PetSmart Releases Third Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report

PetSmart has released its third annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report, sharing key progress in the company’s work to support the health and happiness of pets, pet parents and PetSmart associates. The report reflects a commitment to continuous progress over three years of reporting, marked by increased transparency, ongoing engagement with stakeholders, and improved performance across pet health, associate engagement and environmental sustainability.

“We continue to learn from our stakeholders about how we can best advance our commitments to pets and the people who love them, while also ensuring we are advancing our business priorities,” said Joanne Dwyer, vice president of corporate social responsibility and corporate communications. “New partnerships in 2024 helped us to better engage pet parents, work toward common goals with our business partners and peers, and advance policies that drive our industry forward. Three years since the introduction of our CSR framework, we’re proud to share our progress and the ways our strategy is coming to life across PetSmart every day.”

Helping to shape the CSR strategy and ensure the issues addressed in the report aligns to the interests of key stakeholders, PetSmart completed a refresh of its CSR materiality assessment. PetSmart’s CSR framework, A World Through Their Eyes, captures a world as pets see it – one that is compassionate, inclusive, sincere and community centric – with a focus on three key priority areas: Healthy & Happy Pets, Empowered People and Responsible Stewards. In its 2024 report, PetSmart details progress against performance goals across these areas and the programs and initiatives that supported them.

Healthy & Happy Pets

Feedback from leading animal welfare organizations has informed PetSmart’s newly published animal welfare policy. The company continues to advance its Vet Assured program, prioritizing the health, safety and well-being of pets at every step of their journey to PetSmart. Other achievements include:

• Celebrating 11 million pets placed through PetSmart Charities in-store adoption programs, thirty years after the founders of PetSmart committed to not selling cats and dogs in stores.

• Investments in advanced data tracking and analytics capabilities to support associates in caring for pets and identifying pet health trends. Throughout 2024, PetSmart associates evaluated over 600,000 newly arrived pets to confirm general health, body condition, and body weight using a digital reporting mechanism that allows for epidemiological tracing and treatment of animal populations.

• New metrics to inform the decision-making process for the types of pets available in stores. In 2024, PetSmart stopped sourcing Cuban False Chameleons, Fancy Bearded Dragons, several snake species and skinny pigs that have higher levels of care needs, as well as two species of fish.

• A 99.9 percent safety rate for services performed driven by a commitment to continuous improvement and ensuring associates have the training and resources they need to master proper pet care and keep themselves and pets safe and healthy.

Empowered People 

Associate voices have always driven progress at PetSmart. In 2024, 72 percent of associates who participated in the materiality assessment said they want PetSmart to be an industry leader in corporate social responsibility. As the retail landscape undergoes a dynamic transformation, PetSmart is focused on forward-looking approaches to an engaged and sustainable workforce, in partnership with associates. Key progress in 2024 includes:

• Ensuring that leaders at all levels get regular associate feedback to make decisions to positively impact the associate experience. Through an always-on survey tool, PetSmart has received over 75,000 survey responses and just over 54,000 points of feedback from associates.

• Enhancing the talent development strategy with a focus on defining and supporting pipelines for career growth. Over 20,000 PetSmart associates engaged in upskilling opportunities in 2024 and 85 percent of leadership positions were filled from within.

• Keeping the pack even safer, achieving a best-ever safety rate in distribution centers, a result of small improvements to daily practices, the use of new technology, and engagement with associates.

Responsible Stewards 

Striving to be the favorite, trusted partner to pet parents across North America, and acting as responsible stewards of the PetSmart brand is a commitment shared across the business. Key progress in 2024 includes:

• Reducing emissions intensity by 18%, total energy usage by 18 percent and water usage by 1 percent. In November, PetSmart completed its first investment in renewable energy with an agreement to install solar power at its Phoenix, Arizona distribution center.

• Engaging pet parents in sustainability by expanding access to more purpose-driven and sustainable product offerings. In 2024, PetSmart became the first national retailer to pilot a West Paw dog toy takeback program. In collaboration with Hill’s Pet, Royal Canin, Canidae and Tiki Cat, PetSmart also partnered with TerraCycle to launch an in-store recycling program for all brands of empty pet food, treat and cat litter bags made from flexible plastic.