Being a pet owner is one of life’s greatest joys, but caring for your beloved animals comes with a significant amount of work and expense. That’s where the helping hand of Petco Vital Care loyalty program comes in, helping pet owners save on everything from food to services such as grooming and veterinary care.
Petco Vital Care (which fully replaced the old Petco Pals rewards program in early 2023) is a two-tiered rewards program consisting of Petco Vital Care Core and Petco Vital Care Premier. Both tiers offer points on every purchase toward future savings, exclusive members-only perks and offers, personalized reminders about your pet’s care and advice from experts. There are some key differences between the two, starting with the cost. Petco Vital Care Core is free, and takes the place of Petco’s Pals Rewards plan. Petco Vital Care Premier has a monthly membership fee, and replaces the original Petco Vital Care service.
Wondering whether Petco Vital Care Core or Vital Care Premier is better for your needs? We’ve done a deep dive so you can make an informed choice as to which one is best for you and your cat/dog/reptile/fish/bird/small pet.
For everything you need to know about the Petco rewards programs, keep reading. Plus, be sure to activate RetailMeNot cash back to earn even more rewards at Petco. Here’s how RetailMeNot cash back works.
What Is Petco Vital Care?
Petco Vital Care is a loyalty program for pet owners that offers rewards for shopping at Petco stores and online at Petco.com or through the Petco app. Vital Care members have access to digital tools such as reminders to buy pet food or to set up vet and grooming appointments as well.
What Are the Petco Vital Care Tiers?
There are two tiers of Petco Vital Care:
- The first tier, Vital Care Core, is free to join. Members earn points on all purchases, as well as cost-saving rewards. For example, you get your eighth grooming appointment for free. Those who enrolled before Aug. 3, 2023, also are still eligible for the Nutrition Benefit for every 10th bag of cat or dog food (dry food) free.
- Vital Care Premier is the paid membership tier. It costs $24.99 per month for one cat or dog (get discounted rate when you pay for a full year), or $9.99 per month for one “companion animal” (that means a bird, fish, reptile or small pet). In addition to earning all the points and perks Vital Care Core members do, Vital Care Premier parents receive unlimited routine vet exams at a Petco vet or vet of choice, 20% off all dog grooming sessions or cat litter purchases, 10% off high-quality nutrition without artificial ingredients and $15 in Vital Care Rewards each month.
What Happened to the 10th Bag of Pet Food Free Benefits?
Vital Care used to include a nutrition benefit that got you your 10th bag of dry cat or dog food free. Petco ended that perk in August 2023 for new enrollees — however if you enrolled before Aug. 3, 2023, you still get that benefit.
What Happened to Petco Pals Rewards?
In January 2023, Petco announced they were unifying their two Petco rewards programs — and their 24 million subscribers — under one umbrella program: Petco Vital Care. Anyone who was a member of Petco’s Pals Rewards automatically had their membership transitioned over to Vital Care Core. Anyone who was a member of Petco’s existing Vital Care program became a Vital Care Premier member.
All benefits were kept, and the fees remained the same, too.
What Comes With a Petco Vital Care Core Membership?
Petco Vital Care Core is a free rewards membership open to any pet owner. Vital Care Core members receive these perks:
- You earn points on all Petco purchases, whether you’re buying products like clothing, food, toys or wellness services.
- Every eighth groom appointment is free after you’ve paid for the first seven.
- Access to the dashboard on petco.com and in the Petco app that offers a monthly wellness checklist for your pet, various reminders, and a record of your past purchases and services.
What Comes With a Petco Vital Care Premier Membership?
Petco Vital Care Premier is the paid membership tier of the Petco rewards program. You pay $24.99 for each dog or cat membership, and $9.99 for each bird, reptile, fish and small pet. Note that you make a full-year, 12-month commitment when you sign up. This is not a month-to-month program.
Petco Vital Care members receive all the benefits of a Petco Vital Core membership list above, plus:
- Dogs and cats receive unlimited routine vet exams at a Petco vet or vet of choice.
- You save 20% off all dog grooming sessions.
- Save 20% off cat litter purchases.
- Receive a $15 Vital Care Rewards each month with the dog or cat plan, or $5 for each companion animal (bird, fish, reptile or small pet).
- Save 20%off nutrition and supplies for your companion animal.
- Save 20% off future new pet purchases for your companion animal.
- All Vital Care Premier members have access to a dedicated, exclusive member help line.
- All Vital Care Premier members receive a one-time discount of $30 off pet boarding, dog walking or pet sitting services on Rover.com.
How to Sign up for the Petco Pals Rewards Program
You can sign up any time online by sharing your name, mailing address, email address and a phone number, or you can register online at the same link but using your Apple or Google account. Another option is to download the free Petco app and register for membership via the app. Finally, you can register in person the next time you’re at a Petco store; just ask a salesperson.
Is the Petco Vital Care Program Free?
There are two membership tiers. The first, Vital Care Core, is totally free. In fact, Petco doesn’t even require that you make a purchase to become a member. Additionally, there’s no credit check required nor do you have to share any credit or debit card information.
Vital Care Premier has a monthly fee of $19.99 for dogs or cats, and $9.99/month for other small pets, and you commit to a year-long membership when you sign up, so that’s $239.88/annual for each dog or cat registered, or $119.88 for each companion animal.
How Do Vital Care Rewards Work?
For every dollar you spend with Petco, online or in person, you earn one point. For every 167 points you earn, you’ll get a $5 Vital Care Reward to spend. Paying members of the Vital Care Premier membership also get a monthly Vital Care Reward of $15 (for dog or cat plans) or $5 (for small pets such as fish or guinea pigs). To keep your rewards active, you must make a purchase every 90 days from Petco.
Vital Care rewards can be used on most purchases with Petco, with the exception of membership fees, donations (such as to Petco Love, the charitable arm of Petco), gift cars, taxes, tips, cash back and shipping fees, as well as with any third-party veterinarian partner located with a Petco store or at the JustFoodForDogs Kitchens.
Besides earning points toward savings on future purchases, there are other excellent, exclusive benefits only for Petco Vital Care members, including the Nutrition Perk and the Grooming Perk. Note that these must be “unlocked” in the free Petco app so you’ll want to download it at some point.
With the Nutrition Perk, for every seven bags of qualifying dry dog or cat food, you get a coupon for a free eighth bag. (Petco figures out the average cost of the seven bags you’ve purchased to figure out the value of your dog food coupon.) The Grooming Perk is similar. You earn your eighth free full-service bath or bath with haircut once you’ve paid for seven qualifying full-service baths or baths with haircut for your dog and/or cat.
To earn these perks, you do have to buy a bag of dry food every 12 months to get your nutrition credit, and for the grooming benefit, purchase one full-service bath or bath with a haircut every 12 months.
Via the Petco app, members receive helpful reminders like when it’s time to give your pet their flea and tick treatment and when they’re due for their vaccinations. Another cool benefit just for members: Petco’s pros (including veterinarians, animal behaviorists and groomers) offer advice that’s exclusive to members. That even includes personalized recommendations for your pet.
How Do I Redeem My Petco Vital Care Rewards?
For every 167 points you earn, you’ll get $5 Vital Care Rewards. Before you check out at the store, load your reward into your Petco app or via your online account, then apply your reward at the checkout counter. Or use them online or in the Petco app — you can easily apply rewards when you’re checking out online in the “edit payment” section.
There are a few caveats to keep in mind. You cannot partially redeem your $5, so your purchase must be $5 or more, and your rewards will expire 30 days after you’ve received them for Vital Care Core members, and 45 for Vital Care Premier, so use ‘em or lose ‘em!
How Do I Add My Petco Rewards to My Online Order?
Make sure you’re logged in to your Petco account when you shop online. When you get to checkout, wait until you get to the part where you’re asked for your payment method. That’s where you’ll opt in to using your Petco rewards (you’ll use a credit card to pay the rest of the balance).
How Do I Make Sure I Get Credit for Petco Purchases?
To make sure your Vital Care account is credited every time you make a Petco purchase, you have to supply your Vital Care number first. If you are in the store, you can use the Petco mobile app to look up your number and give that to the sales clerk. If you don’t have your number handy, no problem! Give the cashier the phone number or email address you used to join Vital Care and they can look you up that way.
If you’re shopping online, log in to your account before you check out, and you’ll automatically get your perks credited to your account.
You must purchase something from Petco at least once every 90 days to keep your account active. Once you receive your reward, spend it within 30 (Vital Care Core) or 45 (Vital Care Premier) days or it will expire.
How Do I Know How Many Vital Care Rewards Points I Have?
Log in to your account online or check your Vital Care account via the app. Your receipt for in-store purchases will also have your current points on it, as will emails you receive from Petco.
What Veterinary Services Are Covered Under the Petco Vital Care Premier Program?
With your membership, you get unlimited routine vet exams for the pet you’ve registered at Vetco Total Care Locations. Additional tests or medications and services are not covered. You can also use your benefit to earn $20 in Vital Care rewards for vet exams through your preferred vet.
This is not pet insurance, and only covers routine exams. If you have more than one pet, you will need to pay for each one to have their own account in order to take advantage of the vet benefit.
How Can You Cancel Your Petco Vital Care Premier Membership?
When you sign up for Petco Vital Care Premier, you’re making a 12-month commitment, billed monthly. Each year, your membership will automatically renew for another year. If you wish to cancel, either call Petco at 858-657-2035 or access your Vital Care Premier membership online or in the Petco app to stop the auto-renew. You will still have to pay for the entire year before your membership ends.
What’s the Difference Between Petco Vital Care Rewards and the Petco Pay Credit Card?
Vital Care is a loyalty program that rewards members with savings and other benefits. That is not the same as the company’s no-annual-fee Petco Pay credit card, although being a credit card holder does boost your Vital Care benefits. For example, you get two points for every dollar spent at Petco or at grocery stores with your Petco Pay credit card; a one-year extension on your Vital Care rewards balance; and a $25 Vital Care rewards gift when you spend $500 outside of Petco within the first 90 days of receiving your card.
The credit card has other awesome benefits. Petco will make a donation to Petco Love to help animals every time you use your card and you get to put your pet’s face on your credit card which is pawsome!
How Else Can I Save at Petco?
There are other ways to save at Petco on top of being a Vital Care rewards member:
- Sign up for Petco emails to save 10% off your first order.
- Check RetailMeNot for the most current Petco freebies, deals and coupons.
- Sign up for the no-annual-fee Petco Pay credit card.
And for more ways to spoil your best buddies, here’s RetailMeNot’s list of deals and freebies for pets.
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