Getting a leash on pet stores in Calgary
Canadian pet and pet-supply stores do big business – $6.5 billion annually. Big-box pet stores are plentiful, but it’s the independent stores that really shine when it comes to long-term community relationships and customer loyalty. Here are some of the best places in Calgary to find finned, furry, scaly or feathered friends, and all the trappings they need to keep them happy in your home.
Big Al's
2020G 32 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6T4Not only will you find Nemo, you’ll find 12,000 square feet of the most weird and wonderful sea creatures around at Big Al’s, which specializes in aquariums and accessories. Kids love this place. It goes way beyond goldfish, with walls and walls of well-kept tanks. But beyond stuff of the deep-blue sea, the store also carries birds, reptiles, small animals and accessories for pets of all sorts, including the four-legged variety.
Pisces Pet Emporium
4921 Skyline Way NE, Calgary, AB T2E 4G5The Pisces people really know their stuff. Helpful staff can direct you on everything from the ideal first pets to perfect habitats for your feathered, finned and furry friends. The rainforest-themed outlet is a vast storehouse of knowledge, along with 700 aquariums stocked with fresh and saltwater fish, a marmoset habitat and a resident tortoise.
Paws Pet Food & Accessories Ltd
8403 Elbow Dr SW, Calgary, AB T2V 1K8All the items you need to house, feed, amuse and care for your pets are found in this independent shop. Doggie boots and beds, cat toothbrushes, bird ladders, hamster tunnels and a full line of top pet foods, including organic choices, line the shelves. Paws has been around for 25 years and trades on its staff’s extensive knowledge of both tried-and-true and innovative products.
Tail Blazers
107-15566 McIvor Blvd SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 4Y2This warm, friendly shop in Copperfield is loaded with cool toys for dogs and cats, as well as nutritionally superior foods for four-legged family members. These animal meals include the largest selection of raw food and bones in town. Staff choose the highest-rated products with an eye to supporting innovative, Canadian-made products. The store also hosts dog-training sessions in its studio.
Fairplay Pet Supplies
2604 Kensington Rd NW, Calgary, AB T2N 3S5Fairplay has been at play in Calgary for 95 years, serving generations of pet owners since it first opened its doors. It’s been located at the west end of Kensington Road. since 1980. The place is stocked with all manner of food and supplies for dogs, cats, wild and domestic birds and small animals. There are no airs about the place – it’s just everything you want, with down-home customer service.
Rascals Pet Supplies & Grooming Ltd
3804 Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, AB T2E 5T6This place has some awesome cat climbers, along with an impressive stock of bulk dog biscuits, in among the well-organized and labelled aisles of pet food, clothing, bathing, cleaning, toys, treats, and the list goes on. The number of colourful pet beds and hides are pretty great, too. Pets are welcome in the store.
Top Dog Store The
4-5010 4 St NE, Calgary, AB T2K 5X8Puppy adoption is the name of the game at Top Dog, which features an arsenal of adorable faces representing numerous breeds on its official website. Run by husband-and-wife team Robert and Marion Church, puppies are sourced through ethical breeders that are inspected regularly by the store’s own team. The store also carries all supplies needed for pups and recently launched the Wag Swag gift box, loaded with toys, treats and useful stuff for pet owners.
Calgary Humane Society
4455 110 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2C 2T7Located right inside the Calgary Humane Society in the city’s deep southeast, the Pet Gear Store is loaded with food, toys, trees, leashes, dishes and everything else you need for a newly adopted or existing pet. You can feel good about your purchases, here, too, since all proceeds from store purchases go toward the 8,500 animals the CHS cares for each year. The inventory is curated with an eye to humane treatment of animals, best training practices and fun.
Unleashed
2415 14 St SW, Calgary, AB T2T 3T7This trendy little shop is stocked with great stuff for outdoor enthusiasts that like to hit the trails with their dogs. You’ll find backpacks and booties, along with all the food and accessories that go toward making man’s best friend happy and healthy. Shelves are stocked with books on canine nutrition, training, breeds and more, as well as environmentally friendly products and some really gorgeous doggie beds.
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