replenish their stock. Otherwise, you can make like the Wednesday crowd and play "first dibs" with the saltwater selection.
Also, although it's a common problem with most pet stores, try to avoid getting their water into your tank: their sumps are apparently infected with brush algae.
This Petco definitely has the best selection of all other petcos in terms of fish supplies but the staff is just wack. The rasta who works downstairs always mumbles under his breath at me and is so hostile I always vow to never return. I can't wait for the day I can put that knotty headed punk on blast. Lucky for them they are the most convenient store in the vicinity.
Smells like hamster the instant you step in. This Petco on the corner of the happening Union Square Park is the classiest looking Petco I have ever visited. It's huge and has it all and more. There is even a Treat Bar, which is hysterical. (See my picture). To my surprise, there were 21 cages, serving as homes to cats that need to be adopted. Some cats were even 2 to a cage.
I adopted my kitty here from the folks at kitty kind who have set up shop near the cat food - ever since I have come here for almost everything my little man needs. The location is convenient and the store is huge. For a little while it was hit or miss whether they would have the indoor version of the food I like to get but lately they have had a plentiful and variety-ful supply. It can get pretty busy, especially on weekends, so I try to stop in early in the morning to avoid crowds and a long check out line.
ok, so it's cool that they do adoptions, but that's about it. they are not over priced, but you can get everything WAY cheaper online!
i went yesterday to get a new goldfish, thinking that the last time i was there they looked ok. NO WAY!! they were covered in ick and/or fin rot, half of them had some kind of dropsy, all tanks had at least one dead one (one i saw was just a shell of a carcass) and they were biting the hell out of eachother 'cause they were totally over crowded. i had to advise a nice girl who was buying her first goldfish (oh, she was so excited to take one home!) not to get one there. i pointed out the ick and things and she split.
they need to get their fishy acts together!!
I feel sorry for the the person (jms b.) who wrote the review below this one. Filled with such ignorance and hate. :( It's sad.
I'll give them 4 stars simply because they carry such a wide array of items and the store is usually in stellar condition. They also got the extra star because of the Petco card which can help balance out their overpriced merchandise. For example, fish are something like $2.50 each but with the PetCo card they are 5/$5. Big savings. Only problem is that you don't know what you are saving on until you get to the register. I can't amp them up a star though because if you ask the staff on the floor anything they can't give you a good answer. A positive is that they carry my cat's most favorite toy in the whole wide world and other stores don't. A double plus is that the toy is only $2 and some change. The triple bonus is for the cute kitties for adoption near the cat section. Oh they get extra points for selling hearty fish. Negative is the fish supplies are overpriced. I bought a filter from PetCo for about 3x (no lie) as much as it was at Petland. I promptly took that sucker back the next day. Bottom line, know your prices and as Smoky Robinson said, "you'd better shop around."
