The Pet Department

They made our fish sick, one dead so far. This is what we get in return for spending over $ 350 on fish and supplies. Both of our tanks were doing just fine, until we bought some little comet goldfish for mine, and looches for his. Now both tanks are infected with ich. We love our fish, and are treating them now hoping that they survive. This didn’t happen at Petco because they take care of the animals there, I am beyond upset about this situation. Last thing I need to do is spend more money on tanks at this point. Also heard that one of their rates died shortly after purchase, being an ex rat breeder I can tell you rodent care is simple. It you love your animals don’t buy them here. Don’t support this business. Oh believe me pet Dept I will slam you at every given opportunity, I already told everyone I came across in Petco what a joke you are. Next I’m moving to Craigslist and Facebook. Paso will know what you’re about soon enough. I hope taking our money was worth it, for it will be the last time. Idgaf if I have to drive to SLO or the valley to get what I need.

I go to the Pet Department in Paso Robles to take my Bichon Frise dog to Lynn the Groomer. Lynn is the best groomer ever. All of the dogs and humans love Lynn and she always does a great job grooming any animal that comes her way. She used to be in Atascadero, where we live, and we chose to follow her to Paso. Everyone is the actual Pet Department store is very nice as well. Take your hairy animal to Grooming by Lynn. You and your pet will be glad you did!!!

Wonderfull store and customer service! Over the past 5 years we have purchased two beautiful dogs. Bentley our Morky has grown up into a perfect dog and a beloved family member! Recently, we expanded our pet family with Roxy! An adorable Yorkie and once again Thankful to the Pet Department for its consistent inventory of beautiful well natured puppies!

I was recently driving threw the Central Coast area of CA and had my Labradoodle and Shepard/​Chow mix puppy to get cleaned up after playing in the ocean all day. When I called to see if they had room, Lynn was very happy to help me out and said bring them right in. When I arrived at The Pet Department I was met at the door with a smile and helping hand. I walked to her grooming area and was very surprised and pleased to see how clean it was, especially for how many dogs she had groomed that day. Lynn and her staff are the most friendly and courteous people I have met. They are so friendly to you and your pets. I had a great experience and THANK YOU LYNN AND YOUR STAFF for getting my dogs cleaned and cut on such short notice. Wish there was a shop in Vegas as good as yours!

I have been to this pet store so many times, and its always the same experience. Staff is very unfriendly and not at all knowledgeable about saltwater fish/​corals. I asked a young staffer about her live rock and she brought me to a bin of lava rock and said «I use this», which was not what i asked her. Also the owner is not friendly at all. I have spoken with him several times, and always seems like he is angry. Anytime I ask questions they refer me to someone else who also doesn’t know the answer. The coral tanks look gross and half the corals are dying.
What this place does have going for it is low pricing and a huge selection of aquarium supplies. This is the only reason I come to this location.

Best pet store in the area. If you’re going into the fish hobby and want help, and or want to buy locally, this is the place. If your looking for a cheap kitten or puppy go to a Walmart parking lot… People are always given them away for a few bucks. If you want a animal that has gotten its first round of shots and etc… They have a few to look at… Again, it seems that they are priced a bit high for what they are… Mixed breeds or whatnot… But that’s really up to the breeder (probably a pet owner who’s dog got out and had a one night stand) the store (who has to make a return on their invest) and the people who want to spend their money. Is it against the law… Possibly. But what about the little girl selling kittens in the Walmart parking lot? All in all without getting into what’s legal or not, animal rights, and economics. This place has fish (salt and fresh) a few cats and dogs, and some other creepy crawling things. For this small town of Paso Robles, this place has a knowledgeable staff, who will be helpful enough for you get started in your selected hobby. For the cheapest supplies and most knowledgeable information on your hobby. Try the Internet. Once you get to that happy place in your hobby, you might find that you come back to this place because it is what it is… A «decent», «local», pet store.

Mostly clean tanks and healthy looking fish. Their prices are borderline unreasonable. Everything they sell is more expensive than PetSmart and Amazon. However they have a ton of replacement parts for the filters, so its nice if you don’t have the time to order one online. The customer service is a little unfriendly.

These folks are breaking the law. They are selling breeder puppies that are NOT FIXED. Twenty-​three states prohibit the sale of unweaned dogs and Calif is one of them.
People, please don’t buy pets, the exact same dogs are available at no-​kill shelters & rescues– yes, even purebreds. The mother of this dog could end up killed after having countless pups for money (many are killed, not sure about this particular breeder/​mill). The is NOT a fun life, they are confined and manufacturing puppies over and over again for nothing but human profit.
See the photo attached (yes we asked if fixed) and here is a link to the calif law (unweaned pets section is about ¾ down the page):
Support rescue & always fix pets — thats what truly loving animals is all about.

This place has changed in ownership since I first started shopping here some years ago, but I still have positive experiences here with the staff. The fish I buy from them are always very healthy, and they carry brands of cat and dog food that chain stores do not carry. The Pet Department in both Paso and Atascadero are the only stores in the area that stock what I am looking for without special ordering!

Amazing selection and variety, knowledgable staff! Great source for first timers or fish hobbyists. Great selection of dog food products and occasionally they have puppies in store to play with. Great place!

I saw some poor reviews, but I’m happy to report this is a solid 3+ star pet store. The staff has been very nice the three times I’ve been in. We’ve bought fish and rats for the kids and they just love it. There are big box pet stores around, but I like the small town feel and good service here.

I go here at least once a month. Sometimes its just to see what they have. I only go there for the aquairium supplies and fish.
Im not sure why there are so many negative reviews for The Pet Department. I will say that the prices are VERY high. But as far as the employees… Great people. Ive always been treated great. Perhaps the reviewers that complained about customer service were actually jerks themselves. The only reason I dont give them 5 stars is because thier prices are sooooooooo high. But they have clean tanks and healthy fish. If I want food or other supplies, I go to Petco because the prices are so much better. But Petcos live fish are horrible. Petsmart in SLO are good also… But thats a whole different review.

This review is specifically for the Pet Department in Paso Robles.
My quick tip: Breedist. Also not terribly friendly. Avoid.
The backstory: I typically shop at either the Pet Dept. in Atascadero, because it’s a small (I assume family owned?) chain, and I try to support small business. I went into the Paso Robles store while running errand in Paso, looking for a dog crate.
When I walked in I saw two employees, neither said hello … one ignored me and walked away (maybe she didn’t see me?), and the other looked at me for a second (we made eye contact) and turned away.
I walked to the back of the store and looked for their dog crates. I couldn’t find any besides a row of travel kennels that didn’t look like it was for sale around the top of the store’s shelving. The employee (maybe owner?) who made eye contact came up, and asked «what was I looking for?» Not how could she help me, but what was I looking for? It’s hard to describe, but it did not come across as helpful. I told her dog crates, specifically, for sleeping, and she showed me the one kind they had. (There was more rude-​ish conversation in there, but it’s not worth recounting.)
As she was showing me the limited selection of crates, she asked «What kind of dog do you have?» My dog is a mutt, so I just described his weight. She persisted, «what KIND of dog?» I told her I didn’t know, he’s mixed. If the experience were less weird, I don’t think I’d have thought anything of this, but after a few minutes with her, it all just seemed a strange mix of persistent, rude, and condescending.
Finally, I stepped away to look at another tent/​crate, which she waved me over to, saying something unhelpful. While I did this, another man came in with his young daughter, and I overheard him ask the employee if she knew of any good local Rottweiler breeders. Their conversation:
Him: «Do you know of any good local Rottweiler breeders?»
Her: «I don’t sell those here.»
Him: «I know you don’t sell Rottweilers here, I was just asking if you knew of any reputable breeders.»
Her: «No, and those aren’t very good dogs.»
Him: «What do you mean? I had Rottweilers growing up!»
Her: «They’re bad dogs. My friend had her face bitten off.»
At that point, I just walked out. That kind of attitude is uneducated in a typical person, but in a pet shop where people listen to you? It’s unethical and grossly misleading.
If someone could tell me if this was the owner of the chain or not, that would be great. If she owns the store, I’ll take my service to Tails in SLO (Which is a great, small business, but a little far).

Not a safe place to buy a pet. When looking for an animal, use a licensed and reputable breeder or adopt from a shelter (I prefer «Woods» in SLO). Their animals are over priced and misleading. Most people who buy from a store like this are making an impulse buy. Please take time to get any new pets to make sure it is the right fit for you and your family. You will only find that by research and contact with breeders and owners of the pet you are looking for.

I like this store, they have what I’m looking for most of the time and their prices are reasonable. I have never had a problem with the staff, they are always friendly and helpful

Not sure why this is so low. This place is always so helpful and they really know their stuff. Buy all my dog supplies here. Support local business whenever possible.

I went to the Atascadero store after this incident and they made things right. I will never go back to the Paso location.

This pet store has the WORST customer service that I’ve come across. They are not only unfriendly, but outright rude to customers. Their selection is fair but the prices are very inflated. They are one of the only stores in Paso Robles that have dogs, cats, bunnies and more, however, I cannot advise strongly enough to steer clear of this establishment. I have been a longtime customer and I’ve seldom come across this caliber of horrible customer service. I have spent a lot of money at this store in the past, I can say that I will never return. Other people that I have spoken to have had very similar experiences with the staff. If they hired employees that would treat the customers with respect, it might be worth it to return as a customer.