Tag Archives: Eran Cohen

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The Pinnacle Pet Nutrition Shops featured in 35 new PetSmart stores opened through the second quarter 2017

Only Natural Pet®, Wellness®, Instinct® and Castor & Pollux® Among Top Brands in Pinnacle Line

PHOENIX, 2017-Nov-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart today (Nov. 16, 2017) announced the addition of its Pinnacle Pet Nutrition Shop in all new stores*, a dedicated space featuring an expanded collection of pet food products offering high-protein, organic, natural, grain-free, minimally processed and/or raw pet food. These food types are the fastest growing in the overall pet food category and embody the peak of pet nutrition.

The Pinnacle Pet Nutrition Shops are featured in all 35 new stores opened so far through the second quarter 2017. The shops are about 550 square feet and offer 400-plus items across several brands such as Wellness, which crafts delicious recipes that use simple, natural ingredients without any fluff or fillers including Wellness CORE RawRev high-protein kibble plus 100 percent freeze dried raw meat and dehydrated Wellness TruFood formulas; Instinct®– The Raw Brand®, a brand redefining better in pet food through the pure, real nutrition of raw; Castor & Pollux®, a brand setting new standards with organic and responsibly sourced pet food with its Organix® & PristineTM lines; as well as Only Natural Pet, which offers paleo-inspired, raw, protein-first recipes that are dehydrated, freeze-dried and air-dried.

“We know many pet parents want their pets to live a happy, healthy lifestyle that mirrors their own, and that includes enjoying great-tasting, wholesome foods,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We are thrilled to help pet parents feed their pets the very best by offering this easy-to-find, dedicated store space that features a curated collection of pet food representing the peak of pet nutrition.”

Raw formulas are popular among pet parents today, especially the freeze-dried, air-dried and dehydrated recipes that deliver a convenient and safe raw nutrition alternative. Only Natural Pet is rooted in this approach, and PetSmart is the exclusive national retailer for this natural pet food brand, which launched in 2015 at PetSmart in about 250 stores and is now offered in more than 800 stores across the U.S. and Canada.

The Pinnacle Pet Nutrition Shop recently won the Retail Council of Canada’s Excellence in Retailing Award for the in-store merchandising category.

For more information on PetSmart’s Pinnacle Pet Nutrition Shop, visit: http://www.petsmart.com/pinnacle-nutrition-shop.html.

*Excludes The Groomery stand-alone salon stores, which began opening in Oct. 2017.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart™ Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada, invite more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.6 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Turn your passion for pets into a career you’ll love! Visit careers.petsmart.comto learn more about corporate, retail store, and Distribution Center opportunities.

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding

Contact:

Erin Gray
PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart shares reasons people may want to consider adopting a senior pet during National Adoption Weekend

  • Pets of all ages, types, sizes and personalities will be up for adoption during PetSmart Charities’
  • National Adoption Weekend, Nov. 10 – 12 in nearly every PetSmart store across North America.

PHOENIX, 2017-Nov-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — There is no question that puppies and kittens are super cute, but if you have ever brought one home, you know they can require a lot of time, attention and most of all, patience. Between midnight meowing and watching your favorite shoes turn into chew toys, there are countless reasons to consider the benefits of adopting a senior pet.

“Since November is National Adopt a Senior Pet Month, we wanted to celebrate by teaming up with five of our in-store adoption partners to share a few reasons people may want to consider adopting a senior pet during National Adoption Weekend,” said Eran Cohen, Chief Customer Experience Officer at PetSmart.

1. Senior Pets are Often Overlooked
When looking for a pet, adopters usually turn their attention to puppies and kittens first. Although it may be unintentional, adult and senior pets are often overlooked due to the cuteness-factor of their younger counterparts. Senior pets have often lived with a family for many years and have trouble adapting to life in a shelter, so it’s important not to forget about them as they make really great pets! Karen Reichheld, Animal Care Manager at the Hamilton-Burlington SPCA. Adoption partner to the PetSmart in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada.

2. Senior Pets Can be Super Loving and Loyal

Due to their age, senior pets have had more life experience and may have had their share of broken   hearts and broken homes. When provided with a cozy and stable home environment, many senior pets are fiercely loyal and will love their new adopters unconditionally. Paula Stude, CEO and Executive Director of the Wild Cat Foundation. Adoption partner to the PetSmart stores in Lafayette, LA.

3. Adult Pets are Often Already Litter Trained/House Broken

Most senior pets come with training – they know not to climb up on curtains, steal your food, chew on your shoes, and most likely are already potty trained. Adult or senior pets can be super easy-going and may have a calmer disposition than kittens or puppies. Most love to snuggle and cuddle with their pet parents! Dawn Kavanaugh, CEO and President of All About Animals Rescue. Adoption partner to four PetSmart stores in the Phoenix metro area.

4. Old Dogs (and Other Pets!) Can Learn New Tricks

The adage that an old dog can’t learn new tricks simply isn’t true! Senior pets don’t ask for much and are often very easily trained. They might have to get acclimated to your household routine, but once they do, you may be surprised how easy they are to care for and how willing they are to learn from their new pet parents. Jackie Meyers, CEO/Executive Director of Peaceful Passings Senior Animal Rescue. Adoption partner to a PetSmart in Charlottesville, VA.

5. Senior Pets Need Second Chances

Every shelter pet is looking for their second chance at a forever home, but senior pets may need second chances even more than most. As senior pets are more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions or dental issues, they may need a little extra TLC, but the love they show you in return will be well worth it. In our experience, senior pets are even more loveable thanks to the lives they’ve lived and the experiences they’ve had. Angela McLaren, Executive Director, Prince George Humane Society. Adoption partner to the PetSmart store in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

“At PetSmart Charities, our mission is to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets—and that includes pets that aren’t always top-of-mind for some adopters,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D. and President of PetSmart Charities. “For homes with very young children or families seeking a more calm and mature companion, adopting a senior pet may be a great way to go. But, the very best way you can find the pet that’s right for you is by visiting one of the thousands of adoption events taking place during PetSmart Charities’ National Adoption Weekend, and meeting the furry, friendly pets of all ages, types and sizes that are waiting to find their forever home and family.”

Pets of All Ages, Types and Sizes Deserve a Lifelong, Loving Home

Pets of all ages, types and sizes will be looking to find their forever home at PetSmart Charities’ November National Adoption Weekend. From Nov. 10 – 12, more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations will bring adoptable pets into nearly all of PetSmart’s 1,500-plus stores in the U.S. and Canada with the goal of finding homes for more than 25,000 pets during this weekend adoption event.

Date:                     Friday, Nov. 10 – Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017
Time:                    Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (local times)
Location:             Nearly every PetSmart store across North America. Visit www.petsmart.com to find a store near you.

A Free Gift for Those Who Adopt:

Regardless of the age of the four-legged friend you or your family choose to adopt, or where you adopted from, PetSmart offers a free Adoption Kit* that provides important content that helps to integrate a new pet into the family. Click here for more information about PetSmart’s Free Adoption Kit. *Adoption papers required.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.6 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Turn your passion for pets into a career you’ll love! Visit careers.petsmart.comto learn more about corporate, retail store and Distribution Center opportunities.

*Ends 12/31/17. 5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need. See details at petsmart.com/giveameal.The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold. The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount.Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S., while four large animal welfare agencies will distribute it in Canada.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support.Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row — placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

About PetSmart Charities® of Canada:

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support.Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada and is independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCanada
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmart CharitiesInc

Source: Pet Smart Inc.

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PetSmart Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program reaches 50 million meals of pet food

  • So Far This Year, PetSmart Achieves More Than 80 Percent of its Goal to Donate 60 Million Meals
  • Thanks Shoppers for Participating and Buying Pet Food Bags

PHOENIX, 2017-Nov-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart announced today ( Nov. 1, 2017) that so far this year it has generated 50 million meals of pet food to be donated to pets in need across North America through its historic Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, where for every bag of dog or cat food purchased online or in its 1,500-plus stores through Dec. 31, 2017, the retailer will donate a meal to a pet in need. Through this historic program, PetSmart expects to donate 60 million meals* to pets in need at hundreds of shelters and rescues across North America, as well as human food banks, pantries and meal programs, where pet food is a rare offering.

To get the massive amount of donated pet food to those that need it most, the retailer is working with nonprofit partner, PetSmart Charities, which is teaming up with GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program and Feeding America®, two renowned national nonprofit organizations that will deliver the pet food to pets in need across the U.S., as well as animal welfare agencies in Canada.

To date, PetSmart and its partners have scheduled 227 semi truck deliveries to hundreds of points across North America totaling more than 35 million meals and 3,683 tons of pet food. PetSmart expects to meet its goal of 60 million meals generated by Dec. 31, 2017, and two additional truck delivery waves totaling 150 53-foot semi trucks are scheduled for the first half of next year.

As a point of reference, using a standard six-inch pet food bowl, 60 million meals lined up beside each other would span from New York City to Los Angeles and back again – covering more than 5,500 miles.  Sixty million meals equates to 6,384 tons, about the same weight as more than 800 elephants or 2,654 cars.

“This simple program has generated impactful results to help pets in need across North America,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Thanks to our shoppers, so far this year, we have generated 50 million meals, attaining more than 80 percent of our goal. We are confident that over the next two months we’ll hit our goal of 60 million meals. While the program ends in stores and online Dec. 31, its impact will live on as we look forward to distributing the donated pet food well into 2018.”

PetSmart launched the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program in celebration of its 30th anniversary and with the expected 60 million meals donated under this program, it is the biggest philanthropic campaign in its 30-year history.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.  In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17. 5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need. See details at www.petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold. The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S., while four large animal welfare agencies will distribute it in Canada.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row — placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.

About Rescue Bank

Rescue Bank, a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, operates on the national food bank model to community-based animal welfare groups that typically lack access to resources. Rescue Bank recognizes that these smaller, less-visible groups represent a substantial portion of America’s animal rescue resource.

Rescue Bank works with name-brand suppliers to deliver donated pet food for both the ongoing needs of more than 1,900 animal welfare organizations and the immediate needs of communities after disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires. Since establishing its national network in 2011, Rescue Bank has delivered over 200 million meals of nutritious, wholesome pet food.

For more information visit http://rescuebank.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/RescueBank.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.

Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate.

Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org,
find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Contacts:
Virginia Hock
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2611
vhock@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: Pet Smart Inc.

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PetSmart and Adventure Cats partner on curated line of products suited for the adventurous pet cat

AdventureCats.org Co-founded by Laura Moss as Resource for Adventurous Pet Parents Highlighting Cats Who Hike, Camp, Canoe, Sail and Kayak

PHOENIX, 2017-Sep-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — With the recent launch of AdventureCats.org’s book, Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest (Workman Publishing Company, 2017), PetSmart announced today (Sept. 20, 2017) a collaboration featuring a curated line of products well suited for this adventurous pet lifestyle, as well as social campaign with full site takeovers and book giveaways.

Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest offers readers an array of jaw-dropping photographs, inspiring stories of real-world cats that camp, hike and participate in watersports, along with the how-tos a cat owner needs to expand their adventures with their cat beyond the indoors or the backyard. Laura Moss, co-founder of AdventureCats.org, wrote the new Adventure Cats bookas the ideal guide for safely introducing an indoor cat to the great outdoors, including leash training, what to pack, managing wildlife encounters, as well as tips for less adventurous cats with backyard adventures, “catios” and indoor adventurous activities.

The PetSmart-Adventure Cats collaboration will also include two one-day “takeovers” of the PetSmart Instagram account by Adventure Cats, where cats will be featured hiking, camping and sailing, among other outdoor activities. Please see Instagram and Instagram stories @PetSmart for the first takeover today.

“I’m an animal writer and active hiker, and I kept coming across more and more people who were leash walking their cats and bringing them along for adventures – whether it was in the backyard or out on the trail,” said Moss, author of Adventure Cats. “I thought that spotlighting these felines would be a great way to challenge negative stereotypes we have about cats being lazy and aloof animals. I’m thrilled to team up with PetSmart to show cat owners new ways they can engage with their pets both indoors and out.”

More than a third of all U.S. households own a cat, and nearly half of all Americans participate in outdoor recreation activities each year, according to the Outdoor Foundation. The Adventure Cats lifestyle aims to merge the two.

“At PetSmart, we love pets and know they make us better people. We want pets and pet parents to enjoy all of life’s cherished moments together and for some that may mean a hike or a canoe trip!” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Working with Adventure Cats creates an opportunity to foster an even closer bond between pet parents and their cats, whether they’re hiking, paddling or simply relaxing together at a campground.”

To help cats travel, play and relax with maximum enjoyment and ease, PetSmart has curated a special collection of products, including the following:

Hike, Camp, Canoe, Fish and Sail

  • Whisker City Reflective Cat Leash
  • Grreat Choice Cat Harness
  • Top Paw Life Jacket
  • Wacky Paws Pet Backpack Carrier
  • Top Paw Travel Water Bottle
  • Top Paw Travel Bowl
  • TagWorks Sport Collection Gold Fish Pet ID Tag

Car Travel

  • Whisker City Flower Soft Sided Cat Carrier
  • Grreat Choice Microfiber Rear Seat Cover
  • Petmate 19” 2-Door Top Load Kennel

At the Campsite

  • Whisker City Interchangeable Tip Laser Cat Toy
  • Wild Salmon Bite Cat Treats
  • Whisker City Slicker Cat Brush
  • Seresto Flea & Tick Cat Collar
  • Whisker City Tearless Non-Rinse Waterless Cat Shampoo
  • GNC Pets Hypoallergenic Cat Wipes
  • Capstar 2-25 lb. Dog & Cat Flea Treatment
  • Kurgo First Aid Kit
  • ExquisiCat Naturals Disposable Litter Tray & Cat Litter
  • NATURE’S MIRACLE® Pre-Filled Crystal Disposable Cat Litter Pan

Indoor Adventures

  • WARE Cat Condo
  • Laser Cat Toy
  • Jackson Galaxy Air Prey Wand & Laser Cat Toy

See the full collection at www.petsmart.com/adventurecats.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel™ dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp™ and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada, invite more than 3,500 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.6 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Turn your passion for pets into a career you’ll love! Visit careers.petsmart.com to learn more about corporate, retail store, and Distribution Center opportunities.

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S., while four large animal welfare agencies will distribute it in Canada.

About Adventure Cats
Adventure Cats is a group of outdoorsy cat lovers who started AdventureCats.org as a resource for people looking for safe ways to explore the great outdoors with their feline friends. The organization also wants to challenge negative stereotypes about cats and the people who love them in order to increase shelter cat adoptions. The Adventure Cats book is available through AdventureCats.org as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and IndieBound.

Follow Adventure Cats on Instagram: instagram.com/adventurecatsorg
Follow Adventure Cats on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AdventureCatsorg
Follow Adventure Cats on Twitter: twitter.com/adventurecatorg
Follow Adventure Cats on Tumblr: adventurecatsorg.tumblr.com

Source: PetSmart, Inc.

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PetSmart: first of four massive pet food donation arriving in 70 Cities through its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program

Thanks to Millions of PetSmart Shoppers Who Bought Bags of Pet Food this Year, 92 Semi Trucks are Arriving in 70 Cities Across 31 States and Three Canadian Provinces with 17 Million Meals to Feed Hungry Pets in Need

NEW YORK CITY and LOS ANGELES, 2017-Aug-16 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart announced today (Aug. 15, 2017) that the first of four massive pet food donation waves is underway thanks to its philanthropic Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, where for every bag of dog or cat food purchased online or in its 1,500-plus stores through Dec. 31, 2017, the retailer will donate a meal to a pet in need. Through this historic program, PetSmart expects to donate 60 million meals* to pets in need at hundreds of shelters and rescues across North America, as well as human food banks, pantries and meal programs, where pet food is a rare offering.

To get the food to those in need, the retailer is working with nonprofit partner PetSmart Charities, which is teaming up with GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program and Feeding America®, two renowned national nonprofit organizations, to deliver this massive pet food donation immediately to pets in need across the U.S., as well as animal welfare agencies in Canada.

Three 53-foot semi trucks will arrive in New York City, while three more semi trucks will roll in to Los Angeles today showcasing PetSmart’s coast-to-coast pet food donation. Over the next four weeks, a total of 92 semi truckloads will arrive in 70 cities in 31 states and three Canadian provinces carrying 17 million meals – more than 3.6 million pounds – to help feed hungry pets in need across North America.

PetSmart launched the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program in celebration of its 30th anniversary, and with the expected 60 million meals donated under this program, it is the biggest philanthropic campaign in its 30-year history. As a point of reference, using a standard six-inch pet food bowl, 60 million meals lined up beside each other would span from New York City to Los Angeles and back again – covering more than 5,500 miles.

“The Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program is simple. Shoppers can buy any bag of dog or cat food, any size, any brand, and we’ll donate a meal to a pet in need,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Together we have already generated nearly 30 million meals and are confident we’ll hit our goal of 60 million meals. We’re just getting started with this first wave of truck deliveries, with three more massive semi truck deliveries planned into 2018.”

Expertly Distributing the Massive Amount of Pet Food to Hundreds of Locations
PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, will take on the distribution of the massive amount of pet food donated by PetSmart and is dedicated to quickly and efficiently getting the pet food to hungry pets in need across North America. Rescue Bank will help allocate the donated pet food to animal welfare organizations across the U.S., and Feeding America will disperse the donated pet food to food banks, food pantries and meal programs. In Canada, four large animal welfare organizations from across the country, some who partner with or operate their own local pet food banks, will distribute the donated pet food.

“When our partners at PetSmart shared this big idea to donate a meal for every bag of dog or cat food purchased, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and thrilled to take on the challenge of distributing such a large volume of pet food to help pets in need across North America,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., president of PetSmart Charities. “This program enables PetSmart Charities to continue our mission of helping homeless pets in need and connecting people and pets and keeping them connected. Supporting shelters and rescues is a big part of what we’ve done every day for more than two decades, and Buy a Bag, Give a Meal also allows us to help families in need by providing much-needed pet food, helping to keep pets with their families and out of shelters.”

During this first big pet food delivery wave now underway through Sept. 14, 92 semi trucks will deliver 17 million meals – more than 3.6 million pounds – to shelters, rescues and food banks across the U.S. and Canada. Three similarly sized truck deliveries are expected later this year and into 2018.

“We are pleased to team up with PetSmart Charities, which serves a major role in our Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program,” said Cohen. “PetSmart Charities is expertly getting the pet food to pets in need across North America. We are thankful to their team and their partners at Feeding America and Rescue Bank, for moving swiftly to effectively get the food to hungry pets that need it the most in hundreds of local markets across the continent.”

The pet food is made at PetSmart’s vendor partner American Nutrition Inc. (ANI) in Ogden, Utah, where semi trucks filled with 50 pallets each of donated pet food will roll out every weekday now through Sept. 14 for this delivery wave. Each weekday across the six weeks, trucks will leave ANI with more than 561,792 pet food meals on board totaling nearly 109,700 pounds.

The semi trucks loaded with the donated pet food will be arriving in cities across North America including New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, Honolulu, Fargo, Houston, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, San Diego, Detroit, Austin and points in between. Click here for a list of cities and nonprofit partners that will receive the pet food donated during the Aug. and Sept. truck delivery wave from PetSmart’s Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at www.petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S., while four large animal welfare agencies will distribute it in Canada.

About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support:  Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores.  In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row — placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.  To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores.  In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date.  PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.

About Rescue Bank
Rescue Bank, a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, operates on the national food bank model to community-based animal welfare groups that typically lack access to resources. Rescue Bank recognizes that these smaller, less-visible groups represent a substantial portion of America’s animal rescue resource.

Rescue Bank works with name-brand suppliers to deliver donated pet food for both the ongoing needs of more than 1,900 animal welfare organizations and the immediate needs of communities after disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires. Since establishing its national network in 2011, Rescue Bank has delivered over 200 million meals of nutritious, wholesome pet food.

For more information visit http://rescuebank.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/RescueBank.

About Feeding America
Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about th problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Contacts:
Virginia Hock
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2611
vhock@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart, Inc.

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PetSmart introduces its very first Back-to-School Collection

Retailer Celebrates Big with School-Themed Pet Gear, the Return of the Pets in the Classroom Program and In-Store Events for the Whole Family

PHOENIX, 2017-Aug-12 — /EPR Retail News/ — In many parts of the country, this month marks the start of school, which has families shopping for essentials like rulers, pencils, school shoes, clothes and more. Firm believers in celebrating life’s moments with pets, PetSmart, the leading pet specialty retailer in North America, aims to ensure pets enjoy the excitement of the season too with its very first Back-to-School Collection, available in all 1,500-plus PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Canada and online at petsmart.com and petsmart.ca.

“We know families enjoy including their pets in holidays, birthdays and celebrations and the excitement of the back-to-school season is no exception,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We’ve seen great success with festive seasonal product collections and feel strongly pet parents will enjoy including their pets in the thrill of the first day of school, too. I mean, what pup wouldn’t enjoy a bright yellow school bus bed, big plush calculator or a squeaky carton of milk toy?”

Smart Toys – Just as children’s backpacks are stuffed with sharp new pencils, composition books and calculators, dogs’ toy bins can be filled with dog-friendly versions of these classic back-to-school supplies. Nothing says back to school more than a bespectacled worm flattie donning a graduation cap, while cute toys shaped like pencils and nerdy-face apples with crinkle fill provide hours of fun for pups. Iconic school essentials like vinyl cartons of milk and plush calculator complete with squeakers are sure to provide photo ops worthy of social media sharing.

Stylish Apparel – Ever consider including your dogs in the classic event — school picture day? This PetSmart collection has the goods to get pups photo-ready. The Top Paw® Denim Heart Dog Tee mirrors what can be found on the racks of children’s clothing stores. With its pink and white stripes and mock-stitching, it’s cute enough to challenge the kids in a “who wore it best” contest. Dapper dogs are sure to turn heads with the Denim and Plaid Tie Combo tee. Made of lightweight, breathable fabric, the tee easily slips on and off making it as comfortable as it is cute. Finally, the Ruffle Denim Dog Dress, complete with plaid pockets and subtle gray stripes is ideal for the preppy pup on the prowl.

Back-to-School Bedding – The start of the school year means early mornings with children boarding busses bound for school. At-home pups can wait for their human family members to arrive home in their very own School Bus Cuddler Bed. This bed features an easy step-in design, soft walls and dark grey chambray-like lining. Toss in an adorable rainbow pet pillow to create a playful, cozy space for pets.

Classroom Pets + Learning = Big Fun
PetSmart is proud to be a returning sponsor of the Pets in the Classroom Grant Program, which provides grants to pre-kindergarten through 9th grade teachers in both private and public schools to purchase and maintain small animals in the classroom. Having pets in the classroom not only provides excitement, they help teach students responsible, long-term pet care at an early age. Grants are now being accepted for the 2017-2018 school year. For more information on the Pets in the Classroom grant program, visit www.PetsintheClassroom.org.

Education & Entertainment: Upcoming In-Store Family Events
Small Pets Show & Tell Event
Aug. 12
12-3 p.m. local time
Bring the kids to meet the specialty pets of PetSmart! Kids can visit any participating PetSmart store to take part in hands-on experience with the specialty pets of the store including fish, hamsters and reptiles. Kids can also make their own tank with aquarium sticker sheets, while learning about the basics of fish care.

Tailgating Event
Sept. 23
12 – 2 p.m. – local time
Bring pups and your team spirit to one of our hottest in-store events of the season. Your pup can enjoy free treat samples and free chalking of favorite collegiate and professional team’s colors or a football Pet Expressions* stencil application. Pets who come dressed in their team’s favorite colors can also receive a $5 off coupon for their next pet sports apparel purchase.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017**. In May 2017, PetSmart acquired Chewy.com, a leading online retailer of pet food and products in the U.S., which operates as an independent subsidiary.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

* Excludes NFL, NCAA & MLB licensed Pet Expressions. Chalking and stenciling not available in SC, Boulder, CO & select cities in CA.
**Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

Contacts:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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ED Ellen DeGeneres pet lifestyle brand expands offering to include cat products; exclusively available at PetSmart

PHOENIX, 2017-Aug-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart, the leading pet specialty retailer in North America, and Ellen DeGeneres, passionate pet enthusiast and product design guru, announced today (Aug. 8, 2017) that they have expanded the ED Ellen DeGeneres pet lifestyle brand, which launched earlier this year with dog products, to now include products for cats. More than a dozen new items for cats, as well as several at-home grooming products with natural formulations, have been added to the expanding ED Ellen DeGeneres line.

This is Ellen’s first-ever pet lifestyle brand and is exclusively available at PetSmart. It is among the most comprehensive pet product collections done in collaboration with a celebrity in PetSmart’s 30-year history.
The expansion comes just months after the initial launch of the ED Ellen DeGeneres pet lifestyle brand, featuring products for dogs. The entire collection is exclusively available at 1,500-plus PetSmart stores across the North America and on PetSmart.com and PetSmart.ca.

“I am so happy to be launching my cat collection with PetSmart. I think you’ll love it if you like cats, have cats or just like toys that tickle,” said Ellen DeGeneres.

First-Ever Cat Collection Hits Stores, Online Now

Stuffed owl toys, cat scratchers featuring sisal and burlap detailing, and feathered teasers are part of the inaugural ED Ellen DeGeneres cat collection. Adhering to Ellen’s signature design aesthetic centered on classic detailing like dots and stripes with navy and red accents, the feline items feature key themes such as the signature scripted “love” detail, which is prominent across all ED products, from shoes to apparel and furniture and more.

In addition to time-tested cat favorites like playful balls and teasers, additional products in the collection include a toy bin with the phrase, “Take Life One Toy at a Time” and a gray cat bed with a basket-woven design and cozy plush lining.
The new cat products will be celebrated at CatCon, Aug. 12-13, in Pasadena, Calif., with the full collection showcased at PetSmart’s booth #223, as well as featured on social media that same weekend. PetSmart’s Facebook page will host an exciting Live Video at 11 a.m. PDT on Aug. 12 with influential cats – @nala_cat, @white_coffee_cat, and @hello_luna_rose. These popular cats have a combined 5.2 million followers on Instagram. Topics covered in the Facebook Live include Ellen’s new cat line, PetSmart’s Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, and CatCon along with a real-time Q&A from fans. PetSmart will go live on @nala_cat’s Instagram page at 11:30 a.m. PDT covering similar topics.
“What began as a collection for dogs with toys, apparel and accessories, as well as home items like bowls, toy bins and beds, has expanded into a comprehensive assortment, including natural at-home pet grooming items, products for cats and capsule collections that are seasonally relevant like our forthcoming Varsity collection due in stores next month for fall,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer for PetSmart. “We recreated our top-selling ED dog ideas – like bandana collars, toy bins and beds, to appeal specifically to cats and their pet parents. These products represent Ellen’s distinct design aesthetic in a way even the most discerning cats and their pet parents will love.”

About ED Ellen DeGeneres

ED is Ellen DeGeneres’ American lifestyle brand inspired by her iconic style, values and personality. ED was launched in 2015 as a joint partnership with Ellen DeGeneres and Christopher Burch, CEO of Burch Creative Capital. With a passion for interior design, architecture and fashion, Ellen brings her unique vision to this beautifully designed, high-quality collection of women’s apparel, footwear, accessories, pet products as well as home furnishings and decor. The lifestyle brand is real, accessible and every product feels like a personal connection between Ellen and the consumers around the world.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.

Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on Instagram: @PetSmart
Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:
Virginia Hock
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2611
vhock@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart Doggie-Human Ice Cream Truck is going coast-to-coast to celebrate National Ice Cream Day

First-Ever Ice Cream Truck with Treats for Pups and Their Parents Visits New York City Again and Expands to Seattle, Dallas and Toronto to Kick-Off Free Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes at all PetSmart PetsHotel® Locations on July 16

PHOENIX, 2017-Jul-06 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart launched the first-ever Doggie-Human Ice Cream Truck in New York City last year in celebration of National Ice Cream Day and this year is going coast-to-coast to bring more of these unique treat trucks to dogs and their pet parents. On July 12, one PetSmart-sponsored truck per city will visit parks in New York City, Seattle, Dallas and Toronto hosting free pop-up ice cream socials for dogs and their humans in celebration of National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 16, when additional free Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes will also be doled out to pets who visit any PetSmart PetsHotel locations.

Last year, PetSmart laid claim to the first-ever ice cream truck to serve up dog-friendly ice cream along with ice cream treats for humans. This ice cream truck rolled about the streets of New York City to celebrate National Ice Cream Day 2016, visiting dog parks and serving more than 1,000 ice cream treats in a single day.

“When we saw how fun and engaging theDoggie Ice Cream Truck was last year in New York City, we knew we wanted to expand this program coast-to-coast,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer for PetSmart. “We are excited to celebrate with pet parents again in New York City, and for the first time with those in Dallas, Seattle and Toronto on July 12. These events are a powerful way to gear up for the free Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes available at all PetsHotel locations across North America on National Ice Cream Day.”

In 1984, President Reagan declared National Ice Cream Day as the third Sunday of July and the full month of July as National Ice Cream Month. National Ice Cream Day has been celebrated for decades, but more recently with pets. The dog-safe ice cream is vanilla flavored and non-dairy, as many dogs have challenges with lactose products. The sundaes are topped with dog biscuit sprinkles for a savory-sweet combination and a cool treat to beat the summertime heat in July.

“The dog ice cream sundaes offered every day at our PetsHotel locations are a great example of the wonderful hospitality we provide to our pet guests,” said Joanna Zucker, vice president of services for PetSmart. “In addition to the four pop-up ice cream socials, we will also be offering free Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes to dogs that visit any PetsHotel location on National Ice Cream Day, Sunday, July 16. While there, pet parents can tour our facility and see first-hand the exceptional pet services offered daily at PetSmart’s PetsHotels.”

Several local celebrity pets will be attending the various ice cream socials for meet-and-greets and photo ops. The following opportunities to celebrate and get a free ice cream treat for pups and their humans include:

Wednesday, July 12

New York City
Noon – 4 p.m. local time – Washington Square Park
@tinkerbellethedog (143K followers)
@ipartywithbrucewayne (57.9K followers)
@thedailywalter (83.3K followers) – Streaming Facebook Live with PetSmart at 1:00 p.m. ET

4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. local time – Madison Square Park
@oscarfrenchienyc (166K followers)
@ipartywithbrucewayne (57.9K followers)
@puppynamedcharlie (56.4K followers)
@chloekardoggian (149K followers)
@mervinthechihuahua (69.1K followers)

Dallas
Noon – 8 p.m. local time – Klyde Warren Park
@nelsonthegoldendoodle (32.6K followers)

Seattle
Noon – 8 p.m. local time – Seattle Center – International Fountain
@buddhathepug (9K followers)

Toronto
Noon – 4 p.m. local time – Berczy Park
4:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Woodbine Park
@remsandshmends (51.1K followers)
@lildogbigcity (22.8k followers)

Sunday, July 16
Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes only (no human ice cream treats served) offered at all PetSmart PetsHotel locations across North America. Go to petsmart.com/store-locator/ to find a PetsHotel location.

All times above are local times; all ice cream treats, while supplies last.

PetSmart is encouraging pet parents to share photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram of their pets enjoying National Ice Cream day using #nationalicecreamday and tagging PetSmart.

About PetsHotel Services

About 50 percent of the U.S. population lives within 30 minutes of a PetSmart PetsHotel. Whether pets need to stay for an extended period in the overnight accommodations or just need a fun-filled day of supervised play at the Doggie Day Camp, PetSmart PetsHotels offer a variety of services, great hospitality and amenities to create a get-a-way as unique as your pet:

  • Expert Care: Safety-certified, pet-loving staff with 24/7 onsite care and on-call veterinarian.
  • The Private Suite: What better way to show your best friend how special he or she is than to upgrade to a Private Suite? It’s spacious, private and furnished with a comfy bed called a Poochy Cot and a TV tuned to pet-centric movies.
  • PetSmart Doggie Day Camp: Pets exercise and socialize with other dogs in a dedicated indoor play area full of toys, while pet parents are at work or out of the house for the day. Flexible drop-off and pick-up times and Doggie Valet make it convenient for parents’ schedules. Doggie Day Camp goers can participate in monthly parties with free ice cream sundaes and fun themes.
  • Individual Playtime: Your pup can receive personal attention and one-on-one fun with a Pet Care Specialist.
  • Unlimited Relief Walks.
  • Treat Time with Doggie Ice Cream Sundaes: Includes dog-safe vanilla soft serve ice cream with crunchy biscuit toppings for pets to cool down on hot summer days.
  • Easy Add-Ons: Let pet parents customize their stay with playtime, snacks and salon services.
  • Easy Booking Options: Book your pet’s stay by phone, online or through the PetSmart app.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

Source: PetSmart, Inc.

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PetSmart announces Summer of Fun Collection

PHOENIX, 2017-Jun-22 — /EPR Retail News/ — On this first day of summer, PetSmart announced today (June 21, 2017) its Summer of Fun Collection to help pet parents celebrate the fun of the season with their pets, whether it’s the upcoming July 4th holiday, backyard BBQs, picnics by the lake, days at the beach or just relaxing and enjoying the dog days of summer.

The Summer of Fun Collection includes apparel, accessories, toys and home décor items like beds with classic summertime themes like red, white and blue Americana, Backyard BBQ and Cabana-beach, among others. The collection is available now at all PetSmart stores and petsmart.com with items starting at just under $4.

“We know pet parents want to enjoy all that summer has to offer with every member of their family, including their pets,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Our design team thought about that when they created our Summer of Fun Collection with items like the Uncle Sam bungee toy, Pup Light beer can squeaker toy and festive stars and stripes collars. The collection has a range of items to celebrate the upcoming July 4th holiday and bring our best friends into the celebration of summer.”

Americana

The PetSmart design team was heavily inspired by the July 4th holiday when they put together this assortment, featuring more than 20 items including stars and stripes dresses and tees, bandana and traditional collars, beds and a special Uncle Sam headband complete with red, white and blue top hat and white beard that will turn your pet into an Instagram-worthy subject with hundreds of likes. Toys include plush versions of bald eagles, Uncle Sam and cans of Pup Light beer, as well as rope toys with stars and lots of vintage red and white jump rope – a nod to childhood days of summertime play.

Backyard BBQ

At the core of this collection is food and beverage themed items like plush, flattie and vinyl squeaker toys in the shape of cocktail glasses, beer mugs, and bottle-shaped squeaker toys called “Blue Cats Tripping,” “Bark’s Beer” and “Mountain Drool.” The food toys include classic foodstuffs like hot dogs, pizza wedges, french fries and cheeseburgers, as well as fruits of the season such as a lime wedge, pineapple and watermelon slice.

Cabana

The colorful Cabana toys include rope toys featuring striped flip flops, flamingo float rings for tug play, and a range of dogs donning sunglasses and festive swim gear in plush and flattie versions.

The Summer of Fun Collection is available now while supplies last and will be followed by PetSmart’s first-ever Back-to-School Collection due in stores this August.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

Source: PetSmart  Inc.

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PetSmart delivers the first of nearly 90 initial semi-truck loads of pet food through its historic Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program

  • PetSmart Expects to Distribute more than 60 Million Meals and Reports Philanthropic Program Has Already Generated More Than 20 Million Meals to Date
  • PetSmart Charities Teams up with Feeding America® and Rescue Bank® to Distribute the Pet Food to  Rescues, Shelters and Food Banks in the U.S.

PHOENIX, Ariz., 2017-Jun-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart announced today (June 13, 2017) it has begun to deliver the first of nearly 90 initial semi-truck loads of pet food through its historic Buy a Bag, Give a Meal* program, where it is giving a meal to a pet in need for any and every bag of dog or cat food purchased through Dec. 31, 2017, in its more than 1,500 stores and online at PetSmart.com and PetSmart.ca. Through this philanthropic program, PetSmart said it expects to make pet food deliveries throughout the rest of 2017 and well into 2018 to distribute the expected 60 million-plus* meals to hundreds of locations across North America at local shelters and rescues, as well as to food banks and pantries where pet food is a rare offering.

Nonprofit partner PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, is the recipient of the significant pet food donation and is teaming up with GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program and Feeding America. These renowned national nonprofit organizations are helping to effectively distribute the pet food directly to pets in need across the U.S.

The Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program was launched March 1, 2017. Since then, as shoppers buy pet food bags at PetSmart, the retailer donates a meal to a pet in need and has already generated more than 20 million meals to date. With the 60 million meal goal, the program is the largest philanthropic initiative in PetSmart’s 30-year history. As a point of reference, using a standard six-inch pet food bowl, 60 million meals would span from New York City to Los Angeles and back again – covering more than 5,500 miles.

Throughout the past two weeks, the first three of nearly 90 semi-trailer trucks loaded with the donated pet food were delivered to pets in need. The initial shipment included 750,000 meals of pet food split evenly between dog and cat food and was delivered to Feeding America affiliates, Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, and Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona in Tucson. A third truck load was delivered to Rescue Bank facility, St. Paws, and adjacent shelter, National Mill Dog Rescue, in Peyton, Colo., a suburb of Colorado Springs.

The pet food meals are expected to be on the shelves of hundreds of food pantries across the Denver and Tucson metro areas, while also feeding hungry pets at rescues and shelters in the Colorado Springs region.

“We are thrilled to be getting these initial meals to pets in need across Colorado and the Southern Arizona area,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We know pets in need are not only in shelters and rescues across North America, but also with their families who are served by food pantries and meal programs. We are pleased to work with PetSmart Charities and its partners, Feeding America and Rescue Bank, and very excited to reach pets in need in 67 additional cities across 28 states beginning in August.”

“When our partners at PetSmart shared this big idea to give back a meal for every bag purchased, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and thrilled to take on the challenge of distributing such a huge volume of pet food – an expected 60 million meals – to help pets in need across North America,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., president of PetSmart Charities. “Our organization is dedicated to helping pets in need like no other. We delivered more than $34 million in funding support directly to animal welfare organizations in 2016 alone and with this massive pet food donation with our partners, Rescue Bank and Feeding America, we look forward to the impact these meals will have on pets in need in cities across the U.S.”

PetSmart Charities™ of Canada is also partnering with four renowned animal welfare organizations in Canada to distribute the anticipated 3.6 million meals* to pets in need across the country. Canadian deliveries from the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program are expected to begin this fall.

To help PetSmart with the production of the massive amount of donated pet food, it is manufacturing the bulk of the donated pet food through its vendor partner, American Nutrition, Inc., a leading manufacturer of American-made pet food and treats. Rescue Bank distributes pet meals to its network of more than 1,900 shelter and rescue groups across the country. Pet food, especially cat food, is consistently the largest request Rescue Bank receives from its shelter and rescue partners. As well, the annual pet food budget for a shelter or rescue can be a significant line item, and the donated food can offset pet food costs and allow these nonprofit organizations to redirect the funds to help pets even more.

Feeding America is a network of 200 food banks that provides food and groceries through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs to more than 46 million Americans each year. According to Feeding America, one in seven Americans are served by its network of food banks and pantries. As well, as reported by the American Pet Products Association’s 2015-16 national pet owner survey, nearly 45 percent of the U.S. households have dogs and about 35 percent have cats as pets.

Eligible human services organizations in the U.S. that wish to be considered to receive pet food donations from PetSmart’s Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program are encouraged to connect with their local food bank using the food bank locator at www.feedingamerica.org. Animal welfare organizations are asked to apply online at www.RescueBank.org.
For more information on the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, please visit PetSmart.com/giveameal or Petsmart.ca/giveameal in Canada.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.4 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal. The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support:  Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores.  In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row — placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.  To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores.  In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date.  PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca

About Rescue Bank Rescue Bank, a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, operates on the national food bank model to community-based animal welfare groups that typically lack access to resources. Rescue Bank recognizes that these smaller, less-visible groups represent a substantial portion of America’s animal rescue resource.

Rescue Bank works with name-brand suppliers to deliver donated pet food for both the ongoing needs of more than 1,900 animal welfare organizations and the immediate needs of communities after disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires. Since establishing its national network in 2011, Rescue Bank has delivered over 200 million meals of nutritious, wholesome pet food.

For more information visit http://rescuebank.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/RescueBank.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Source: PetSmart, Inc.

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ED Ellen DeGeneres Summer Camp Collection launches exclusively at PetSmart

  • Seasonal Collection Includes Summer Camp-Themed Pet Apparel, Toys and Beds So Pets
  • Can Join in the fun of this Iconic Seasonal Tradition

PHOENIX, 2017-May-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Adventure-filled days of hiking and exploring, sleeping in a tent in the great outdoors and eating s’mores by the fire are hallmarks of summer camp. These iconic moments are brought to life in the new ED Ellen DeGeneres Summer Camp Collection, a seasonal capsule collection available exclusively at PetSmart stores across North America and PetSmart.com and PetSmart.ca starting this week.

“I love the new Summer Camp Collection. It’s the perfect collection for dogs that want to experience the fun of camp, but are too nervous to be away from their families for the whole summer,” said Ellen DeGeneres, who test-runs all the products in her PetSmart line with her many pets.

The Summer Camp seasonal capsule collection joins Ellen’s year-long pet product assortment featuring hundreds of items, including toys, beds, feeding bowls, and a natural at-home beauty and grooming line. Since the February launch of Ellen’s first-ever pet collection, top sellers include unique pet home good items such as treat jars and toy bins, as well as collars, among others.

“The feedback from pet parents following the launch of our inaugural collection of the ED Ellen DeGeneres brand was so overwhelmingly positive, we knew we needed to continue developing new and exciting products that are seasonally fresh, relevant and unique,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “The Summer Camp line is a stand-out collection of beautifully designed pet products that epitomizes everything we know and love about summertime, embody Ellen’s superior design aesthetic and brings our beloved pets into the celebration of the season.  Additional seasonal collections are forthcoming for the back-to-school and the holiday season.”

In the Spirit of Ellen’s Pups

Ellen’s pets, made famous by their hilarious portrayal on Ellen’s Pet Dish, are known for their quirky personalities. Similar to a scouting merit badge, the Summer Camp collection features “Camp Wolf & Augie” patch branding named after two of Ellen’s furry family members. The badge-like brand can be spotted throughout the collection, which also features classic plaid and jacquard-inspired patterns.

Campsite Comfort – Summer camp brings back memories of cots and sleeping bags, but who says Fido needs to sacrifice comfort while camping? The Camp Hut Pet Bed, featuring a “pup tent” design, provides solitude and comfort with a soft, removable plaid cushion.  Ideal for dogs under 15 pounds, the bed provides pups a dark, quiet place to rest.

Summer Camp Toys – Mimicking the camping gear of their human family members, dogs can now have their own version of summer camp fun. The Summer Camp toys feature all the camping essentials:  roaring campfire, a compass, a lantern, and plush cameras and binoculars. Dogs can even enjoy their own version of s’mores with a mixed-material toy that looks as delicious as it is cute. All toys feature squeakers, of course.  The Flattie Canteen Toy, made of lightweight canvas-like, crinkle material and sporting the Camp Wolf & Augie badge logo, is sure to be the must-pack toy of the summer travel season. Plush woodland critters such as foxes, rabbits and beavers round out the toy collection.

Keep ‘em Stylishly Cool – The soft Camp Dog Tee features lightweight, breathable material, making it great for strolls along the beach or hikes through the woods. Comfort harnesses such as the Camp Dog Skirt Harness, features red, white and blue stripes — a nod  to summer’s patriotic holidays.

Summer Refresh – A change in seasons presents an ideal time to freshen up pups’ everyday gear such as collars.  Campy bandana collars  provide pets the perfect balance of style and comfort, and are available in two-pack designs in four sizes. The navy and green color scheme features the Wolf & Augie badge logo on one bandana, and navy and forest green stripes on the other. Both are made of durable material with a thick, adjustable strap and snap buckle. Uniquely Ellen and designed with hand-woven craftsmanship, the navy and white Camp Dog Collar is a stylish way to celebrate summer.

The ED Ellen DeGeneres Summer Camp collection is among a wide, comprehensive pet collection now available at PetSmart stores across North America, petsmart.com and petsmart.ca.

About ED Ellen DeGeneres

ED is Ellen DeGeneres’ American lifestyle brand inspired by her iconic style, values and personality. ED was launched in 2015 as a joint partnership with Ellen DeGeneres and Christopher Burch, CEO of Burch Creative Capital. With a passion for interior design, architecture and fashion, Ellen brings her unique vision to this beautifully designed, high-quality collection of women’s apparel, footwear, accessories, pet products as well as home furnishings and decor. The lifestyle brand is real, accessible and every product feels like a personal connection between Ellen and the consumers around the world. EDbyEllen.com

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with nonprofits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.3 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com, AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017. For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017*.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*Ends 12/31/17.  5 oz. dog food, 1.5 oz. cat food donated to PetSmart Charities to feed dogs and cats in need.  See details at petsmart.com/giveameal.  The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

Contacts:

PetSmart:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
972-341-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

ED Ellen DeGeneres:
Erika Stair
estair@edllc.com
646.214.2892

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart’s Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program to benefit GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program and Feeding America®

America’s Largest Domestic Hunger-Relief Organization and the Nation’s Largest Pet Food Donation Network are Assisting PetSmart Charities in Distributing the Bulk of the Expected 60 Million-Plus Meals* to Pets in Need; PetSmart Reporting Just-Launched Philanthropic Program Has Already Generated 7 Million MealsCITY,

PHOENIX, AZ, 2017-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, announced today (April 6, 2017) that it is teaming up with GreaterGood.org’s Rescue Bank program and Feeding America®, two renowned national nonprofit organizations, to help deliver the bulk of the more than 60 million pet food meals* expected to be generated from PetSmart’s just-launched Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program.

Last month, in celebration of PetSmart’s 30th anniversary, the pet retailer launched the unprecedented Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program**, where it will give a meal to a pet in need for any and every bag of dog or cat food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, in its more than 1,500 stores and online at PetSmart.com and PetSmart.ca, including through its automatic subscription-based service available at PetSmart.com

Rescue Bank will help distribute the donated pet food to animal welfare organizations across the U.S. and Feeding America will disperse the donated pet food to select food banks across the nation – all to help feed pets in need. This collaboration marks Rescue Bank’s largest single partnership with a pet brand, and this is the largest pet food donation for Feeding America to date.

PetSmart Charities of Canada is also partnering with animal welfare organizations in Canada to distribute the anticipated 3.6 million meals* to pets in need in that country.

“When our partners at PetSmart shared this big idea to give back a meal for every bag purchased, we were overwhelmed by the generosity and thrilled to take on the challenge of distributing such a huge volume of pet food – an expected 60 million meals — to help pets in need across the U.S. and Canada. So we immediately started looking for leading national partners who might be able to help,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., and president of PetSmart Charities.

“PetSmart’s program is unique in that it’s targeting a crucial necessity to feed pets in need in shelters and rescues, where a high percentage of them live, and also provide pet food assistance to families and individuals who are served by their local food pantries. We are thrilled to be working with Rescue Bank and Feeding America, important partners to help us get the pet food to the pets who need it in local communities across America,” said Haworth.

Rescue Bank annually distributes more than 40 million pet meals to its network of 1,900 shelter and rescue groups around the country. Pet food, especially cat food, is consistently the largest request Rescue Bank receives from its shelter and rescue partners.

“As a leader in supporting the animal rescue community with much-needed supplies and services, we couldn’t be more pleased to help PetSmart Charities donate pet food to thousands of rescue organizations across the U.S.,” said Elizabeth Asher, Rescue Bank’s executive director. “Pet food is a large operating expense for local animal welfare organizations. These donations help defray overall costs and allow them to focus on other ways to save more pets’ lives and improve the quality of life for pets in need.”

Feeding America is a network of 200 food banks that provides food and groceries through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs to more than 46 million Americans each year. According to the American Pet Products Association’s 2015-16 national pet owner survey, nearly 45 percent of the U.S. households have dogs and about 35 percent have cats as pets.

“As more families struggle with difficult choices like paying the rent or buying food, some have to choose between keeping their pet and putting food on the table,” said Bill Thomas, chief supply chain officer, product development at Feeding America. “We know that pets provide comfort to families and individuals, and those who are struggling financially more than likely will also need food for their pets. We are excited to partner with PetSmart Charities to help provide pet food assistance to these families in need.”

“We are tremendously proud of this new philanthropic program and pleased to report that this initiative has already generated 7 million meals to be donated to pets in need,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We are excited to begin distributing the much-needed pet food this spring and to continue with a steady stream of food donations thanks to pet parent purchases of dog and cat food bags in our stores and online and to PetSmart Charities and its alignment with these great pet food distribution partners, Feeding America and Rescue Bank.”

Eligible human services organizations that wish to be considered to receive pet food donations from the PetSmart Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program through PetSmart Charities are encouraged to connect with their local food bank using the food bank locator at www.feedingamerica.org; animal welfare organizations are asked to apply online at RescueBank.org. For Canadian animal welfare organizations interested in the donated pet food, please contact Dani Mailing, Regional Relationship Manager at PetSmart Charities of Canada via email: dmailing@petsmartcharities.org. For more information on the Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program, please visit PetSmart.com/giveameal.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart®  PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption. PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home. Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.3 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com,  AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S.  In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017.  For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter:@PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook:www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.  In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support:  Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row — placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca

About Rescue Bank

Rescue Bank, a Signature Program of GreaterGood.org, operates on the national food bank model to community-based animal welfare groups that typically lack access to resources. Rescue Bank recognizes that these smaller, less-visible groups represent a substantial portion of America’s animal rescue resource.

Rescue Bank works with name-brand suppliers to deliver donated pet food for both the ongoing needs of more than 1,800 animal welfare organizations and the immediate needs of communities after disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires. Since establishing its national network in 2011, Rescue Bank has delivered over 200 million meals of nutritious, wholesome pet food.

For more information visit http://rescuebank.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/RescueBank.

About Feeding America

Feeding America is the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in theUnited States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs thatimprove food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; andadvocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry.  Individuals, charities, businesses andgovernment all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

*The actual number of meals donated is based on dog and cat food bags sold.  The meal donation estimate is based on historic sales for similar time periods. No guaranteed amount. Rescue Bank and Feeding America will help distribute a large portion of the pet food donation in the U.S.

**For every bag of dog or cat dry food purchased at a PetSmart store, PetSmart.com or PetSmart.ca between 3/1/17 – 12/31/17, PetSmart will donate a meal (5 oz dog food; 1.5 oz cat food) to PetSmart Charities to help feed a pet in need. Visit www.PetSmart.com/giveameal for more information.

Contacts:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart launches Easter Collection

  • Easter Bunny Photo Event in All Stores April 8; Collection Includes Bunny Costumes,
  • Tees, Accessories, Treats and Toys Perfect for Pet Easter Baskets

PHOENIX, 2017-Apr-06 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart wants all pets to be ready for the season so it’s launching an Easter Collection chock-full of festive apparel, accessories, toys and treats to celebrate the spring holiday.  With bunny costumes, bunny-eared accessories and festive collars, PetSmart has lots of styling options for photo ops with the Easter Bunny, who will be visiting all PetSmart stores across North America, Saturday, April 8, 12-4 p.m. (local time; please check your local store for availability).

“We are thrilled to offer a visit with the Easter Bunny this coming Saturday in all our stores,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart.  “This photo op will be fun for all — families, kids and pets a like.  We’ll be offering all the items and services needed to get pets photo-ready and to enrich the season with more special moments with our pets.”

Festive apparel and accessories for the Easter season include the “I Love Everybunny” tee, an all-white hippity hoppity bunny dog hoodie, bunny ear headband, as well as brightly color collars.

Include your pet in the Easter basket tradition by filling theirs with fun treats like vanilla-flavored duck cookie dog treats, apple-cinnamon-flavored egg cookie treats, a “Happy Spring” dog bone treat and carrot-shaped cookie. Easter-themed toys include Peeps® squeaker toys in a range of options from plush to vinyl renditions, as well as flatties and plush toys featuring bunnies, chicks, pigs and other springtime critters.

In addition to the free Easter Bunny photo op, the national in-store Easter Bunny Event will include give-aways such as Easter-themed finger puppets, as well as a craft activity and scavenger hunt experience for kids*.

Special Offers Help Pet Parents get Spring- and Easter-Ready!

For a single day only, April 8, U.S.-based PetSmart stores are offering special discounts to help pet parents get pets ready with grooming, as well as product offers to fill their Easter baskets with pet treats and toys.  Special one-day-only discount offers are available on the nail grind service, apparel purchases, all dog and cat treats, as well as pet toys.**

New Philanthropic Program

Last month, in celebration of PetSmart’s 30th anniversary, the pet retailer launched the unprecedented Buy a Bag, Give a Meal program***, where it will give a meal to a pet in need for any and every bag of dog or cat food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, in its more than 1,500 stores and online at PetSmart.com and PetSmart.ca, including through its automatic subscription-based service available at PetSmart.com. PetSmart said it expects to donate more than 60 million meals**** under this philanthropic program.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they, together, can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 200 in-store PetSmart®  PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and products, as well as pet-focused services such as dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart® Doggie Day Camp® and pet adoption.  PetSmart, together with non-profits PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, invite more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into stores so they have the best chance possible of finding a forever home.  Through this in-store adoption program and other signature events, PetSmart has facilitated more than 7.3 million adoptions – more than any other brick-and-mortar organization. The company’s portfolio of digital resources for pet parents includes PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, OnlyNaturalPet.com, Pet360.com, petMD.com, Pawculture.com,  AllPaws, an online pet adoption platform that helps potential pet parents find the perfect pet to adopt based on their home, family and lifestyle, as well as BlogPaws, the world’s first pet blogger and influencer network. Through these digital platforms, PetSmart offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S.  In celebration of its 30th anniversary, PetSmart launched its Buy a Bag, Give a Meal™ program in March 2017.  For every bag of cat or dog food purchased March 1 – Dec. 31, 2017, PetSmart will donate a meal to pets in need and expects to donate more than 60 million meals in 2017.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

*April 8th give-aways and craft and scavenger hunt experiences available while supplies last.  See local stores for details.

**Offers valid in U.S. stores only with PetPerks® membership on 4/8/17 while supplies last and subject to availability. Free merchandise must be equal to or lesser value than purchased merchandise for Buy One Get One Free offer. Selection of grooming services may vary by store and pet age, health & vaccination requirements may apply. See store for additional details.

*** For every bag of dog or cat dry food purchased at a PetSmart store, PetSmart.com or PetSmart.ca between 3/1/17 – 12/31/17, PetSmart will donate a meal (5 oz dog food; 1.5 oz cat food) to PetSmart Charities to help feed a pet in need. Visit www.PetSmart.com/giveameal for more information.

****Actual donation based on dog and cat food bag sales.  Meal donation goal based on historic sales for similar time period. No guaranteed amount.

Contacts:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
972-341-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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24,428 Pets adopted during PetSmart Charities’ first National Adoption Weekend of 2017

PHOENIX, 2017-Feb-27 — /EPR Retail News/ — This past weekend, North Americans opened their hearts and their homes to more than 24,000 adoptable pets who were looking for their forever families during PetSmart Charities’ first National Adoption Weekend of 2017—hosted at over 1,500 PetSmart stores across the continent.  This weekend event ranks among the top most successful adoption events for the leading pet specialty retailer and the leading funder of animal welfare.

“We are thrilled by the continued success of our National Adoption Weekend event where 24,428 pets’ lives were saved,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer at PetSmart. “Through this powerful effort between PetSmart Charities, PetSmart stores, our associates and thousands of adoption partners from coast to coast, we continue our commitment to helping pets find their forever homes and to serve as a trusted partner to new pet parents everywhere.”

Four times each year, PetSmart teams up with PetSmart Charities and more than 3,000 animal welfare organizations on National Adoption Weekends to bring adoptable pets into PetSmart stores to find them the forever homes they deserve.  While often referred to as National Adoption “Weekend,” the adoption efforts span the entire week with the majority of the pets – 23,000 on average – adopted between Friday and Sunday.  PetSmart, The Adopt Spot, has helped to facilitate over 7.3 million adoptions to date, more than any other brick-and-mortar organization.  For every 30 seconds a PetSmart store is open, a pet is adopted, totaling 1,400 pets’ lives saved every day.

“We are excited to report the success of our first National Adoption Weekend event of the New Year to kick off our lifesaving efforts in 2017,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., president of PetSmart Charities.  “Pet adoption continues to be key to our mission to end pet homelessness and connect people and pets across the United States and Canada.  We look forward to saving even more lives as the year progresses.”

Did You Adopt This Weekend?

New pet parents who wish to share their heartwarming adoption stories and photos with their new four-legged family member are encouraged to use the hashtag #iadopted on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. The next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend will be held on May 5-7, 2017.

PetSmart’s Adoption Kit

As a gift to those who saved a life through adoption, no matter where they choose to adopt their pet, PetSmart offers a free Adoption Kit* that provides useful content on how to integrate a pet into the family while offering true value – more than $450 in savings.  Included are coupons for a free bag of dog or cat food from Simply Nourish™, Authority® or Good Natured™, a free veterinarian visit, a complimentary private training session with an accredited trainer, a free Doggie Day Camp session and a free overnight boarding stay, as well as half off on a grooming service.  Also included are savings on all the essentials for a new pet, including beds, crates, gates, brushes, feeding bowls, collars, leashes, toys and treats, as well as solutions like pet calming products and stain and odor remedies for any mishaps that may occur.

*Adoption paperwork is required.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S.  Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.  The Adopt Spot is a trademark of PetSmart, Inc.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart 
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets.  Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events.  Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to pets in need by making donations directly to PetSmart Charities on a pin pad at the registers in PetSmart stores.  PetSmart Charities administers and efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar of the generous donations by issuing grants and providing additional support to help pets in need.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation.  PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc.  PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada.  Each year more than 25,000 pets find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $10 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation and emergency relief grants that help pets and pet parents impacted by natural and man-made disasters.  PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity, independent from PetSmart.

Contacts:
PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart encourages pet parents to treat their pets – furry and scaly – on Valentine’s Day

Recent Survey on Valentine’s Spending Shows Pet Parents Intend to Include Pets in Their Gift Giving

PHOENIX, 2017-Feb-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — Pets make us laugh, bring us joy, and sometimes they make messes, but no matter what pets do, we love them unconditionally. In the spirit of love, PetSmart, the largest specialty pet retailer across North America, encourages pet parents to treat their pets – furry and scaly – on Valentine’s Day.

Last week, the National Retail Foundation released its 2017 Valentine’s Day spending report citing nearly 20 percent of those surveyed plan to give gifts to their pets to celebrate the Valentine’s holiday, beating out those planning to give gifts to co-workers (10 percent), teachers (18 percent) and nearly neck-and-neck with those planning to give gifts to friends (20.2 percent).

“We love our pets and there is no better time to show that love than Valentine’s Day,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Our new Valentine’s Day assortment has everything including festive apparel, unique treats and toys, as well as the exclusive-to-PetSmart ED Ellen DeGeneres collection with its signature “Love”-themed items.   As a trusted partner, we aim to provide pet parents with everything they need to shower their pets with love on Valentine’s Day and all year long.”

Brighten Up Their Wardrobe – Seasonal bandana collars, a top seller at PetSmart, are an easy option for keeping your pooch seasonably fashionable. The Top Paw® Valentine’s Bandana Dog Collar offers a respite from the dreary winter months with bright pops of red and pink and the new, exclusive-to-PetSmart ED Ellen DeGeneres collection also has a strong “love” vibe, with items including the Love-Themed Bandana Collar and Pocket Love Dog Tee. “Be Mine” Hair Bows and tees designed with love-inspired tick-tack-toe designs all but guarantee great photographs to share on social media. Don’t forget the Top Paw® Glitter Heart Hoodie Dress, with a ruffle skirt for the fashion-forward pup.

Deck Out Their Habitat (and Yours) – Ornaments are an easy way to freshen up a fish tank while also adding a pop of festive seasonal décor to your home. This year, PetSmart has nine new love-themed ornaments featuring a mermaid, smooching dolphins, hearts and a cupcake. Also new this year are two heart-shaped Top Fin® Betta Tanks. These desktop aquariums feature an LED light that illuminates your underwater habitat, making it especially entertaining for kids and anyone with a soft spot for love. Keep the love theme going in your home with the exclusive ED Ellen DeGeneres Love Bed, which is sure to bring stylish cozy comfort to pups for months to come.

Surprise Them with a New Toy – Plush “conversation” hearts with squeakers and messages like, “Free (Wet) Kisses” and “Love” spelled with a paw print are sure to delight any pup. Festive toys like the zebra flattie and rope tug toy encourage interactive playtime.

Treat Your Funny Valentine – Bocce’s Bakery Red Velvet Dog Treats offer a delicious way to commemorate Valentine’s Day. These heart-shaped treats are made with just a handful of ingredients like oat flour, beets and peanut butter. Additional treats include grilled chicken and cheese flavored Love Bites and peanut butter flavored Bits of Love.

Relax with a Spa Day – PetSmart Grooming Salons offer a range of indulgences ideal for pampering your pup like the Top Dog SPAW Coconut package which includes coconut-infused shampoo, paw massage, Very Berry face wash and a soothing treatment using coconut nose and paw moisturizing balm.*

Keep ‘em Kissably Fresh – It may be the month of love, but it’s also National Pet Dental Health Month! On the day when extra kisses are in order, ensure your pet’s teeth are clean and kissably fresh with GREENIES® Dental Chews for dogs and GREENIES® Dental Cat Treats.

Is this your puppy’s first Valentine’s Day? Join us Feb. 11 in stores from 12-3 pm (local time) at PetSmart’s “Puppy Love” event! In addition to providing pet parents with tips on how to keep your puppy healthy and strong, this family-friendly event will also offer free samples, coupons and a personalized paw print keepsake.**

*Services are subject to availability. Pet age, health, and vaccination requirements apply. See store for details.
**All giveaways available while supplies last. For more information, visit petsmart.com.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate approximately 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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ED Ellen DeGeneres pet lifestyle brand exclusively available at PetSmart stores

Comprehensive Collection Includes Pet Apparel, Accessories, Toys, Beds,
At-Home Grooming Products and More

PHOENIX & LOS ANGELES, 2017-Feb-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart Inc., the leading pet specialty retailer in North America, announced today (Feb. 1, 2017) the launch of the ED Ellen DeGeneres pet lifestyle brand exclusively available at PetSmart stores across the continent. Ellen’s inaugural collection features hundreds of pet products perfect for the Spring season such as apparel and accessories, as well as toys, beds, feeding bowls and an at-home grooming naturals line. The products are available starting today at PetSmart.com and with a phased roll-out in nearly all of PetSmart’s more than 1,500 stores by next month.

PetSmart and DeGeneres, a pet enthusiast and design icon, signed a multi-year deal to collaborate and create this innovative pet lifestyle brand — Ellen’s first venture into pet products. The new pet lifestyle brand taps Ellen’s distinctive design sensibility and PetSmart’s pet know-how to create exciting new products for pet parents everywhere. The collection launches with a Spring collection for dogs with seasonal refreshes four times a year. Future collections plan to include products for cats.

“I am so excited to launch my pet collection with PetSmart.  I mean, they help pets and they’re smart. What more can I ask for? And if you think I’m excited about the pet collection, wait until I tell you how excited my pets are. At least I think they are. They’re either excited about the pet collection or they really need to go outside,” stated Ellen DeGeneres.

Inaugural ED Ellen DeGeneres Pet Collection

The Spring launch collection includes more than 250 items representing key design themes directed by Ellen as fitting for the pet lifestyle: Nautical, Love, Sport and an exclusive “Scribble Dog” where products such as toys, beds, a treat jar, collars and leashes feature a distinctive line-art sketch inspired by one of her own dogs. The ED Love collection includes tote carriers, dog treat wristlets, feeding bowls, placemats and apparel inscribed with the “Love” insignia, while Sport-themed toys include plush soccer, football and basketball toys and sporty tees. The on-trend Nautical line offers seafaring-themed products including a unique boat-shaped pet bed, a “first mate” tee and collars adorned with maritime flags, among other items.

The at-home grooming products include a variety of shampoos, conditioners, fragrance spritzes and wipes, as well as styling tools such as brushes, clippers and combs. All of the products in line contain naturally derived ingredients and are formulated specifically for dogs’ skin and coat.

“Without a doubt, Ellen DeGeneres is one of the most iconic people of our time, and we are tremendously pleased to partner with Ellen on her brand, ED Ellen DeGeneres, and her first-ever pet lifestyle collection,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Ellen is well known for her distinctive design aesthetic and passion for pets, and we saw that come through with her thoughtful attention to details as we teamed up to create the launch collection. We are eager to see the line come to life not only in our stores and on our website, but also in homes, dog parks and streets across the U.S. and Canada.”

Co-Marketing Integrations

In addition to offering the product collection featuring Ellen’s unique style and taste, PetSmart is also the exclusive sponsor of “Ellen’s Pet Dish,” an animated and humorous look at the life of DeGeneres’ pets while she’s not at home. Products from her PetSmart pet collection will be integrated into the web-based episodes, which are set to premiere beginning in March on http://www.ellentube.com and on Ellen’s YouTube channel. The series will feature the voice of Ellen and her beloved, witty, cute, funny and sometimes sassy pets.

The ED Ellen DeGeneres PetSmart products are also expected to be featured on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” throughout 2017.

Shoppers can find the exclusive collection featured in a dedicated ED Ellen DeGeneres brand shop at  www.petsmart.com/edellendegeneres, as well as a comprehensive, easy-to-shop ED Ellen DeGeneres fixture in nearly all PetSmart stores across North America.

About ED Ellen DeGeneres

ED is Ellen DeGeneres’ American lifestyle brand inspired by her iconic style, values and personality. ED was launched in 2015 as a joint partnership with Ellen DeGeneres and Christopher Burch, CEO of Burch Creative Capital. With a passion for interior design, architecture and fashion, Ellen brings her unique vision to this beautifully designed, high-quality collection of women’s apparel, footwear, accessories, pet products as well as home furnishings and decor. The lifestyle brand is real, accessible and every product feels like a personal connection between Ellen and the consumers around the world. EDbyEllen.com

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate more than 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469.680.2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623.587.2177

ED Brand:
Erika Stair
VP of PR, ED Ellen DeGeneres
646.214.2892

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart® offers tips for welcoming a new puppy home

84 Percent of U.S. Dog Owners Believe a New Puppy is More Exciting than a New Car*; Now is the Time to Get the Best Advice for Welcoming a New Puppy Home

PHOENIX, 2016-Dec-29 — /EPR Retail News/ — Nothing is more heartwarming than the first warm nuzzle from a new puppy, especially at the holidays. As a matter of fact, nearly half (46 percent) of dog owners have bought or adopted a puppy specifically around the holidays* and a stunning 51 percent of those who got a puppy at the holidays revealed they have also made a New Year’s resolution involving their puppy*.

To help new puppy parents welcome their pets home – and keep those New Year’s commitments – PetSmart, the largest pet specialty retailer across North America, and trusted partner to pet parents and pets, is here to help with expert advice including pet nutrition, socialization, new puppy essentials and pet healthcare.

“No matter the season, it’s always a moving and emotional experience when a puppy finds a new home,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We at PetSmart love all pets and know they make us better people. Our passionate associates are available to help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. For many families across the U.S., that journey started earlier this month with a new puppy arrival at the holidays — a true gift for all.”

The survey results show that puppy love and the trust we have for them is very real. Among millennials in the recent study, about 60 percent say they have told their puppy more secrets in their first year together than they have told to their significant other*. Even choosing the right name for a new puppy is a serious – but fun – business, with roughly half of those same survey respondents saying it was harder to agree on a puppy’s name than a child’s name*!

Once the New Year’s countdown is over, these tips on caring for a new puppy can help keep them happy and healthy for years to come:

ID Your Pet

New pets are still getting acclimated to their new home and with people in and out, it can be easy for them to slip out of a door. Be prepared in case they embark on an unplanned solo journey around the neighborhood. To ensure you are reunited with your pup, outfit them with proper ID, including a TagWorks® Personalized ID Tag and durable matching collar and leash.

Find a Veterinarian

A veterinarian should be your first call if your puppy gets into something that could potentially harm them. Vets are also great resources to keep you up-to-date on puppy care, like knowing when to vaccinate. Use the askPETMD app to find a veterinarian in your area. This free app is available now for iOS and Android devices at the Apple App and Google Play stores.

Pup-Proof Your Home

Dogs love to chew, whether it’s on shoes or something more dangerous like wiring and extension cords. To protect them and promote positive chewing experiences, use toys or treats to occupy their time and allow them to chew safely, such as a Nylabone® Puppy Bone Starter Toy Kit and a durable KONG® Puppy Toy. Keeping toxins away from puppies is critical too, so place household products like trash, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies out of their reach.

Give Puppies their Own Space

According to the recent Wakefield and PetSmart survey*, 47 percent of U.S. dog owners let their puppy sleep in the bed with them seven nights per week*. But, when it’s time for puppies to rest on their own, create a space for them to nap and feel safe. A puppy crate like this one can do double duty, providing puppies their own area away from stressors and as a structure that promotes potty training. A warm and cozy “cave pet bed” is a great refuge for pups to rest and snuggle too.

Give Your Pup Time to Say Hi

Socialization is critical during a pup’s early years. While everyone may be ready to meet the new member of your family, consider introducing them to one or two people at a time, so the puppy can get to know them and warm up to their scent.

Research Puppy Nutrition

It may be tempting to feed a puppy human food, but they require specially formulated puppy food and often have different eating schedules than an adult dog. Do your research, read labels and ask questions of the experts. Consider Simply Nourish™, Blue Buffalo® or Only Natural Pet®, leading natural pet lifestyle brands, which offer such formulas as Puppy Power Feast food, as well as lots of great pet treats.

Invest in Training

Consistent training is an important responsibility of a puppy parent. Dogs crave love and praise and a properly trained pooch will better understand what’s expected of him or her and will be happy to showcase good behavior. Get help from puppy training experts to ensure all human family members and the new pup to live happily in one harmonious pack.

Use the PetSmart Pet Lifestyle Mobile App

Perfect for the on-the-go pet lifestyle, PetSmart’s new mobile app can assist new pet parents with tips and content. Pet parents can register and create a pet profile for their new pup, and get tailored content that can help guide pet parents through the first months with a new puppy. The app provides checklists and guidelines for scheduling vaccinations, alerts to train a puppy, suggestions on food choices, and even provides tips on what kind of items you might need during the various stages of a puppy’s growth and development. The new app is available now for iOS and Android devices for free at the Apple App and Google Play stores.

Consider Pet Adoption

For those looking to get a new pet, consider pet adoption. As a gift to those who saved a life through adoption (no matter where they choose to adopt their pet**), PetSmart offers its free Adoption Kit, which provides useful content on how to integrate a pet into the family while offering true value – with more than $450 in real savings – to the adoption parent. Included are coupons for a free bag of dog or cat food from Simply Nourish™, Authority® or Good Natured™, a free veterinarian visit, a complimentary private training session with an accredited trainer, a free Doggie Day Camp session and a free overnight boarding stay, as well as half-off on a grooming service. Also included are savings on all the essentials for a new pet, including beds, crates, gates, brushes, feeding bowls, collars, leashes, toys and treats, as well as solutions like pet calming products and stain and odor remedies for any mishaps that may occur.

* According to a recent online survey of 1,000 dog owners in the U.S. and Canada commissioned by PetSmart and conducted by Wakefield Research.
** Adoption paperwork is required.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate approximately 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts: 
Golin for PetSmart Inc.
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469.680.2503

PetSmart Media Line: 
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart brings back National Fetch It Day on Dec. 23; buy online and fetch purchases through in-store pickup service

To Celebrate the Day, Pet Specialty Retailer Offers up to 20 Percent Off for All Buy-Online, In-Store Pickup Purchases; Don’t Forget Our Best Friends with a Range of Pet Treats, Toys and Festive Apparel

PHOENIX, 2016-Dec-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — With Christmas just five days away and the window closing for guaranteed home delivery for online orders, PetSmart announced it is bringing back its signature National Fetch It Day on Dec. 23 — a retail day first launched last year by the pet specialty retailer where shoppers can buy online and fetch their purchased items with easy and convenient in-store pickup service.

According to a recent survey of 1,000 dog owners in both the U.S. and Canada commissioned by PetSmart and conducted by Wakefield Research, 82 percent of dog owners in the U.S. and 76 percent of dog owners in Canada have bought their pup a present for the holidays. Last-minute shopping tends to be the norm for holiday pet gifts, and so, in response and to support down-to-the-wire shoppers, National Fetch It Day was created by PetSmart to assure gifts are placed under the tree for pets and pet lovers in time for Christmas.

To celebrate, all day Dec. 23, PetSmart will offer up to 20 percent off shoppers’ entire online purchase* when they select the in-store pickup option. Shoppers can pick up their items during store hours that day, or on Dec. 24, giving them time to wrap and place the gifts under the tree for their four-legged friends. PetSmart is also extending its hours with a 7 a.m. open time for both Dec. 23 and 24 across its store chain, giving early birds a two hour jump on fetching their orders. Packages can be fetched two hours after being ordered online and shoppers will receive email confirmation that the order is ready for store pickup. The first 10 shoppers in stores this Friday will receive a free Lucky, Chance or Stanley plush toy, commemorative items that are popular among shoppers as they make great gifts for people and pets. These toys are also philanthropic with 10 percent of the proceeds of the product sales donated to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need.

“We love our pets and believe they deserve holiday gifts too! Last year’s inaugural launch of National Fetch It Day exceeded our expectations, with thousands of pet parents placing online orders for pickup at stores across our store chain,” said Eran Cohen, Chief Customer Experience Officer, PetSmart. “Fetch It Day truly offers the best of both worlds for our pet parents – the convenience of shopping online or on-the-go via a mobile device and then simply swinging by a store to quickly and easily fetch their gifts in time for Christmas.”

Last month, PetSmart also launched its new PetSmart.com site with its commerce-meets-content experience. The new site is mobile-response optimized and features a fresh approach to pet supply shopping – all aimed at letting pet parents shop how, when and where they wish.

PetSmart has all the gifts topping pets’ wish lists this year*, from festive pet apparel for photo ops to toys for gift opening events and feasting treats. PetSmart’s Holiday ’16 collection is one of its largest holiday pet collections to date featuring a range of human-inspired pet food. PetSmart also has great last-minute gifts for humans, including coffee mugs featuring cats and dogs, holiday tree ornaments and vintage glass bird feeders, as well as a line of philanthropic items that give back to pets in need.
*Some exclusions apply to the National Fetch It Day offer. See PetSmart.com for details.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate approximately 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contact:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source:  PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart announces FREE Same-Day delivery service for online purchases on Dec. 17-24

  • More Than 80 Percent of U.S. Dog Owners Buy Presents for Their Pets at the Holidays
  • With Many Last-Minute Shoppers, PetSmart Makes It Easier for Pet Parents to Get Last-Minute Gifts

PHOENIX, 2016-Dec-21 — /EPR Retail News/ — As the online shopping window is closing for traditional home delivery, PetSmart announced today (Dec. 19, 2016) it is offering FREE Same-Day delivery service for all PetSmart.com online purchases to homes in the New York City and Yonkers metro areas. The Same-Day service is offered through the pet specialty retailer’s collaboration partner, Deliv, and is available in 15 additional metro areas across the nation, totaling nearly 2,500 ZIP codes.

“We know pet parents love to involve their pets at the holidays, including giving them gifts,” said Eran Cohen, Chief Customer Experience Officer, PetSmart. “We also know it’s a hectic time for a lot of families and that pets might be last on the gift list. We aim to make shopping hassle-free for pet parents. So starting Dec. 17 through Dec. 24, in the 17 cities covered, pet parents can order online from their desktops or while on-the-go from their mobile devices at PetSmart.com and receive their packages that day with free delivery service. Even the eleventh-hour shoppers are covered because orders placed on Christmas Eve before 2 p.m. can arrive later that same day* just in time for gift openings.”

PetSmart has all the gifts topping pets’ wish lists this year,*** from festive pet apparel for photo ops to toys for gift opening events and feasting treats to involve pets in dinner parties and family meals. PetSmart’s Holiday ’16 collection is one of its largest holiday pet collections to date. PetSmart also has last-minute gifts for pet-loving humans, including coffee mugs featuring dogs and cats, holiday tree ornaments and vintage glass bird feeders, as well as philanthropic items that give back to pets in need, including PetSmart’s collectible line of Chance and Lucky plush toys.

Deliv is a leading crowdsourced, last-mile logistics company that powers scheduled, same-day delivery and returns for omnichannel retailers, local businesses and e-commerce companies. For PetSmart.com’s Same-Day delivery service, PetSmart utilizes its stores in the local community as fulfillment resources, an efficient approach in online retail.

In addition to the local metro areas in New York City and Yonkers, PetSmart.com’s Same-Day delivery service with Deliv is also available in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, San Jose, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, Northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

*Nearly 2,500 ZIP codes are covered for Same-Day delivery service in the 17 metro areas. As online shoppers select products and insert their ZIP code, they will learn if Same-Day service is available to them and for that product. Some exclusions apply for PetSmart’s Same-Day delivery service and the free offer. See PetSmart.com for details. Orders placed on Dec. 24 by 2 p.m. are expected to be received by 6 p.m.

**According to a recent online survey of 1,000 dog owners in both the U.S. and Canada commissioned by PetSmart and conducted by Wakefield Research.

***While supplies last. Selection may vary by store.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 55,000 associates, operate approximately 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 204 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities.. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contact:
Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source:  PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart to donate 10 percent of sales from its Holiday Philanthropic Collection to charities supporting children and pets in need

PHOENIX, 2016-Nov-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the people on your gift list who seem to have it all, PetSmart presents an exclusive collection of holiday gifts for people and pets alike. Best of all, these gifts have the power to do a lot of good. Through Dec. 25, PetSmart will donate 10 percent of the sales from its Holiday Philanthropic Collection to PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, the largest funders of animal welfare in North America, to help pets in need across the U.S. and Canada. Last year, sales from the philanthropic line raised more than $1 million, and this year PetSmart expects to raise about the same amount for the nonprofits.

At the core of the Holiday Philanthropic Collection is PetSmart’s collectible line of adorable plush toys: Chance, Lucky and Stanley.* These commemorative toys first launched in 2013 and are updated and refreshed every holiday season. For the third year in a row, PetSmart stores in the U.S. and Canada will conduct toy drives with Chance, Lucky and Stanley for children in need by teaming up with community partners. Through these toy drives, PetSmart shoppers are invited to purchase a plush toy and donate it at an in-store collection bin. The donated toys support toy drives organized by local children’s hospitals and police and fire departments to deliver a holiday gift to a child in need.

“Giving back is a holiday tradition at PetSmart and it is essential to the passion and purpose of our company,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer at PetSmart. “Through our Holiday Philanthropic Collection, our stores, associates and customers are able to help make the holidays a little more merry for the pets we support through our work with PetSmart Charities, and for children in need in the local communities where our 1,500 PetSmart stores operate.”

Details on PetSmart’s Holiday Philanthropic Collection:

  • Chance, Lucky and Stanley* Plush Toys: A trio of kid- and pet-friendly plush toys that squeak when squeezed. Holiday shoppers can purchase toys to take home or choose to donate them to a toy drive at their local PetSmart store for children in need. All three retail for $5.00 each.
  • Holiday Throws/Blankets: A selection of super-soft 50 x 60 inch blankets available in 12 different colors and designs to ensure your loved ones and their four-legged friends stay warm and cozy this winter. Blankets retail for $29.99. One of the designs, featuring the slogan, “I just want to drink wine and pet my dog,” is already a top-selling holiday item.
  • XL-Plush Toys: Extra-large and extra cuddly plush toys come in four different characters: a brown dog, grey dog, holiday moose and penguin. Available at select PetSmart stores.
    XL-Plush toys retail for $19.99.
  • Chance and Lucky Gift Cards: According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards are still one of the most sought-after gifts this holiday season, with 61 percent of shoppers reporting that the item is high on their gift shopping list. Through Dec. 25, PetSmart will donate 10 percent of the initial value placed on a special Chance and Lucky branded PetSmart gift card to PetSmart Charities. It’s the perfect gift for a pet lover or pet parent who has recently welcomed a new pet into their home.

#GivingTuesday – a Day Dedicated to Giving Back

Since 2012, Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, has been celebrated the Tuesday following the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping weekend, to kick off the charitable season. For one day only, on #GivingTuesday (Tues., Nov. 29) 100 percent of the sales from online and in-store purchases of Chance, Lucky and Stanley* plush toys will be donated to PetSmart Charities in the U.S. or PetSmart Charities of Canada.PIN Pad Donations

Throughout the holiday season and every day in PetSmart stores, shoppers can effortlessly contribute to PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada through donations made on the PIN pad at store checkouts. The nonprofit organizations – which together have contributed more than $300 million to date to directly help pets in need – administer and efficiently use 90 cents of every dollar of the donations by issuing grants and providing additional support to help pets in need across North America. PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.For those who would like a tax receipt for their charitable donation, please give online at www.petsmartcharities.org or www.petsmartcharities.ca. A donation made in the name of a loved one who is an animal welfare enthusiast can also make a meaningful holiday gift. Please consider making a donation and write a thoughtful card letting them know of your donation and how it will help pets in need.

With the help of PetSmart shoppers, PetSmart Charities, a strategic grantmaker dedicated to ending pet homelessness, helping pets in need and connecting pets and people, is expected to donate an estimated $30 million in 2016 alone. Funding support is granted to local animal welfare organizations and nonprofits that share PetSmart Charities’ mission.

*Stanley plush toy is available online and in-store in Canada and online in the U.S.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,500 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events. Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need by making donations on a pin pad at the register.  PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar to support its mission of finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc. PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada. Each year more than 20,000 pets find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $9.9 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered charity, independent from PetSmart.

Contacts:
Lauren Sawyer
lsawyer@petsmart.com
623-295-3238

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart unveils its largest holiday pet collections to date

Pet Holiday™ Line Includes Toys, Treats, Apparel, Accessories and Home Décor Items Perfect for Styling a Holiday Photo Op, Bringing Pets in on Dinner Parties and Delivering Gifts under the Tree; Philanthropic Line Donates to Pets In Need

PHOENIX, 2016-Nov-17 — /EPR Retail News/ — The holiday shopping season is underway and PetSmart, the largest pet specialty retailer across North America, is celebrating with one of its largest holiday pet collections to date, including human-inspired pet food that looks so deliciously decadent people may give it a try.

“Our team at PetSmart has created one of the most comprehensive holiday collections with hundreds of ideas to bring our pets into the spirit of the season including an even wider array of human-inspired pet treats that mirror many of the foods we enjoy over the holidays,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “From appetizer-themed treats like the cheese and sausage snack tray to a Merry Meals Turkey, Sweet Potato and Cranberry dinner, sweet potato pie slices, macaroons and holiday frosted cookies, pets can savor the season with food items similar to those enjoyed by their human best friends.”

Cohen said there are also fun holiday pet costumes, apparel and accessory items for dressing up pets, lots of toy options and fresh home décor products such as holiday-themed pet beds – a gift for you and your pet.

Festive Styling

Get your pet photo-ready for holiday parties, family photo ops and all the special moments of the season with a range of costumes and accessories like Santa and reindeer costumes, festive plaid collars with bow tie treatments and adorable sweaters featuring a hipster reindeer. Holiday hair bows, doggie socks and reindeer antler headbands add an extra special touch. PetSmart also has a wide range of costumes for small pets, such as guinea pigs, with Santa, elf and reindeer themes.

Gifting

Include pets by tucking gifts especially for them under the tree or by hanging a stocking, like the cable knit paw-print stocking, on the mantle. Furry friends are sure to enjoy seasonal toys like the holiday emotions toys, along with fun bouncy ball toys featuring Santa. Rawhide chews inspired by candy canes and Lumps of Coal or Reindeer Fuel treats make great stocking stuffers. Holiday scratchers and toy gift sets make excellent cat gifts. Also included is a Hanukkah Collection with dreidel and menorah toys, as well as collars featuring a festive rich blue.

Feasting

To let pets in on the feasting of the season, PetSmart has a range of pet treats including Simply Nourish Merry Meals, Turkey, Giblet and Vegetable for cats and Turkey and Sweet Potato for dogs, turkey leg-shaped chicken-flavored rawhide chews and turkey stuffing pet treats – perfect for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Also included are the classic cheese and sausage snack tray and other savory treats. Sweet treats include a pie slice,macaroons, sprinkle spritzes, cannolis and holiday frosted cookies.

Home Décor

Style your home with festive pet items like beds, bowls and fish tank ornaments. Pet beds feature holiday classics like Santa, holiday trees and wintery plaid treatments. A pet bed gift set featuring a bed, blanket and toy is offered in seven colors.

Gifts that Give Back

Continuing the tradition, PetSmart offers holiday products that give back to pets in need. Items in this collection include the classic collectible plush toys, Lucky and Chance, as well as seven pet-themed throws with sayings like “I just want to drink wine and pet my dog.” Also included are over-sized plush pets featuring dogs, a penguin and a reindeer – the perfect gift for kids and pets alike. Through Dec. 25, 2016, PetSmart will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the sales of these items to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need. Last year, this program raised $1 million for the nonprofit organization.

Perfect Gifts for the Pet Lover

New to PetSmart’s holiday line this year are pet-themed gifts that are ideal for any pet enthusiast, including coffee mugs featuring cats and just about every dog breed out there, as well as holiday tree ornaments. Also in the holiday collection are vintage glass bird feeders, a unique and special gift for the bird enthusiast.

Photo Ops with Santa

Bring out the entire family, and of course your four-legged family members, for a festive holiday photo with Santa Claus. PetSmart will have Santa on hand for photo ops at all stores Dec. 10-11, 12-4 p.m. local time.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,477 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469.680.2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart unveils its completely new site PetSmart.com

New PetSmart.com Introduces Responsive Design, Engaging User Experiences Utilizing Pet-Centric Content and Enhanced Fulfillment Capabilities Including Same-Day and Scheduled Delivery

PHOENIX, 2016-Nov-09 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart, Inc. today (Nov. 7, 2016 ) announced the launch of its completely new PetSmart.com site with a commerce-meets-content experience.  The new site features a fresh approach to pet supply shopping and industry-leading home delivery options such as same-day and scheduled delivery – all aimed at letting pet parents shop how, when and where they wish.

“We are thrilled to launch the completely re-engineered PetSmart.com site, which offers a range of best-in-class features that allow pet parents to shop and engage with us whenever and wherever they wish,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart.  “Our omnichannel strategy is aimed at giving pet parents options tailored to their needs and desires. We look forward to seeing their response to the new site with its new user experience and commerce-meets-content approach, as well as to our expanded and convenient home delivery options, which capitalize on our extensive store network for same-day and scheduled delivery.”

The new site reflects feedback from pet parents and includes features such as one-page checkout and new tailored delivery options like recurring subscription-based shipping, scheduled delivery and same-day delivery. The scheduled and same-day delivery services leverage PetSmart stores as fulfillment resources, an efficient approach in online retail.

“Leading retailers are strategically differentiating themselves through customer-centric user experiences that both define the brand and meet the dynamic expectations of today’s digitally savvy consumers,” says Brendan Witcher, principal analyst with Forrester Research. “PetSmart’s move to better align the commerce experience with each individual’s unique shopping journey shows they are putting the customer at the center of their strategy.”

PetSmart.com’s new features include:  

  • A new technology platform powered by SalesForce® Commerce Cloud technology (previously known as Demandware) that lets PetSmart.com deliver best-in-class online and mobile experiences.  By moving to an industry-leading, flexible cloud-based platform, PetSmart can easily expand its connected commerce capabilities in the future.
  • Amplified user experience delivering an online pet-centric lifestyle approach that combines commerce and content, making it easier than ever before for pet parents to search for the right products, services and information, such as tips, solutions and pet advice.
  • Responsive design that is optimized for mobile, providing pet parents a convenient shopping experience on their smartphones and tablets. As well, PetSmart plans to launch a mobile app in the coming weeks.
  • A mobile-desktop shared cart feature, where the items placed in the cart on the desktop and saved for future reference or purchase can be viewed via mobile devices (and vice versa).
  • The ability for pet parents to now book grooming services through the new PetSmart.com site and request a PetsHotel stay for their pet.
  • Expansion of home delivery options including recurring subscription-based service and two innovative home delivery services for online pet supply shopping: same-day delivery and customized scheduled delivery, both fueled by Deliv*. The new delivery options are featured directly on the product page.  The same-day and scheduled delivery services are being rolled out now and by mid Nov. are expected in 17 major metro areas** across the country. Delivery can be set within a few hours of purchase and up to two days later.
  • An online in-store product availability system so shoppers can check store inventory and be assured the items they need are on shelves when they arrive to the store.
  • A store associate ordering system, so in the unlikely event products aren’t available in stores, they can be purchased online in the store and shipped directly to the shopper’s home for free.
  • A new fulfillment system, which uses PetSmart stores as fulfillment resources for online orders with same-day or scheduled delivery service.

PetSmart.com boasts one of the industry’s broadest online pet product collections, which includes all the products found in PetSmart stores, as well as thousands of additional items available online.

*Deliv is a leading crowdsourced, last-mile logistics company that powers scheduled, same-day delivery and returns for omnichannel retailers, local businesses, and e-commerce companies.

**As of today, PetSmart.com same-day and scheduled home delivery with Deliv is available in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, San Jose, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle and Chicago. Service in the following markets is expected by mid-November: Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, Yonkers, Northern New Jersey and Washington, D.C.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,477 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469-680-2503

PetSmart Media Line: 
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc.

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PetSmart announces 25,522 pets found their forever homes last week during PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend

PHOENIX, 2016-Sep-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — A total of 25,522 pets found their forever homes last week during the PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend event held at more than 1,470 PetSmart stores across North America – setting a new event record with the most pets adopted at these national events since they were initiated by the retailer and PetSmart Charities more than two decades ago.

This news is on the heels of the organizations’ seven millionth pet adoption milestone, which they started celebrating last week. The lucky seven millionth adopted pet is Daisy, a Fox Terrier-Foxhound mix puppy, who was adopted out of a PetSmart store in Staten Island by the McKenzie family. Daisy serves as the seven millionth pet adopted at a PetSmart store since the in-store adoption program began in the late ‘90s.

Pet adoptions take place at PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekends, as well as every day at PetSmart – where for every 30 seconds a PetSmart store is open a pets’ life is saved, totaling about 1,400 pets’ lives saved every day.

Approximately 25,522 pets were adopted through the event last week (Monday – Sunday), beating the event record by nearly 500 pets and representing a 23 percent increase over last year’s September adoption event.

These signature National Adoption Weekend events at PetSmart are conducted in collaboration with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart CharitiesTM of Canada and adoption partners – more than 3,000 local animal welfare organizations that bring the adoptable pets into stores, where people save pets and pets save people. While called PetSmart Charities National Adoption “Weekend,” the adoption efforts span the week, with the majority of the pets – nearly 23,000 – adopted between Friday and Sunday, when many stores host large parking lot tent events with their local adoption partners to connect adoptable pets with their forever families.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our seven millionth pet adoption and this record-breaking National Adoption Weekend, where more than 25,500 pets found their forever homes this past week in our stores,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Our National Adoption Weekend events are highly coordinated efforts involving nearly all aspects of our company, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada, and thousands of local animal welfare partners. From setting up tents and preparing stores to serve as adoption centers to coordinating with our local partners, we couldn’t be more proud of the collaborative efforts that resulted in our recent adoption successes – together we have saved more than seven million lives in total and more than 25,500 in just one week.”

As a gift to those that adopt and save a life, PetSmart gives its free Adoption Kit, which provides advice on how to integrate a pet into the family and true value – with more than $400 in real savings – to the adoption parent. Included are coupons for a free bag of dog or cat food from Simply Nourish™, Authority® or Good Natured™, as well as a free veterinarian visit, a free training session with an accredited trainer, a free Doggie Day Camp session and a free overnight boarding stay, as well as half-off on two grooming services. Also included are savings on all the essentials for a new pet, including beds, crates, gates, brushes, feeding bowls, collars, leashes, toys and treats, as well as solutions like pet calming products and stain and odor remedies for the mishaps that are sure to occur.

The PetSmart Adoption Kit is industry-leading and available to anybody who adopts, no matter where they adopt* – at PetSmart, a shelter, community event, or even another retailer. On average PetSmart is handing out about 10,000 free Adoption Kits every week.

*Adoption papers required.

Top 10 Most Adoption-Friendly Cities

PetSmart and PetSmart Charities congratulate Fort Worth, which adopted out the most pets in the U.S. during the week-long event. The Fort Worth area’s local adoption partners helped find lifelong, loving homes for 269 cats and dogs.

Based on PetSmart Charities’ September National Adoption Weekend data, the top 10 cities with the most pet adoptions are:

1.         Fort Worth, Texas (269 adoptions)
2.         Chattanooga, Tennessee (265 adoptions)
3.         Columbia, Maryland (246 adoptions)
4.         Albuquerque, New Mexico (243 adoptions)
5.         Houston, Texas (243 adoptions)
6.         Cincinnati, Ohio (188 adoptions)
7.         San Antonio, Texas (182 adoptions)
8.         Dallas, Texas (174 adoptions)
9.         Terre Haute, Indiana (158 adoptions)
10.       Tucson, Arizona (145 adoptions)

The next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend will be held November 11-13, with adoptable pets also available every day at stores. If you’re looking to add a pet to your home, consider saving a life by adopting. Visit or call your local store for more information on adoptable pets or visit www.petsmartcharities.org for more information.

Pet parents everywhere are invited to share their own pet’s adoption story on Instagram or Twitter using #iadopted for a chance to be featured on a special adoption story wall at www.petsmart.com and www.petsmartcharities.org. So far, more than 1,500 posted on the #iadopted story wall. Go to petsmart.com/iadopted and petsmartcharities.org/iadopted to see the stories.

About PetSmart®

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,477 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart 
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets.  Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events.  Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to pets in need by making donations directly to PetSmart Charities on a pin pad at the registers in PetSmart stores.  PetSmart Charities administers and efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar of the generous donations by issuing grants and providing additional support to help pets in need.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation.  PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc.  PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada

PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada.  Each year more than 20,000 cats and dogs find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $9 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation.  PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered charity, independent from PetSmart.

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.:
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469-680-2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart Inc

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PetSmart celebrates seven millionth pet adoption

PHOENIX, 2016-Sep-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — When Daisy trotted out the doors of a Staten Island PetSmart store on a Saturday in August, she became more than the milestone-setting seven millionth pet adopted through PetSmart® and PetSmart Charities® since the in-store adoption program began in 1994. She became another powerful story of people saving pets and pets saving people.

To date, PetSmart, “The Adopt Spot,” has been a part of more of these heartwarming stories than any other organization. PetSmart achieves this milestone together with nonprofits PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, who facilitate in-store adoptions by creating lasting relationships with the more than 3,000 animal welfare partners that bring adoptable pets to the stores. As a strategic grant making organization, PetSmart Charities has also donated more than $285 million directly to help pets – more than any other animal welfare funder in North America.

Every 30 seconds a PetSmart store is open, a pet’s life is saved, totaling about 1,400 lives saved every day. PetSmart, “The Adopt Spot,” has become the leading resource for pet adoptions in North America.

“Daisy’s adoption is an enormous milestone. Not just because she is the seven millionth adoption PetSmart has facilitated, but because she has had such an impact on her new family already, bringing joy and love to the McKenzie family,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart.

“Daisy was transported from the South to New York to have a better shot at being adopted. Already she is transitioning seamlessly into the high-energy McKenzie family as a second canine family member joining adopted dog Sabrina, pet parents Angela and Brad, and their two busy boys under five Jack and Henry,” said Cohen. “We believe every pet is tremendously special. And while we’ve always celebrated how people save these animals’ lives – like Angela and Brad did – this is the perfect time to also reflect on the amazing ways pets save people.”

Over the next few months, Daisy’s adoption story is just one of seven PetSmart will share to show how pets save people:

  • Blake Senses Owner’s Seizures – With a personality as big as Texas, this little black kitten spent months in foster care after his original owner got sick and couldn’t care for him. Days after being adopted, Blake woke his new pet parent Glen by biting his toes, alerting him to an oncoming seizure. Glen suffers from three separate brain diseases with frequent seizures that can be deadly if they strike during sleep. With Blake’s sixth sense he instinctively knows the onset of a seizure and encourages Glen to take action such as sitting down (or waking up), acting as a life-saving companion and forming an incredible bond.
  • Polly Helps Vet Cope with PTSD – As an adult dog, Polly’s chances at adoptions were not good. However, Vietnam veteran Ed fell in love with her. Today, Polly has graduated from service dog training and is a constant companion to Ed, who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Polly spent months in a shelter. Ed said, “I found Polly when I did because she has a higher calling in life.”
  • Chica and Bruce’s New Normal – After losing his beloved wife to cancer and just months later, his dog Taco to a heart condition, Bruce thought he’d never adopt again. But he fell in love with and adopted Chica, a little Chihuahua. After a year together, Bruce often remarks, “I don’t know who rescued whom?” Chica loves rides in Bruce’s Corvette classic and has provided the canine companionship he needed to embrace life once again.
  • Zephyr to Save Lots of Lives – Adam adopted Zephyr, a German Shepherd mix, from a Miami PetSmart store and then moved to Michigan so Adam could finish his graduate school. With a love of the outdoors and having emergency medical experience himself, Adam decided to put Zephyr into the Michigan Search and Rescue. The dog is moving through the program with flying colors and is expected to reach field-deployable status as an Air Scent Search and Rescue K9 by next spring.
  • Pete Helps Grandma and Grandson with Loss – In May, Dottie lost her husband of nearly 43 years and two months later her 10-and-one-half-year old Boxer, Pibbs. Her family was encouraging adopting another dog and so she set out to a PetSmart store with her daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter Bennett and grandson John Andrew, who picked out “Harvey” and named him “Pete,” after his grandfather. Dottie spends a lot time with her grandchildren and John Andrew in particular is missing his grandfather. Pete is providing playful companionship to the family.
  • Adopted Bunny Calms Anxiety – Mis lives with anxiety and sometimes experiences attacks. Her adopted bunny, Tobi, which she rescued from a PetSmart store in March of this year, helps relieve her anxiety. Tobi has a caregiving and fun personality and knows when Mis’ anxiety is rising. Tobi’s antics – like leaping onto or under the bed – make her laugh, shifting her mood.

“I have been adopting dogs all my life and Daisy is number eight, the smallest dog so far and our first puppy as we have always adopted older dogs,” said Angela McKenzie, new pet parent of Daisy, who joins husband Brad, and two sons, Henry, who is three and Jack, five, and Sabrina, an eight-year-old Great Dane mix. “With two active boys, we wanted two dogs and found Daisy online through Louie’s Legacy. We met Daisy in the PetSmart store and fell in love. Immediately, Daisy transitioned into our family and even after a short week, it felt like she has been part of our family forever. She is a wonderful puppy and a great addition to our family.”

Pet parents everywhere are invited to share their own pet’s adoption story on Instagram or Twitter using #iadopted for a chance to be featured on a special adoption story wall at www.petsmart.com and www.petsmartcharities.org. So far, more than 450,000 stories have been submitted and nearly 2,000 posted on the #iadopted story wall. Go to petsmart.com/iadopted and petsmartcharities.org/iadopted to see the stories.

“Maybe you’re a military veteran like Ed who is comforted by their service dog. Or you’ve embraced a more active lifestyle because you have to walk an active pup, or you have a hero cat like Blake. Whatever your story is – we want to recognize all pets and share their amazing stories with the world,” said Cohen.

It’s Time to Save More Lives!
The next PetSmart Charities National Adoption Weekend takes place at local PetSmart stores this coming weekend, Sept. 16-18. All weekend long, PetSmart will host adoption events across its chain of more than 1,470 stores featuring thousands of pets to adopt. At its last two events in February and May, PetSmart set records – more than 25,000 and 24,000 pets adopted, respectively.

Where: Nationwide at PetSmart stores – “The Adopt Spot!”

When: Fri., Sept. 16, and Sat., Sept. 17, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Sun., Sept. 18, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. & at The Adopt Spot at Chase Field, 1:10 p.m. game

Contact: Find the PetSmart store nearest you at http://pets.petsmart.com/adoptions/ or call 1-877-473-8762.

About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This vision impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate 1,477 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and 203 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year.

About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events. Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to pets in need by making donations directly to PetSmart Charities on a pin pad at the registers in PetSmart stores.  PetSmart Charities administers and efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar of the generous donations by issuing grants and providing additional support to help pets in need.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc. PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada. Each year more than 20,000 cats and dogs find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $9 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered charity, independent from PetSmart.

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.:
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
469-680-2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

Source: PetSmart

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PetSmart to offer an array of pet products featuring The Secret Life of Pets characters

  • PetSmart, Illumination Creative Marketing and NBCUniversal Brand Development
  • Team Up to Bring the Movie to Life through an Exclusive Pet Line, Multi-Channel Shopping Experience and Two Custom Animated TV Spots Featuring the Music of The Rolling Stones

PHOENIX and Universal City, CA, 2016-Jun-13 — /EPR Retail News/ — Max, Duke, Gidget, Chloe, Mel and Buddy, the stars of the comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day, are taking over PetSmart to celebrate the release of lllumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures’ The Secret Life of Pets, coming to theatres July 8.

As the exclusive pet-specialty retailer for the film, PetSmart will offer an array of toy, apparel and pet bed products. Together with Illumination Creative Marketing and NBCUniversal Brand Development, PetSmart has created an innovative multi-channel shopping experience featuring the characters. As part of this partnership, pets from the movie will “take over” PetSmart stores, petsmart.com, social media and other digital channels in fun and engaging ways.

“We love pets and we know they make us better people – but what pet parent doesn’t wonder what their pets do when they’re not at home with them?” said Eran Cohen, Chief Customer Experience Officer, PetSmart. “We are excited to see this idea come to life on the big screen and are thrilled to be the exclusive pet specialty partner for this fun, pet-centric film. All our pets have such unique personalities, and we know families everywhere will enjoy seeing this movie and recognizing similar traits of the characters in their own pets.”

“We, and our filmmaking partners at Illumination, are thrilled to collaborate with PetSmart, the largest specialty pet retailer in North America, to offer consumers a pet product line that captures the unique personalities of The Secret Life of Pets loveable characters,” said Manuel Torres, Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal Consumer Products. “PetSmart’s ‘store takeover’ and innovative multi-channel shopping experience extends the adventure further by engaging consumers to explore their own pets ‘secret lives,’ with activities and film-inspired merchandise.”

A Movie to Celebrate: Contests, Toys, Apparel, Beds, Treats and Services

The exclusive new collection is available online and in stores now with movie-inspired toys, beds, collars and apparel. PetSmart worked directly with the Illumination Entertainment filmmakers and Creative Marketing team to ensure the products capture each character’s unique personality, as well as the iconic scenes from the movie.

The collection includes pet apparel such as the Gidget ruffle-skirted dress, character hoodies and slogan tees featuring Max and Duke with sayings likeDo I Smell Sausage?; Fetch Like you Mean It; and Every Dog Has His Day. Pets are sure to love the array of plush and rope squeaker toys featuring all the characters, and with cat and dog beds featuring Gidget and Duke, pets can literally snuggle up these characters.

For a limited time, PetSmart will also carry the unique The Secret Life of Petspackages of Milk-Bone® and Pup-Peroni® dog treats. From June 6 – 22, PetSmart will also run a “Share Your Pets’ Funniest Secret” video contest on YouTube, where 30-second videos featuring funny pet secrets will be posted by contestants and PetSmart will narrow the candidates for a majority vote conducted June 27-July 5. The grand prize winner will win a $500 PetSmart gift card; runners up $250 gift cards.
PetSmart Grooming Salons will offer a new Top Dog Spaw™ service*, complete with coconut-infused shampoo, moisturizing coconut balm paw massage and an exclusive The Secret Life of Pets bandana. And, in keeping with the theme of the movie, what better way for pets to get in on the action than by sending them to Doggie Day Camp! Through July 31, new customers to Doggie Day Camp will receive 50% off their first session*.

The exclusive, custom animation TV ads of the characters’ takeover of PetSmart stores will start airing June 13.

About The Secret Life of Pets
For their fifth fully animated feature-film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present The Secret Life of Pets, a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.

Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in The Secret Life of Pets, which co-stars Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Bobby Moynihan, Steve Coogan and Albert Brooks.  Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio and Brian Lynch. www.thesecretlifeofpets.com

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,450 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – includingPetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.

About NBCUniversal Brand Development
NBCUniversal Brand Development (NBCUBD) drives expansion of the company’s intellectual properties, franchises, characters and stories through innovative physical and digital products, kids and family content, and consumer experiences globally. Along with franchise brand management, NBCUBD includes three lines of business: NBCUniversal Consumer Products, Universal Kids & Family Productions, and NBCUniversal Games and Digital Products. NBCUniversal Brand Development is a business segment of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, and part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

About Illumination Entertainmen
lllumination Entertainment, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of event animated films. Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, is the creator of the hugely successful DESPICABLE ME franchise, which includes MINIONS, the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time as well as DESPICABLE ME 2, an Academy Award nominee for Best Animated Feature of 2013. In all, Illumination’s films, which also include 2011’s HOP and 2012’s Dr. Seuss’ THE LORAX, have grossed more than $3.2 billion in worldwide box-office revenues and feature some of the world’s most renowned talent. Upcoming films, in addition to THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS include SING, which arrives in theaters in December 2016, starring Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Tori Kelly; DESPICABLE ME 3, starring Steve Carell and Trey Parker which is set for June 2017; and a newly-imagined version of Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role of The Grinch , that is set for November 2017. In addition, Minion Rush (800 million downloads) has become one of the world’s most popular apps, and Minion Mayhem attracts huge crowds at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.

*All services are subject to availability. Must show proof of vaccinations for Doggie Day Camp. For the safety of all animals and associates, and at the discretion of PetSmart, some pets may not be permitted.

Contacts:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com		 PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

Angela Emery
NBCUniversal Brand Development
818-777-8922
angela.emery@nbcuni.com

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24,000 pets adopted during PetSmart’s signature National Adoption Weekend last week

PHOENIX, 2016-May-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — More than 24,000 pets found their forever homes last week during PetSmart’s signature National Adoption Weekend event held at more than 1,400 PetSmart stores across North America – setting another PetSmart adoption record and continuing its trend of adopting more pets at its 2016 nation-wide events than it has since they were initiated by the retailer more than a decade ago.

24,417 pets were adopted throughout the event last week (Monday – Sunday), the second-best National Adoption Weekend event on record for PetSmart and representing a 43 percent adoption increase over last year’s May event. PetSmart is on track to save its 7 millionth life in early fall. The May event also included more than 200 stores – double the number from the last National Adoption Weekend event held in February – and expanded life-saving efforts to include small animals such as ferrets, guinea pigs and rabbits with 530 small pets adopted.

These signature National Adoption Weekend events are held at PetSmart, The Adopt Spot, in collaboration with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart CharitiesTM of Canada and thousands of local animal welfare organizations. While called National Adoption “Weekend,” the adoption efforts span the week with the majority of the pets, about 22,272, adopted between Friday and Sunday when many stores host large parking lot tent-events with their local adoption partners to connect adoptable pets with their forever families.

“We are thrilled so many pets – more than 24,000 in all – found their forever homes this past week at The Adopt Spot,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “Our signature National Adoption Weekend events are highly coordinated efforts involving all aspects of our company, PetSmart Charities, PetSmart Charities of Canada and thousands of animal welfare partners. From setting up tents and preparing stores to serve as adoption centers, we couldn’t be more proud of the collaborative efforts that resulted in this recent adoption success – together we are saving lots of lives!”

Last year PetSmart hit a major milestone, adopting out more than 500,000 pets in a single year and in February, its first National Adoption Weekend of 2016, PetSmart hit its first record with more than 25,000 pets adopted – more than any previous event. For every 30 seconds a PetSmart store is open a pet’s life is saved, totaling about 1,400 lives saved every day.

The Adopt Spot, Where People Save Pets (and Pets Save People)

PetSmart is The Adopt Spot, where pets find their forever homes every day among PetSmart’s pet-loving customers and guests. Since its founding in 1987, PetSmart recognized the pet homelessness problem and made the decision to never sell dogs or cats. In 1994 and 1999, PetSmart Charities and PetSmart Charities of Canada were respectively created as nonprofit organizations with a mission to end pet homelessness. Together, they are now the leading animal welfare organizations granting more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare groups in North America – $274 million to date.

Each year, about 7 million pets enter shelters across North America and some 3 million healthy, adoptable pets are euthanized. To save lives, PetSmart joins PetSmart Charities, PetSmart Charities of Canada and nearly 3,000 local animal welfare organizations across North America on a range of powerful adoption events in PetSmart stores including National Adoption Weekends held four times a year.

“PetSmart is so committed to ending pet homelessness and saving pets’ lives through adoption, it delivers nearly 10,000 free Adoption Kits every week to those who adopt – a gift to anybody who gives the gift of life,” said Cohen. “The PetSmart Adoption Kit is industry-leading and available to anybody who adopts, no matter where they adopt* – at PetSmart, a shelter, community event, or even another retailer.”

The PetSmart Adoption Kit provides important content on how to integrate a pet into the family and true value – with more than $400 in real savings – to the adoption parent. Included are coupons for a free bag of dog or cat food from Simply Nourish™, Authority® or Good Natured™, as well as a free veterinarian visit, half-off on two grooming services, a free training session with an accredited trainer, a free Doggie Day Camp session and a free overnight boarding stay. Also included are savings on all the essentials for a new pet including beds, crates, gates, brushes, feeding bowls, collars, leashes, toys and treats, as well as solutions like pet calming products and stain and odor remedies for the mishaps that are sure to occur.

To help new pet parents, on the weekend of May 28-29, just on the heels of its National Adoption Weekend, PetSmart will host its New Pet Event featuring education and problem-solutions tips to help first-time pet owners welcome their newest family member and celebrate all of the exciting “firsts.”

Share your adoption pics and stories!  #theadoptspot

*Adoption papers required.

About PetSmart®
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,450 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 500,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.

About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events. Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need by making donations on a pin pad at the register.  PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar to support its mission of finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc. PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.

About PetSmart Charities™ of Canada
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets in Canada. Each year more than 20,000 cats and dogs find Canadian homes through our adoption program in nearly all PetSmart stores across Canada and our sponsored adoption events. A leading funder of animal welfare, PetSmart Charities of Canada has granted more than $9 million to help pets in need with a funding focus on adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered charity, independent from PetSmart.

Contacts:
Golin for PetSmart Inc.:
Danielle Bickelmann
dbickelmann@golin.com
972-341-2503

PetSmart Media Line:
623-587-2177

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PetSmart® doubles previous Bark at the Park event attendees with 858 dogs paraded at Chase Field

PHOENIX, 2016-May-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — Exactly 858 dogs paraded, gobbled treats and took in some baseball at Chase Field earlier today as PetSmart, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Central Garden & Pet attempted to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Most Dogs Attending a Sporting Event. While the group came up short – just 142 dogs shy of the 1,000 dogs needed to set the record – the total number of dogs was more than double previous Bark at the Park events at Chase Field. PetSmart says this feat speaks to pet parents’ enthusiasm for including their best friends in cherished activities, including America’s favorite pastime.

“We had a blast earlier today and are thrilled that so many pets and their pet parents joined us for this historic event,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We believe involving our beloved pets in more of life’s memorable moments is what being a pet parent truly is all about. We sincerely thank all of the dog-loving baseball fans who took part in our GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt — there is always next year!”

According to the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS organization, this was the first official attempt for this record. A GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Adjudicator was on hand to account for the dogs entering Chase Field and called the total number at the end of the second inning.

The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt was heavily aided by the national kick-off of Bark at the Park at Chase Field, a traveling 12 game dog-friendly program where dog-loving fans can bring their best friends to a baseball game at stadiums across America. This year’s Bark at the Park program is hosted by Central Garden & Pet, the parent company of Nylabone® and AvoDerm® Natural Pet Foods, as well as PetSmart.

Dogs and their pet parents can continue to take in D-backs games on the PetSmart Patio during the Dog Days of Summer, where all Sunday home games are dog-friendly. The PetSmart Patio features 30 “doggie suites” each accommodating four humans and one dog and all the human and doggie treats fans can eat. Adoptable dogs are also available at The Adopt Spot by PetSmart at Chase Field, where local animal welfare organizations feature dogs ready to find their forever homes among the D-backs’ fan base. There were 15 adoptable dogs at the world record attempt from the Arizona Animal Welfare League (AAWL); all were included in the count and nine pups were adopted as of the end of the sixth inning. Lucky dog Hyde, who was with the AAWL shelter for more than 200 days, found his forever home.

Take in a baseball game with your dog! There are 10 more Dog Days of Summer games in the 2016 D-backs season. Go to www.dbacks.com/dogdays to purchase tickets. There are 11 more games in the national Bark at the Park series schedule. Go to www.petsmart.com/barkatthepark.

About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,433 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities™ and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 450,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com
  

PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

D-backs Communications
602-462-6519
Katie Krause
210-279-6793

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PetSmart Charities® announces the appointment of Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PhD, as its new President

Phoenix, 2016-May-02 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Board of Directors of PetSmart Charities®today announced that it has appointed Dr. David Haworth, DVM, PhD, as its new President, effective May 2. A veterinarian by training, Dr. Haworth has more than 15 years of experience in the animal health industry.

Commenting on the announcement, Steve Marton, Chairman of PetSmart Charities’ Board of Directors, said, “David has extensive medical, philanthropic and business experience in the animal welfare field, making him uniquely qualified to lead PetSmart Charities in its next phase of growth. He has a true passion for our mission to end pet homelessness and support pet families. We are confident that David will help PetSmart Charities become a stronger, more effective and efficient organization. It is a privilege to have him on board.”

Dr. Haworth added, “I am excited to join this important organization, with its strong purpose and a committed group of associates. PetSmart Charities is an industry leader in pet philanthropy, and I look forward to working closely with the team, as well as its network of animal welfare organizations and not-for-profit partners, to execute PetSmart Charities’ reinvigorated strategy and build upon its significant success to date.”

Dr. Haworth joins PetSmart Charities from the Morris Animal Foundation in Denver, Colorado, where he most recently served as the President and CEO. He has been Chair of the Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative’s (HABRI) Research Working Group since 2010, and will continue in that role with PetSmart Charities. Previously, Dr. Haworth spent eleven years with Pfizer’s Animal Health business. Dr. Haworth earned his veterinary degree as well as a Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from Colorado State University. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Animal Cancer Center, also at Colorado State University.

Dr. Haworth will report to Steve Marton, Chairman of the PetSmart Charities Board; and Eran Cohen and Paulette Dodson, Co-Vice Chairpersons of the PetSmart Charities Board.

About PetSmart Charities™
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. Nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc.

Media Contact:
Mardi Larson
623.587.2180 or mlarson@petsmart.com

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PetSmart, Arizona Diamondbacks and Central Garden & Pet will attempt to set GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for most dogs attending a sporting event on May 1

  • Record Attempt Will Take Place May 1 with “Bark at the Park” at Chase Field; 1,000 Dogs Needed, Fans Invited to Participate

PHOENIX, 2016-Apr-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Chase Field has gone to the dogs! After the successful launch earlier this month of the PetSmart Patio and additional PetSmart-sponsored permanent dog-welcoming facilities at Chase Field that have created the first-ever season long dog-friendly ballpark in America, PetSmart, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Central Garden & Pet are cranking it up a notch – 1,000 – or 1,000 notches –by attempting to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the most dogs attending a sporting event.

The attempt will be officiated by a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator and take place Sunday, May 1, when the D-backs host the Colorado Rockies and the national kick-off of Bark at the Park, a traveling 12-game dog-friendly program where dog-loving fans can bring their best friends to a baseball game at stadiums across America. This year’s Bark at the Park program is hosted by Central Garden & Pet, the parent company of Nylabone® and AvoDerm® Natural Pet Foods, as well as PetSmart. Bark at the Park has been run by this Central Garden & Pet-led sponsorship group more than a decade and dog attendance at these events at stadiums across the country have ranged from 300-900 dogs per game.

The group’s aim is to host 1,000 dogs at Chase Field on May 1. According to the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS organization, this is the first official attempt for this record. The GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator will account for the dogs entering Chase Field and is expected to call the record by the end of the second inning.

“We can’t wait to achieve this GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS milestone and see 1,000 dogs come out with their pet parents to enjoy a D-backs game on Sunday, May 1, at Chase Field – the nation’s most dog-friendly stadium,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart. “We are thrilled to partner with our friends at the D-backs and Central Garden & Pet to bring this exciting GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS experience to the D-backs’ community. We encourage fans to come out with their dogs to enjoy an MLB game and be a part of history. Even if we don’t set this record, we’ll all have lots of fun trying.”

In addition to taking in a baseball game together, fans and their canine companions can participate in the pre-game “Puppy Parade” held on the field’s warning track where it’s hoped that 1,000 dogs will take part. Also on hand will be dog-friendly ice cream, PetSmart’s Pet Expressions dog-friendly paint stenciling service featuring the D-backs and other MLB logos, as well as photo opportunities, giveaways, discount coupons – and even dog adoptions. The Arizona Animal Welfare League will be hosting dog adoptions in The Adopt Spot™ by PetSmart during the game so that fans who want to expand their families through adoption can help these dogs find their forever homes.

Tickets start at $20 per person and $20 per dog and can be purchased atwww.dbacks.com/barkatthepark.

About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,433 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents -including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities™ and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 450,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

CONTACTS:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
469-680-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

D-backs Communications
602-462-6519
Katie Krause
210-279-6793

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PetSmart and the Arizona Diamondbacks to create the first-ever season-long dog-friendly ballpark

  • Left-Center Field “PetSmart Patio” Seats People and Dog Fans during “Dog Days of Summer,” Covering 13 Home Games, Launching April 10
  • Perfect for Pet Parents to Enjoy America’s Favorite Pastime with Their Best Friends

PHOENIX, 2016-Feb-29 — /EPR Retail News/ — PetSmart, Inc. and the Arizona Diamondbacks are teaming up to create the first-ever season-long dog-friendly ballpark with a dedicated new PetSmart Patio, PetSmart Park and the Dog Days of Summerprogram, where dog-loving fans can bring their dogs to all 13 Sunday D-backs home games in the 2016 season. Pet parents will be able to enjoy America’s favorite pastime with their best friends at Chase Field with exclusive seating, a grassy play area nearby, and the PetSmart adoption spot that will feature adoptable dogs ready to find their forever homes among the D-backs’ fan base.

“We are seeing more and more establishments open up their facilities to pets – whether it’s coffee shops, retail stores, hotels or restaurants. We at PetSmart truly value the time pet parents spend with their beloved pets, and we want to help enrich the experiences they share together – including a baseball game,” said Eran Cohen, chief customer experience officer, PetSmart, Inc. “PetSmart’s home office is based right here in Phoenix, and we are thrilled to partner with the D-backs, our hometown team, on this first-ever ballpark experience with a season-long, dedicated space so fans can enjoy a Sunday ball game with their best friends or even expand their families through pet adoption.”

The PetSmart Patio will be located along the main concourse behind the left-center field wall. The patio area will feature a family-friendly atmosphere with multi-tiered seating that is perfect for groups of humans and canines of various sizes. For each of the 13 Dog Days of Summer held at the D-backs’ Sunday home games, pets can enjoy concessions such as dog-friendly ice cream with toppings like kibble and other pet treats. As part of the Dog Days of Summer ticket package, pet parents will also receive a PetSmart “Doggie Bag,” complete with free items from PetSmart.

Directly behind the PetSmart Patio will be the PetSmart Park – an outdoor and indoor (air conditioned) dog park so even in the heat of the summer dogs can run around and play. The outdoor park will feature a baseball theme complete with a baseball diamond and a grassy outfield – perfect for dogs to explore, play ball with other dogs or find their perfect “spot” to go to the bathroom.

“We are excited to create a unique dog-friendly area of our ballpark and can think of no better way than to partner with Phoenix-based PetSmart,” said D-backs president and chief executive officer, Derrick Hall. “Bark at the Park has always been a popular event at Chase Field, and now we are thrilled to offer fans the opportunity to bring their dogs to our games every Sunday to a new destination designed specifically for them. For many households a pet is an extension of their families and the D-backs are excited to partner with PetSmart to provide a family-friendly atmosphere for all family members, including our canine friends.”

Dog Days of Summer ticket packages are available now for purchase and include a semi-private space with all the necessities for four people and one dog. Each of the 13 home games will feature an MVP — Most Valuable Pup – shout out. Dog adoptions will be a part of the PetSmart Dog Days of Summerprogram with the help of PetSmart Charities’™ and PetSmart’s local animal adoption partners. As one of the nation’s leaders in pet adoption efforts, PetSmart, along with PetSmart Charities, PetSmart Charities of Canada and its more than 3,000 local animal welfare partners across North America together found forever homes for more than 500,000 dogs and cats in 2015 – a record-breaking year.

The first Dog Days of Summer Sunday home game is April 10 when the D-backs take on the Chicago Cubs.

Play ball!

For more information and to purchase tickets for Dog Days of Summer call 602-462-4600.

About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. At PetSmart, we love pets, and we believe pets make us better people. Every day with every connection, PetSmart’s passionate associates help bring pet parents closer to their pets so they can live more fulfilled lives. This mission impacts everything we do for our customers, the way we support our associates, and how we give back to our communities. We employ approximately 53,000 associates, operate approximately 1,433 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and approximately 202 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities. PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp day care services and pet adoption services in-store. Our portfolio of digital resources for pet parents – including PetSmart.com, PetFoodDirect.com, Pet360.com and petMD.com – offers the most comprehensive online pet supplies and pet care information in the U.S. Through our in-store pet adoption partnership with independent nonprofit organizations, PetSmart Charities™ and PetSmart Charities™ of Canada, PetSmart helps to save the lives of more than 450,000 homeless pets each year. In addition, PetSmart supports organizations that make communities a better place to call home through our philanthropy program, PetSmart Gives Back™. By giving back to the communities where we live and work, PetSmart not only celebrates the power of pets to enrich people’s lives—we live it.

Follow PetSmart on Twitter: @PetSmart
Find PetSmart on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PetSmart
See PetSmart on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/PetSmart

Contacts:

Danielle Bickelmann
Golin for PetSmart
972-341-2503
dbickelmann@golin.com

PetSmart Media Line
623-587-2177

D-backs Communications
602.462.6519
Katie Krause
210.279.6793