A pet shop or pet store is an essential services retailer which sells animals and pet care resources to the public. A variety of animal supplies and pet accessories are also sold in pet shops. The products sold include: food, treats, toys, collars, leashes, cat litter, cages and aquariums.
Pet shops may also offer both hygienic care (such as pet cleaning) and aesthetic services (such as cat and dog grooming).[1] Some pet stores also provide tips on training and behaviour, as well as advice on pet nutrition. Some pet stores provide engraving services for pet tags, which have the owner's contact information in case the pet gets lost.
Many pet stores also offer retail products online. Citing convenience as the key motivational factor for purchasing from online pet stores, the number of United States households that shopped online for pet care products in 2018 was 13 million.[2] Other stated advantages for online shopping include competitive pricing and good value due to free shipping offers. North America has the largest online pet care market of any other region. In the United States, more than 1/3 of all purchases from online pet stores were made at PetSmart with the most popular item purchased being dry dog food. In 2017, the online sales of pet care products grew by about 3.4 billion dollars, while traditional brick-and-mortar stores reported only about 317 million dollars in sales growth.
millennials are the biggest pet-owning generation.[3] Seventy-seven percent report that they prefer to purchase pet products like toys, accessories, and food online, but favor in-store shopping for treats, bedding and clothing.
The largest pet store in the world is located in Duisburg, Germany. Zoo Zajac is located in a 130,000 square-foot warehouse and houses more than 250,000 animals from 3,000 different species. The store has become a tourist attraction, with visitors interacting with it like a zoo.[4]
In 1987, the British pet store trade had an estimated worth of £150 million.[5] The largest pet store chain is Pets at Home.[6]
In the United Kingdom, pet stores are prohibited from selling puppies and kittens less than six months old. The ban was announced in 2018 following public pressure to improve animal breeding standards.[7]
In 2004, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, in the pet industry, live animal sales reached approximately $1.6 billion.[8] In the United States, pet sales make up only 6% of the market, with most sales comprising accessories and merchandise. In a 2003 survey, 38% of U.S. pet shops claimed that they did not sell any live animals.
In 20 states and Washington, D.C., a license is required before being able to manage a pet store. There are 16 states that have laws which mandate veterinary care in pet stores.[9] In some states and cities – such as California and Atlanta – the sale of common pets such as dogs, cats, and rabbits, is prohibited except for those from animal shelters, in an attempt to curb poor standards of animal breeding.[10] [11]