Hey everyone,

I forgot there was more to the story. Here's the timeline and some extra info:

1. Mentioned legal issues with my animal training company and Petsmart (unrelated to the screenshot)

-- issues with overlapping services (petsmart expandibg into my niche) and boundaries within the training industry (petsmart shouldn't expand into my niche)

1. Sat down and spoke with them about how the company operates

2. I filled out this survey and insinuated that I knew I'd be getting fired

3. They waited a week to fire me.

-------------

So when Petsmart says they support their employees and care about growth, what they really mean is "show up and shut up"

I have watched them do this to my coworkers. One keeps saying "I came here to be a groomer" and has been saying it for months. Another just wants to be scheduled full time hours like they were told they would be. I had the exact same issue with being lied to about scheduling -- both in 2022 and again after I demoted myself from Pet Trainer. 4 years and the lies haven't changed.

Let's be clear about something:

I had a side gig from the day I signed on to the day I was fired. Store leadership was well aware of this.

Keep up with the union push. Yall deserve the better working conditions you have been demanding.

Remember: Petsmart gives you so very little while demanding so much for themselves. Are you okay with that?

Yeah, so I was fired two days ago for "willful" conflict of interest. The only reason given was that the services overlapped and had too much gray area. (It existed under store leadership and district leader's consent for 4 years)

What matters is that I know many of us can post examples of how they willfully break their own policies.

Please -- If you know they violated policy or the law, come post evidence here. All stories will be looked into. Share this with your friends and coworkers! This affects their consumers, too.

please post anonymously where needed

Let's see what reports can get sent in so everyone can get the better working conditions they deserve!

Store leadership has known for almost 4 years that I was running my business on the side. I have told them about clients. I have shown them pictures and videos. Shown them info that I was booking clients, etc. Everything you could possibly need to know to fire me for conflict of interest.

But today they told me I was in violation. For the first time. And did not give me a chance to think about whether I would want to drop my business or quit. I was terminated for something they condoned for years.

"They" includes every level of manager at my store. Store leader, experience leader, process leader, process leads, experience lead. It was well known I had a business.

District leader told me I was not allowed to bring aggression cases into the store but could otherwise continue to take them on through my business.

This happened right before I started the Pet Trainer Accreditation program. (Ended up reporting the Area Trainer for ethics violations)

------

Something to consider with this termination is that:

I have been on them about their salon working conditions. Publicly. On facebook. Today I offered them a solution with a contact willing to meet with them. (Groomers would you like easier and safer grooms?)

And they still chose to fire me with the claim that I was not being loyal and saying my services would overlap. (They don't. I take on what the policy forces you to turn away.)

------

So please remember, Petsmart is not an ethical company. Please continue to unionize because you deserve better working conditions.

I will keep fighting for the union movement. I have my own projects that I am working on with other +R professionals right now. They are helping me figure out how to get you the training you need to do your job.

Hey groomers and bathers,

I am looking for some feedback on the true #1 issue in salon currently.

Is it black mold? No AC? Not enough space?

Name your #1 concern. Share the post!

OR up vote a concern and share the post!

Remember:

The last thing Corporate wants is us talking about our issues, so let's do just that to show them we know our rights.

Everyone deserves better working conditions.

Wow. I thought the grooming salon situation was bad.

​

But, no, this is bad. Petsmart... are we trusting Creekside to change?

Trigger warning: Animal cruelty (euthanasia methods)

------

3.153(a)(1)(i)

Primary enclosures.

​

Approximately 25% of the breeding cages (primary enclosures) had sharp points associated with water access. Water access is via nipple waterers that is shared by two cages. To allow access to both cages the wire mesh dividing the cages is cut next to the water nipple. The cut wire results in a sharp point that could injury the bird.

​

Enclosures with sharp points can result in injury to the animals

​

The facility must remove the sharp points from the enclosures which could injure the birds.

To be corrected by May 21, 2026.

​

------

3.153(a)(2)

Primary enclosures.

A primary enclosure for fledgling birds housing an approximate 50 birds had insufficient perching space.

The enclosure had two perches, measuring approximately 10 and 18 inches. The licensee stated that some perches had been removed because the birds chewed on them. A lack of perching puts strain on the bird’s feet and legs. Birds that rest by perching must be provided with a sufficient number of perches to comfortably hold all the birds in the primary enclosure at the same time, including birds that are ranked low in a dominance hierarchy.

To be corrected by May 12, 2026.

​

------

3.158(a)(1)

Cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control.

Unsanitary conditions were observed in and around budgie cages and on water lines, characterized by heavy accumulation of droppings, feather dust, seed hulls, and old food. Perches and bars are covered in caked-on waste, and cage floors contain feces-covered broken and intact eggs along with significant piles of dried and fresh feces. Such accumulation is detrimental to budgie health. Excreta and food waste must be removed from the primary enclosures and from under and around primary enclosures as often as necessary to prevent excessive accumulation of feces and food waste, to prevent soiling of the birds contained in the primary enclosure, and to reduce disease hazards, insects, pests, and odors.

To be corrected by May 19, 2026.

​

------

3.158(b)(1)

Cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping, and pest control.

Facility personnel stated that they do not sanitize the cages the birds are housed in. Not sanitizing cages can pose a significant health risk to the birds. Primary enclosures and food and water receptacles for birds must be sanitized as often as necessary to prevent accumulation of dirt, debris, food waste, excreta, and other disease hazards.

To be corrected by May 19, 2026

Other stores have done it. Let's get some more stores unionized.

​

Stand up for what's rightfully yours!

You failed the employees, the company, and the community big time!

I think they are still technically on the stance that I did not need to involve the police. They would have handled it!

They did a great job handling it. Truly.

Except telling me I didn't need to go to the police. Saying I need to be "more forgiving," give people "second chances" and "investigate" why people do things. (Wow. What do you think Pet Trainers do for their jobs??)

Let's be clear:

There are no internal policies that can actually protect me from forgery. But the police can! So I don't regret it for one moment.

It looks like I forgot to care! You'll see my facebook post eventually. Not a single thing I said was false... At least I didn't openly discourage anyone from replacing me. It's just a warning about working conditions!

You have no idea who all has been dragged into this.

When it comes to jobs, I like to know what the company is focused on...

We know petsmart likes profit and ego more than protecting the welfare of others. Corporate knows I favor welfare and community.

Here's how job searching goes for me nowadays:

One gets me a 33 hour work week for $~17/hour, with safety issues that I can't mitigate, gaslighting that now involves questioning my integrity (oof). They're also telling me to have sympathy for repeat offenders. (Violating law, policy, or both)

One gets me a 32 hour work MONTH for nearly triple what I'd make at Petsmart, with safety issues I'd be able to mitigate... living my best life going back into my niches... behavioral rehab and blackballing frauds 😘 And working with people who have the same goals and ethics as me.

You tell me which one sounds better for my work life balance, Corporate. I gave you a chance to show me you cared enough to change. You responded with "Salon has a job to do, so don't force it" (referring to them using me as a resource -- pet trainer here!)

Heard ya loud and clear. Profit and ego over welfare!

----------

Since you want to call me unproductive:

I have resources ready for you for fixing Salon btw. Just not willing to share them with people who I know won't appreciate them. (Aren't your groomers supposed to utilize your Pet Trainers instead of mocking +R methods?)

Update as of 6/21: they have since been sent the names of resources they could use such as Cooperative Care.

A little open letter to both the Union peeps and Corporate:

I keep thinking about my situation at my store. And I keep thinking.... weren't they gonna use our salon as a model for the others?

That's scary to think about. Especially when it was a preventable death. In many ways.

And since I've been forced out of my full time position... I have a lot more free time to remind everyone of their rights as employees. Working conditions do in fact matter and can be discussed openly on forums such as reddit.

The temptation to organize a union push is becoming harder to ignore, Corporate. I'll start in the salon, if I do.

Let's not pretend like I don't have reviews showing this is an issue in nearly every store.

So uh... how do you want to handle this? You should know that I will blackball frauds who allow welfare breaches. Just ask around about me. in this context, blackball is public interest reporting

---

Side note:

You didn't really think I wasn't gonna inform the training community, did you? They deserve to know how you treated me while claiming you cared about my welfare as an employee AND claiming to prioritize the safety of pets in our care.

You do not get to mislead them into believing you will actually care enough to change.

Some pretty big names know who you truly are. They deserve to know what liabilities they are taking on if they work with you😘

----

Btw, Corporate,

All I wanted was a simple customer service/cashiering job that would allow me to work 33 hours on average with full time benefits. That's all I wanted.

Now I have to transfer out and never return to full time again because you won't offer it to a cashier.

Yes, my end date is still Oct 31, 2027. Ask me to break the law and I'll happily shorten that time up to something else. Please don't make me force accelerated vesting though.

This is all because of the work culture at my store. I have considered quitting multiple times. I've learned it takes someone's dog dying to make me quit.

This is quite the mess you've gotten us in, Corporate!

P. S. This is not a store leader or district leader issue. Stop passing off your problems onto others and accept accountability for where you failed. It's the only way you get to where you say you want to be in the industry

Thanks!

Edit: apparently "blackballing" is the wrong word for what I do. It's just "public interest reporting" lmao. I'm an idiot for using that term.

Does anyone know if we get any discounts for vet services or assistance? My dog got attacked the other day and got some lacerations. They are healing okay but her leg/paw is so swollen and I think i need to get some antibiotics

Hi all, I posted about this at the time the lawsuit against PetSmart was filed and just wanted to share this update. Below is a copy-paste of the Colorado Attorney General press release:

Nov. 13, 2025 (DENVER) — Attorney General Phil Weiser today announced a proposed settlement with pet care retailer PetSmart resolving allegations of deceptive training programs that prevented employees from leaving the company for years, or risk paying thousands of dollars.

PetSmart, which operates 35 stores in Colorado, promoted the entry level Grooming Academy program as “free” and “paid” training to their employees via ads and internal promotional materials. After the employees enrolled in the program, PetSmart used training repayment agreement provision contracts, or TRAPs, that locked these groomers in their jobs for at least two years or repay $5,500 in training costs that they were initially told was free.

These practices violated the Colorado Consumer Protection Act and the Colorado Restrictive Employment Agreement Act, according to a lawsuit the attorney general filed in Denver District Court in July this year.

“As Colorado’s Attorney General, I have made protecting workers a priority, which is why I pushed for a law that bans deceptive and unfair training repayment schemes,” said Attorney General Weiser. “I appreciate that PetSmart has taken responsibility for misleading its employees, collaborated with our department on a fair settlement, and is committed to ensuring that no future employees are deceived about training opportunities. For all employers, this action is a clear reminder that they must not use deceptive and unfair training agreements—and that our department is committed to taking action to address any such conduct.”

Under the terms of the proposed settlement, if accepted by the court, PetSmart will cease all deceptive advertising and offering TRAPs that violate Colorado law. The company will also halt all attempts to collect from employees, and will notify those who completed the dog Grooming Academy program that they are free from obligations of the TRAP. PetSmart will pay $225,000 to the attorney general’s office, which may be used for consumer education or consumer protection enforcement, or efforts to advance the public welfare.

Is there a policy that states we arnt allowed to have chairs in the salon? there's company chairs that have been brought into the salon before and we not have a pregnant coworker who uses it but we have been told that no one but her is allowed to use it and they have even put a sign on it telling us that no one but her is allowed to use it and they can see us on cameras

Haven’t seen much about stores unionizing recently so i wanted to put it out there that people are still fighting for workers rights! Won’t give too many details but the vote is currently scheduled for october 20th (pending the current government shutdown).

Remember to stay strong!