Online Extra: The Battle to Be Top Dog
PetSmart and Petco have adopted different strategies as each seeks the dominant position in the animal care industry
This article is for subscribers only.
By Christopher Palmeri
The news hit the Phoenix offices of PetSmart (PETM ) on a Friday afternoon: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration was recalling tainted pet food manufactured in China. PetSmart's Chief Executive Philip Francis told his team to pounce. The company ripped recalled products from shelves, put up informational signs at stores, staffed up at its customer-service call centers, and gave refunds to folks returning tainted products. In some cases, PetSmart paid vet bills for sick animals.