Petco is one of the largest pet retail stores in the country, providing pet food, products, services and pets themselves, both in stores and online.
One of the animals sold at Petco is a hamster. If you are not satisfied with your purchase and want to find out if you can return your hamster, this article is for you, so keep reading!
What Is the Petco Hamster Return Policy In 2024?
You can return a hamster to Petco within 30 days of buying it for a refund or exchange, as long as you have some ID and proof of purchase. You can also return a dead hamster to Petco for a refund. Petco may accept the return of hamsters after 30 days under certain circumstances, but a refund is not likely under this case.
If you want to find out when Petco will accept a hamster return, the terms and conditions for returning hamsters and more, keep reading!
Does Petco Take Unwanted Hamsters?
You can return an unwanted hamster to Petco within 30 days of buying it from them.
If 30 days have passed since you got it, you could try taking it to them. and they might accept it, but you likely won’t get a refund.
Taking in an unwanted hamster that’s also sick might present some challenges where they could reject it, because of the health risks to other animals.
If it’s a non-health related issue, Petco could take it back, regardless of the length of ownership and help you find a new home for it.
Whether or not Petco takes back an unwanted hamster depends on how much space the store has at the time.
If the hamster was not purchased from Petco, the company does not offer any cash. It can, however, take it and place it up for adoption and not resale.
Under the Think Adoption First program, Petco will take in any unwanted pet, including hamsters, as long as they’re healthy, no matter how long you’ve had them.
Petco will help you find a new home for the animal if you bring it to any of the company stores, but won’t give you any money, refund or otherwise.
If anything, you might be required to pay a small fee that will go towards the animal shelter used to rehome the animal as a donation.
Does Petco Take Back Sick Hamsters?
You can take back a sick hamster to Petco and your local store could accept the return under their policy, a 30 day guarantee on companion animals, which includes hamsters.
If your hamster falls sick within 30 days of purchase, Petco will accept the hamster and place it in the wellness room for treatment.
Petco will process your refund shortly after. You will need to have some form of identification and proof of purchase, such as the original store receipt or purchase confirmation email.
After 30 days, Petco may take the sick hamster and have it checked out by the vet. You will, however, need to contact your local store to see if it has room for the sick hamster.
Can You Return a Dead Hamster to Petco?
You can return a dead hamster to Petco if it dies within 30 days of purchase for a refund or exchange.
Petco has a 30 day guarantee on companion animals, which includes hamsters. If your hamster dies within the 30 days, contact your local store for return and refund of the purchase price.
You can take it back to the nearest Petco store, but be sure to have your proof of purchase, and some form of identification for your refund to be processed.
After 30 days, you may return the dead hamster to Petco, but the company will not issue a refund or exchange for the dead hamster.
If you have a dead hamster that you didn’t buy from Petco, you can also take it back and ask if an associate could dispose of it for you.
What Does Petco Do with Returned Hamsters?
According to some of the staff at Petco, when a hamster is returned within 30 days, it’s put in the back room for monitoring.
If the hamster seems fine, Petco puts it on the floor to be sold again.
However, if the hamster is sick or needs medical attention, Petco keeps them in an isolated cage in the wellness room while they see a vet and are treated for their ailments.
Once the hamster is healthy again, Petco puts it back on the floor to be sold to a different owner.
If the hamster is returned after 30 days, Petco will put up the hamster for adoption. There might be a small fee for relinquishing the hamster that goes towards a donation to local shelters.
To learn more, you can also check our posts on Petco return policy, Petco grooming prices, and when does Petco restock.
Conclusion
Petco will accept the return of hamsters. For health-related reasons, death, or dissatisfaction of purchase, the hamster may be returned within 30 days of original purchase. Petco will then issue a refund or allow an exchange.
To process a refund, you will be required to provide a valid form of ID and proof of purchase in the form of the original receipt.
