The recent rebranding of a long-standing pet store may have St. Albert residents wondering what’s changing.
The short answer is: not much, including the store’s adoption model.
Three years ago Greg Penno, owner of the Mr. Pet’s chain in B.C., purchased the family-owned and operated Paradise Pets location on St. Albert Trail. But it wasn’t until this summer that he decided to change the name.
“It had become challenging to manage two brands,” Penno said in an email. “We needed two custom pen names, two types of plastic bags, two different staff shirts, two different Facebook pages … Basically all our custom products we would have to make twice. It became challenging and we would lose focus.”
It was a slow transition said St. Albert store manager Kelly Weins, starting with receipts, then toys carrying the new name and logo. This summer employees got new uniforms, and in July the sign on the outside of the building was replaced.
But the store’s core values remain the same, said Weins.
“Customers are still number one and everything Paradise stood for still stands,” she said.
Paradise Pet Centre was the first business in the Edmonton area to support rescues exclusively, for the adoption of cats, dogs and bunnies.
The company partnered with Barrhead Animal Rescue in 2010 for the adoption of cats and kittens, then with Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) and the Humane Animal Rescue Team for dogs and puppies in 2011.
While puppy adoptions are no longer facilitated due to demand, Mr. Pet’s continues to partner with Little Cats Lost for cat adoptions and the Edmonton Humane Society for the adoption of small animals and reptiles. Puppies are typically adopted online within days of being posted to the SCARS website, said Weins.
The store also fundraises for different rescue groups and hosts adoption events for the Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society.
“The Edmonton Humane Society highly values its partnership with Paradise Pets/Mr. Pet’s as it allows more exposure for our adoptable animals, ultimately leading to more animals being placed into loving forever homes,” said Stefanie Martin, coordinator of stakeholder relations.
The partnership has resulted in over 350 EHS adoptions.
Virginia Marando, president of the Little Cats Lost Society, said it wouldn’t be possible to operate without partners like Mr. Pet’s.
“We, as an organization, are indebted to the store and staff as their kindness to provide store space, food, litter and enrichment allows us to continue to take those animals that find themselves in jeopardy,” she said.
Paradise Pets’ adoption model is coveted by the new owner as well. Penno was looking to transition his B.C. stores to this model before purchasing the St. Albert location.
“Paradise had more experience with this so it helped us expedite our program in B.C.,” said Penno.
Currently five out of nine Mr. Pet’s locations have a cat adoption program in place. Dog adoptions are also occasionally facilitated.
