Just in case you were wondering, Pet Camp is not Walmart. We’re not the largest private employer in the United States, we’ve never locked employees in one of our buildings overnight (though a counselor does spend the night at the Main Campground), and we’ve always offered comprehensive health care with a contribution that the counselors can actually afford (hate to say it – but offering health care that your employees can’t afford is not really offering health care).
Why do we feel compelled to point this out? Because while Pet Camp does not want to be Walmart or compete with Walmart, it seems that Walmart is not happy with this detente and has
started offering doggie day care and overnight care services!
Now before you think that this means that the lovely Walmart greeter will be taking your beloved 4-legged friend to some amazing pet care facility located just behind aisle 12 that is filled with state-of-the-art amenities, a retractable glass roof, and huge outdoor play spaces or a Safari Solarium, think again! The Walmart greeter is not bringing your dog to Pet Camp, where we have all those things and more; nope, Walmart (one corporate giant) has simply joined forces with Rover.com (another corporate giant).
Before I go on, I must admit that I’ve never been inside a Walmart. I did park in a Walmart parking lot in Nevada once, but I never went into the store. Maybe I’m being too judgmental (like that’s never happened before), but how can a big box business that built its reputation on just offering the lowest price claim to offer quality pet care by simply teaming up with some online platform? Economies of scale might make sense when you’re selling some fungible commodity, but it doesn’t work when you’re providing pet care. Offering quality pet care requires an investment in infrastructure and training, not just in online advertising. Pet care, no matter what Walmart and Rover seem to think, requires a human touch and trained professionals.
We know that there are a lot of pet care options in San Francisco. We hope you bring your dog or cat to Pet Camp, but if for some reason you don’t, please select another locally owned business that prides itself on being part of the community, provides training to its employees and invests in the infrastructure needed to provide your pet with a health, safe and fun environment.
Thanks for reading and stay healthy.