Petco

PETCO is a chain of retail stores that offers pet supplies and services such as grooming and dog training. Founded in 1965 and incorporated in Delaware, i is headquartered in San Diego, California, and is now a private company held by Texas Pacific Group and Leonard Green & Partners. Their mascots are Red Ruff (dog) and Blue Mews (cat), who both appear on the logo.

As of 2008, PETCO has over 900 locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. PETCO marked the opening of its first store in Kona, Hawai'i, in the fall of 2008.

Brian Devine is the Chairman of the Board and James Myers is the CEO. Bruce Hall retired as the COO at the end of the 2007 fiscal year.

On July 14, 2006, PETCO announced the company would be acquired by two private equity groups, Texas Pacific Group and Leonard Green & Partners at a cost of $1.8 billion.

The PETCO Foundation, since its inception in 1999, has raised in excess of $34 million for support of more than 3,500 non-profit animal welfare programs across the nation.

In 2004, PETCO launched the "Think Adoption First" program, which encourages the adoption of companion animals as opposed to the outright purchase of them. The program is to reflect PETCO's goal of finding a loving and suitable home for animals.

PETCO runs a natural/holistic food section in its stores referred to as "It's All Natural". The line contains a variety of brands of natural foods that offer no additives or preservatives, and includes only pure/natural ingredients to promote the physical well-being of cats and dogs. The section has become increasingly popular and profitable in the last few years, instantiating a similar trend in other leading pet stores.

Petco carries several lines of pet foods owned and or endorsed by well known celebrities. One of their first lines of natural/organic foods, Natural Balance dog and cat food is owned and endorsed by Dick Van Patten. There were several advertisements in the store in early 2008 along with Halo Brand pet foods around the same time. Halo Brand dog and cat food is partially owned by Ellen DeGeneres and endorsed by her as well. Ellen has been seen on her talk show talking proudly about the food and how she is an avid shopper at Petco and uses her Petco savings card along with her American Express. In the summer of 2008 Petco launched a new line of pet foods endorsed and co created by Cesar Millan, made by Castor and Pullox pet foods inc. Cesar Millan is best known for his show on television, The Dog Whisperer, where Cesar trains dogs and their owners how to love and understand one another. It has also been known that celebrity mogul and multi pet owner Paris Hilton as well as former model and pet owner Kimora Lee Simmons shops at Petco for their line of unique products. Petco had benefited from this shop in their stores due to the demands and increase of pet parents that want natural products for their pets well being. Petco endorses healthy pets and a healthy way of living for pets. These celebrity endorsed foods are found in their "It's All Natural" food department, located in most renovated and new Petco stores.