DS
Danielle Stepanek
Sep 7, 2026
I have been taking my dog to Petco for years and have always been happy with their grooming services, which is why I was extremely disappointed by my experience today.
I recently rescued a puppy through the NYC ACC and scheduled her first grooming appointment at Petco. Before the appointment, I was specifically asked to provide her vaccination records, which I had with me. All of my dogs are fully vaccinated and up to date.
When I arrived, a male employee in the grooming department was extremely rude, accusatory, and unprofessional. Rather than simply reviewing the paperwork and addressing any questions professionally, I felt as though I was being treated like I was lying about my own dog and her vaccination records.
Because my puppy was adopted through the ACC, her original paperwork listed the name the shelter gave her, which I have since changed. Her breed was also listed as unknown because the shelter did not know her breed at the time of adoption. I explained this, including that I had since identified her as a Pit Bull through an Embark DNA test.
He continued to question the information and even pointed out that the ACC paperwork described her as white with black, while he claimed my dog was only white. My dog has a clearly visible black ear. The entire interaction felt unnecessarily confrontational and accusatory.
What was most upsetting was his attitude and complete lack of customer service. Instead of calmly explaining what documentation was needed or what the issue was, he was blatantly rude, dismissive, and even told me to “calm down.” I found his behavior incredibly disrespectful.
I understand that Petco has policies regarding vaccinations and grooming, and I have absolutely no problem following reasonable requirements. What I do have a problem with is being treated as though I am dishonest or incapable of providing legitimate documentation simply because my rescued puppy's shelter paperwork contains information that understandably changed after adoption.
A rescue dog can have a name changed, a breed listed as unknown, and paperwork that doesn't perfectly match what you learn after adoption. That should not result in a customer being treated like a liar.
After years of using Petco grooming without an issue, this experience has seriously changed my opinion. Petco needs to take a hard look at its customer service and reconsider whether employees who speak to customers this way should be representing the company. I expected professionalism, patience, and basic courtesy. Unfortunately, I received none of those today.
I have spent a significant amount of money with Petco over the years, particularly on grooming, and have been a loyal customer. Unfortunately, after being treated this way, I no longer feel comfortable bringing my dogs back. I guess I’ll be taking my business elsewhere. It’s disappointing that one employee’s unnecessary hostility and lack of professionalism can cost Petco a long-standing, paying customer.