# Unhappy with Petsmart



## greyhoundmom (Feb 24, 2004)

I went to Petsmart to buy dog food about a week ago and noticed that they now have a large section of prescription food. WOW!! I was excited, since Daisy is now on prescription food (kidney). However, when I went to purchase a few cans they would not sell it to me. They said I needed a prescription card. 

To make a long story short, I would need to take Daisy to the Petsmart vet (Banfield) in order to get the card. :x They will not take a fax or a prescription from MY vet. It sounds like a strong-arm tactic to me, to drum up business for their vet! 

Nowhere is it indicated that you must have the card, or that it is available only through their vet. Nowhere. I guess that's what really steams me. It is so misleading. 

I will be going elsewhere for all my dog food/cat food/cat litter etc...from now on.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

That doesn't sound right that they'll only accept prescriptions from their own vets. Is there some kind of regulatory agency you can complain to?


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## greyhoundmom (Feb 24, 2004)

I suppose I could call their corporate offices. Who knows if it would change anything, though. All they told me at the store was that that was the policy.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I would certainly let the higher ups know that they have lost your business. If enough people do that, they'll change their policy---which is really questionable!


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

No one in my area will sell the prescription diets without a a vets note or a call. But it is rediculous that they would demand you see THEIR vet. I'd definitely put in a call to corporate. :evil:


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## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

I agree -- I would call their corporate HQ and complain. 

Why should you have to pay another vet to prescribe the same thing your vet already has? That makes no sense at all. Sounds like they're taking advanatge of people who'll just accept it to get new business for the vet. That's just wrong :evil:


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I was recently in Petsmart and saw the preseciption foods as well. They were way in the back of the store, quite far from the vet area. If you must use their vet to get the food, then I think the food should be confined in the vet area and not part of the general store. 

The only thing I can think of is that the food manufacturer contracts with the vet and not Petsmart and Petsmart is only providing a service to the vet by managing the financial transaction...so in reality you would be buying it from the vet and not Petsmart. If that's the case then...would your vet sell food to someone coming in with a prescription from another vet? I doubt it. And if that's the case, then again, the food should be kept closer to the vet area.

Of course this is all speculation on my part and has no basis in fact at all. :lol:


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Years ago when my cats were on R/D, they prescription was from their regular vet but I used to buy it at a et that was closer to me. They just called my vet to make sure it was O.K. 
No matter how ya slice it, it sounds like Petsmart is taking some of it's business practices from the Sopranos! 8O


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## Immortal (Mar 28, 2006)

I never shop at petsmart. I went in there once and there 'aquatics section' if you can call it that was the most *%^[email protected]% disgusting thing ive seen, dirty, over crowded tanks with dead fish left in. Incompatible species in the same tank.... the only thing they redeemed themselves on was the large tank price that was around 20quid cheaper than most other stores.

As for animal food, go to the supermarket. A 48 pack of whiskers pouches is 11.98 pounds in petsmart.... at adsa its only 8 pounds. they are a total rip off with no 'expertise' they are only out to make money.

Trained aquatics experts my ^@%@ they dont even know the difference between a guppy and a cardinal... let alone why they shouldn't be housed in the same tank!!!


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## Sky Eyes Woman (Feb 26, 2006)

They SHOULD take a fax or some other verification from your vet, greyhoundmom. Our Banfield does. It is probably just that vet in that store that says you have to bring your dog in to their clinic to get a prescription card from them. If you make a call to corporate about it, call the Banfield head office, not PetSmart.

Let me explain this policy to you guys. The reason they want verification from a vet before they will sell prescription food or flea treatments is simple: it's a PRESCRIPTION. You wouldn't just walk into any pharmacy and tell them there that you want your blood pressure medication without a doctor's orders. Prescription pet food and medicine is no different. The vet has a responsibility to make sure the person is buying the food for a pet that actually needs it, and not just because they SAY they have a prescription for it. I know most sensible people would not walk in and ask for food their pet doesn't have a prescription for, but there are some that will. I've seen and heard some really screwed up BS from customers, believe me.

I realize a lot of people out there see Banfield and PetSmart as being one company, but they are not. The relationship between them is more like a landlord-tenant thing. Banfield is a separate company with their own policies and guidelines, completely different from PetSmart's. Banfield has been around since 1955. PetSmart got it's start in 1994.

Call the Banfield head office and find out if that vet is allowed to insist on seeing your dog before giving you a prescription card. I don't think he is. At any rate, don't punish PetSmart for something that is a Banfield policy. We don't have any say in how they run their clinics.


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## greyhoundmom (Feb 24, 2004)

That was a good point about calling Banfield rather than Petsmart. 

Just to clarify, the prescription food is definitely not mixed in with the regular food, but it IS right out on the sales floor, not WITHIN the vet area. And there is no sign that says "only from their vet"....

I completely understand the need for a prescription. I just don't understand why they won't accept something from MY vet. I may indeed call Banfield!! 

In the meantime, I traveled the 15 miles one way to get Daisy's food from the vet. So we are stocked up for awhile. After my experience with Banfield, I'd rather give my money to my vet anyway.


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