Lindsey Desmet
Short Answer — Petco and PetSmart do not accept CareCredit for retail purchases or grooming services, but most locations accept CareCredit for in-store veterinary care.
Does Petco Accept CareCredit?
Petco does not accept CareCredit for retail purchases or grooming services. We confirmed this with corporate customer service representatives for both Petco and CareCredit.
However, you may be able to use your CareCredit card for in-store veterinary services.
Independent, third-party veterinarians who work at Petco pet hospitals set their own payment policies and may have contracts with CareCredit.
About 80% of the Petco pet hospitals we contacted in California, Colorado, and Texas are CareCredit certified. To find out if a Petco pet hospital near you takes CareCredit, contact the store directly.
The payment methods Petco accepts for all purchases and services include cash, debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, and Pals Rewards. Petco also accepts PayPal for online purchases.[1]
Does PetSmart Accept CareCredit?
PetSmart does not accept CareCredit for retail purchases or grooming services, corporate customer service representatives for both PetSmart and CareCredit said.
However, PetSmart locations with Banfield Pet Hospitals do accept CareCredit in the clinic — Banfield is a certified CareCredit provider. You can see our related article for Banfield Pet Hospital prices.
For retail purchases and grooming services, the payment methods PetSmart accepts are cash, debit cards, credit cards, and gift cards. You can also use PayPal for online purchases.[2]
Other Stores That Accept CareCredit
Just as Petco and PetSmart generally do not accept CareCredit for retail purchases, most other major pet stores don’t take CareCredit unless it’s to pay for veterinary services with certified, contracted veterinarians or in-house pet hospitals.
Pet stores that may accept CareCredit for veterinary services include:
- Pet Supermarket
- Pet Supplies Plus
- Pet Valu
- Petland
You should contact your intended location before visiting to make sure that the store’s veterinary service is a certified CareCredit provider.
Retail Stores That Take CareCredit
In the course of our research, we found a few stores that, while not pet stores, sell some pet-related items and accept CareCredit for these purchases.
Such stores include:
- Duane Reade
- Rite Aid
- Sam’s Club
- Walgreens
- Walmart (as previously reported)
See our related article for the list of other retail stores that do accept CareCredit.
What to Know About Using CareCredit for Pets
CareCredit is a financing option for out-of-pocket medical expenses, but cardholders can also use the account for some pet-related costs.
In general, CareCredit can cover emergency and routine veterinary procedures including:
- Check-ups
- Medication
- Microchips
- Nutrition
- Spay and neutering
- Surgeries
- Teeth cleaning
- Vaccinations
The CareCredit website’s veterinary financing page includes a certified provider search to help you find veterinarians that accept CareCredit in your area.
If you attempt to use your CareCredit card at a store or provider that doesn’t contract with CareCredit the payment system will deny your transaction.[3]
Be aware that using CareCredit for your pet’s care may end up costing you more than if you purchase the products and/or services upfront.
While CareCredit offers deferred interest promotions, its standard APR is nearly 30%, and interest accrues during the promotional period if you are unable to pay off the balance in full (as previously reported).
For more options like CareCredit, see our comparison of the CareCredit to ALPHAEON CREDIT and United Medical Credit.
William Lipovsky
