How Old Do You Have To Be To Buy A Pet From Petco

At Petco, we want to make sure that every pet is a good match for both its new owner and their home. That’s why we require that customers over the age of 18 purchase animals from our stores. However, there are some instances where parents or guardians may need to complete the adoption process on behalf of their child below the age of 18 who wants to bring an animal into their home.

To purchase a pet from Petco, customers must be 18 years of age or older.

To purchase a pet from Petco, customers must be 18 years of age or older. You can adopt a pet at any age if you have the legal capacity to do so, but you cannot adopt a pet under 18 unless the minor is accompanied by an adult who is also legally authorized to adopt on behalf of the minor. If you’re not 18 yet and want to get your family’s permission to buy a dog or cat before your birthday, talk with your parents about this decision.

Customers who are age 16 and 17 may purchase a pet if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to consent to the purchase and sign the sales contract.

Customers who are age 16 and 17 may purchase a pet if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to consent to the purchase and sign the sales contract. If you are under 18 years old, you must be accompanied by your parent or legal guardian at all times while in Petco stores, except when using our self-serve checkout system.

Both adults and children may take part in selecting a pet; however, adults must make all financial decisions.

Both adults and children may take part in selecting a pet; however, adults must make all financial decisions. Decisions regarding the adoption of any animal should be made after careful consideration of all factors involved.

This includes but is not limited to:

Your family situation, such as size and composition (including other pets)
Your responsibilities (work schedule, school commitments)

All adult members of the family who reside in the home should be present for selection of the pet, but only one adult may make the final decision regarding adoption and complete all required paperwork.

When adopting a pet, you must be 18 years of age or older. If you are between the ages of 16 and 17, you may adopt with the permission of your parent or legal guardian. The adult who chooses to adopt is responsible for all aspects of pet ownership, including:

Providing care for their animals in accordance with Petco’s animal care guidelines
Ensuring that all pets remain up-to-date on their vaccinations and flea/tick treatments as recommended by a veterinarian
Ensuring that any health issues are addressed immediately by a veterinarian

Adults are responsible for ensuring their children are physically capable of caring for and handling animals.

Be aware of potential allergies.
Make sure the animal is a good fit for your family.
Learn about proper care, feeding and handling of both common and exotic pets.
Think about how much time you can devote to your new pet. Consider what happens if you go on vacation or travel frequently, etc. You may want to consider a fish tank instead of a dog or cat if those are considerations in your life!

At Petco, children may participate in the adoption process with an adult but only adults may make the final decisions and sign contracts.

Note: Adults are responsible for ensuring their children are physically capable of caring for and handling animals. This includes checking to make sure that there is a secure fence around your yard where you will keep your pet outside. If you have young children who do not understand how to interact with or handle pets, please consider adopting from a shelter instead.

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s easy to adopt a new pet into your home! To get started, just visit petshop.com and fill out our adoption application. You can also call us at (888) 738-7877 if you have any questions or concerns about our policies or process.