Founded in 1965 as UPCO (United Pharmaceutical Company), the company originally focused on mail-order veterinary supplies in San Diego, California. In 1979, the name was changed to Petco, and it opened its first store outside California in 1980. By the mid-1990s, Petco had emerged as a dominant retail chain, rapidly expanding to over 200 stores and generating significant annual revenue. Today, it operates more than 1,500 locations across the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.
Petco’s modern strategy focuses on the "humanization of pets," a trend where owners treat pets as integral family members. This shift has led the company to prioritize high-margin services over traditional retail product sales. Founded in 1965 as UPCO (United Pharmaceutical Company),
: The company has aggressively expanded its veterinary network, operating hundreds of full-service Vetco Total Care hospitals and mobile vaccination clinics. Today, it operates more than 1,500 locations across