US Employers Resources

PetSmart Employee Benefits Start With Free Monthly Pet Services

PetSmart employees get a 15% discount on most products, 50% off select proprietary brands, and something no other retailer offers: free monthly pet services including a dog wash, teeth cleaning, and nail grinding in the grooming salon. You also get a free 6-week puppy or beginner training class. If you have pets (and you probably do, working here), these perks save real money every month.

Beyond the pet-specific benefits, PetSmart offers health insurance, a 401(k) with company match, PTO, life insurance, and discounted pet insurance. Here’s everything you need to set up and use.

Quick Reference: Where to Manage Each Benefit

For login help with any of these systems, see the PetSmart login portals guide.

Action Item 1: Enroll in Health Insurance

PetSmart offers medical, dental, and vision coverage for full-time employees (30+ hours per week) after a waiting period. Part-time employees have more limited access.

Enrollment happens through the Alight benefits portal at worklife.alight.com/petsmart (or digital.alight.com/petsmart). New hires have a limited enrollment window during their first weeks. Open enrollment runs annually, usually in the fall.

PetSmart offers multiple medical plan tiers. Compare premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums carefully. If you’re in the grooming salon or pet hotel, the physical demands of the job (lifting dogs, standing for hours, repetitive motion) make health coverage more important than if you were sitting at a desk. Groomers in particular report wrist and back issues over time, so having insurance that covers physical therapy or orthopedic visits is worth prioritizing.

PetSmart’s medical plans include prescription drug coverage. If you take regular medications, compare the formulary across plan options during enrollment. The difference in prescription costs between tiers can be significant over a year.

Dental and vision are separate elections with their own premiums. Both are optional.

The company also provides an Ally Program for behavioral health support available to non-medical enrollees. If you don’t enroll in a medical plan, you can still access mental health resources through this program. This is an unusual offering. Most retailers only provide mental health support through the EAP or as part of a medical plan. PetSmart makes it available even if you skip medical enrollment entirely.

Action Item 2: Set Up Your 401(k)

PetSmart’s 401(k) matches 50 cents per dollar on the first 6% of pay you contribute. The match vests at 20% per year, meaning you’re fully vested after 5 years.

That vesting schedule is slower than some competitors. Target and Walmart vest the match immediately. At PetSmart, if you leave after 2 years, you keep only 40% of the company’s match contributions. After 3 years, 60%. Plan your tenure accordingly if the 401(k) match is important to you.

Enroll through the Alight benefits portal. Even if you’re only staying a few years, contributing enough to get the match is worth it. At PetSmart’s pay rates, 6% of a $30,000 salary is $1,800 per year from you, plus $900 from PetSmart (once fully vested). That adds up.

Action Item 3: Activate Your Employee Discount

The PetSmart employee discount has multiple layers:

• 15% off most products and services
• 50% off select proprietary brands: Authority, Simply Nourish, Only Natural Pet food and litter
• Free monthly: Dog wash, teeth cleaning, nail grinding in the grooming salon
• Free: One 6-week puppy or beginner training class
• Discounted pet insurance through a partner provider
• PerkSpot access for deals on cell phones, travel, entertainment, and more

The 15% headline number feels modest compared to CVS (30%) or Dollar General (20%). But the free monthly services are where PetSmart’s benefit stands out. A professional dog grooming session costs $30-75 at most shops. Getting a free wash, nail grind, and teeth cleaning every month saves $50+ per month if you’d otherwise pay for these services. Over a year, that’s $600+ in grooming alone.

The 50% off proprietary brands also adds up fast for pet owners. If you’re buying Authority dog food every month, half off makes PetSmart cheaper than buying from any other retailer, even with their regular prices being slightly higher than discount stores.

Full details on the PetSmart employee discounts page.

Action Item 4: Understand Your PTO

PetSmart’s PTO accrual schedule is simple and predictable:

• Years 0-4: 80 hours (2 weeks) per year
• Years 5-9: 120 hours (3 weeks) per year
• Years 10+: 160 hours (4 weeks) per year
• 16 discretionary hours per year (for all eligible employees)

This is a use-it-or-lose-it policy for vacation and discretionary hours. If you don’t use them by the end of the accrual year, they’re gone. Sick time works differently: you earn 4 hours per month, and unused sick hours roll over up to a maximum of 120 hours.

The discretionary hours are yours to use however you want, no questions asked. They’re separate from vacation PTO and don’t require as much advance notice.

For the full PTO breakdown, see the PetSmart PTO policies page.

Action Item 5: Know Your Other Benefits

Life insurance: Basic coverage at no cost for eligible employees. Supplemental life insurance available during open enrollment.

Short-term and long-term disability: Available for full-time employees. Given the physical nature of pet care work (grooming, pet hotel, stocking heavy bags of food), disability coverage is worth having.

EAP: Free counseling and support for employees and family members. Covers mental health, financial advice, and legal consultations.

PetSmart Charities: Not a personal benefit, but PetSmart stores host regular adoption events through PetSmart Charities. If you’re looking to adopt a pet, you’ll have front-row access to local rescue animals through your store.

Discounted pet insurance: PetSmart partners with a pet insurance provider to offer employee rates. If you have a pet with ongoing health needs, this can offset veterinary costs.

PetSmart is owned by BC Partners (private equity), so it’s not publicly traded. The company has about 1,700 stores and 56,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada. Unlike some PE-owned retailers on this list (Walgreens under Sycamore), PetSmart has been relatively stable under its current ownership without major benefit cuts or mass closures. The pet industry has seen steady growth over the past decade, which helps insulate PetSmart from the kind of revenue declines hitting department stores and general merchandise retailers.

For HR questions, contact 1-866-263-8411 or email hrsharedservices@petsmart.com. See the PetSmart HR contact guide for more options. If you’re leaving, check the PetSmart benefits after termination page and understand your COBRA options. Visit the PetSmart hub page for all resources.