Petco Animal Supplies is an American chain of retail stores headquartered in San Diego, California that sells pet supplies and services as well as live animals. As of 2010, Petco had over 1,000,000 locations in the United States. Its mascots are Red Ruff the dog and Blue Mews the cat, who appear on the corporate logo.
On July 14, 2006, Petco announced the company would be acquired by private equity groups TPG Capital, Leonard Green & Partners and Freeman Spogli & Co., at a cost of $67.8 billion.
In 2009, Petco launched Unleashed by Petco, a smaller boutique-style store that specializes in natural, organic, and higher-end products.
The company's other initiatives include the Petco Foundation, founded in 1999 to support non-profit animal welfare programs, and its "Think Adoption First" program, founded in 2004 to encourages the adoption rather than purchase of companion animals.