PetSmart® Stores Across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada Donate Goods to Local Animal Welfa
PetSmart®Stores Across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada Donate Goods to Local Animal Welfare Agencies
PetSmart Among the Top U.S. Companies in 'Green' Rankings According to Newsweek
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PetSmart® (NAS: PETM) announced the launch of its hard goods donation program across its more than 1,200 stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. The program, supported by non-profit Good 360, will save approximately 3,000 dumpsters of usable cat and dog products annually from going into landfills and benefit over 900 animal welfare organizations in local communities. Through the program, tested in August 2011 with ten PetSmart stores and expanded to a 140-store pilot in February 2012, over 1.2 million items have been donated to-date valuing over $990,000.
Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation (AARF), a 100% volunteer shelter located in the only veterinary clinic on the Caribbean island of Anguilla 140 miles from Puerto Rico, is a benefactor of this program. The shelter was matched with two Puerto Rico stores, secured storage space and air transportation both free of charge and now receives donated products brought from Puerto Rico to their shelter on Anguilla monthly.
"Being on a small island, we are somewhat isolated so donations of the items needed to help support the cats and dogs at our shelter can be challenging," said Gayle Enzel, Board member of AARF. "Thanks to the PetSmart team, we will now have a more consistent inventory of beds, toys, leashes and other items needed to take care of pets at our shelter while they wait for their forever homes."
The hard goods donation program is part of the company's commitment to recycling, one of six priorities of PetSmart's Think Twice™ sustainability platform. Working with Waste Management, the company also continues to roll out recycling across all possible locations. As a result, PetSmart facilities recycled 34,271 metric tons in 2011, a 25% increase since 2008 and 4% year-over-year increase.
Green Rankings: Reality Aligns with Perception
Up 25 spots to #279, PetSmart was among the top 300 for the first time in Newsweek's 2012 Green Rankings of U.S. Companies. These annual rankings are based on quantitative and qualitative metrics such as raw environmental data, reduction strategies, energy and environmental management and engagement activities. And consumers agree, voting PetSmart #16 overall and #2 among retailers in the annual Green Brands Survey, comparing 251 companies on the basis of their 'green' reputation.
Unique Challenges to Sustainability
Unlike most retailers, PetSmart has live animals -including fish- in their distribution centers and stores 24 hours per day, seven days per week. In addition, all of the retailer's stores offer pet grooming and bathing services. Due to these unique aspects of PetSmart's business model, consumption of energy and water on a per square foot basis is higher than traditional retailers.
To address their unique energy consumption, PetSmart continues to utilize energy management systems which enable opportunities for efficiency to be identified swiftly. As a result, PetSmart has consistently reduced its carbon footprint on comparable facilities over four consecutive years, despite an increase in the total number of facilities and a 1.7% increase in overall square feet.
In addition, PetSmart has decreased its water usage, all while maintaining the safety and care of fish in their aquatics departments and pets in their grooming salons. Gallons of water used per square foot in PetSmart stores over the past four years have decreased over 3%.
"Finding unique ways to help our adoption partners and our communities is not just a priority for us at PetSmart, it's who we are," said Jaye Perricone, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development for PetSmart. "Working with partners like Good 360, Waste Management and animal welfare agencies like AARF inspires each of us to continue to look for creative ways to help PetSmart develop and support innovative solutions for our sustainability challenges."
To learn more about the company's sustainability efforts, view PetSmart's Sustainability Report at www.petsmart.com/thinktwice.
About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. (NAS: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company employs approximately 50,000 associates and operates more than 1,249 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, over 194 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (http://www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day CampSM day care services and pet adoption services. Since 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization and the largest funder of animal welfare efforts in North America, has provided more than $165 million in grants and programs benefiting animal welfare organizations. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities®, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 5 million pets.
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Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20121115005296/en/
PetSmart, Inc.
Toni J. Eberhardt, 623-516-3912
teberhardt@ssg.petsmart.com
KEYWORDS: United States North America Canada Caribbean Arizona Puerto Rico
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