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Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: August 22, 2024

PLEASE NOTE: THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A MANDATORY DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION WITH AN ARBITRATION PROVISION, CLASS ACTION WAIVER, AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER THAT AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS. THE MANDATORY DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION AFFECTS HOW DISPUTES WITH PETCO ARE RESOLVED. YOU AGREE TO BE BEOUND BY THE MANDATORY DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION, INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION PROVISION THEREIN. IN ARBITRATION, THERE IS NO JUDGE OR JURY AND THERE IS LESS DISCOVERY AND APPELLATE REVIEW THAN IN COURT. PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY.

See Vital Care Premier Terms & Conditions here

  1. Membership Eligibility

    No purchase is necessary to become a member ("Member") of or to enroll in Petco's Vital Care Core membership program. Members shall provide their contact information upon signing up for Vital Care Core and agree to receive Vital Care Core benefits, account, and transactional communications, via email. Member must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

  2. Benefits

    Point Earning

    Members will earn one (1) Vital Care point (“Point”) for every dollar ($1.00 USD) spent on merchandise at any Petco retail store; online at Petco.com; and/or via the Petco mobile app (the “App”). Members who have a Petco Pay credit card may also earn Points through purchases made with their Petco Pay credit card pursuant to the Petco Pay Terms and Conditions, and should review those Terms for information about how their Points will accrue. Points will be automatically converted to Vital Care Rewards dollars (“Vital Care Rewards”) at the rate of five (5) Vital Care Rewards for every 167 Points earned by Member, which Member may use towards $5 off any future purchase, subject to these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions. Member is solely responsible for any federal, state and local taxes associated with any purchases where applicable. Points are earned on all eligible transactions completed at any Petco retail store; online at Petco.com; and/or via the App, through cash, credit card or using Petco gift cards. (See the Petco Pay Terms and Conditions for details on accruing Points using the Petco Pay credit card.) Purchases made by Members to buy Gift Cards, and donations made by Members to Petco Love or other charities (both monetary donations and donations through the purchase of specific merchandise), are not eligible to earn Points. Taxes and shipping costs are not eligible to receive Points. If Member's Account is inactive for 90 days, any Points accumulated towards Vital Care Rewards will be reset to zero (0). A Member's Account is considered inactive when there have been no new purchases posted to the Account.

    If a Member believes their eligible purchase was incorrectly applied toward earning Vital Care Rewards, they may contact Petco Customer Relations at 888-824-7257. Requests must be received by Petco Customer Relations within forty-five (45) days from the date of the purchasing or earning activity in question. Written requests should include the Member's name, Vital Care number, address, daytime telephone number, and/or e-mail address. Failure to supply adequate and unaltered documentation may result in denial of Points credits.

    Petco may present additional opportunities from time to time for Member to earn Points by engaging in non-purchase behavior online, including, but not limited to, completing a Member profile or answering a survey, with Rewards Dollar increments varying at Petco's discretion.

    Vital Care Reward Issuance and Redemption

    Vital Care Rewards will be issued to Member at the rate of five (5) Vital Care Rewards Dollars for every 167 Points earned by Member, which Member may use towards $5 off any future purchase. Vital Care Rewards may be displayed in the Member's Account at Petco.com, Petco.com/VitalCare, and/or in the App. Members are required to load their earned Vital Care Rewards to their Account in order to use the Rewards during a purchase. Members can do so by logging onto their Account online or in the App, or by calling Petco Customer Relations at 888-824-7257.

    Vital Care Rewards shall only be redeemable on future purchases with a balance owed that is equal to or greater than $5. Vital Care Rewards cannot be partially redeemed or redeemed on a purchase that is less than $5. Vital Care Rewards cannot be redeemed in full or in part for cash, gift cards or gift certificates. Petco is not responsible for lost or stolen Vital Care Rewards. All Vital Care Rewards expire upon 30 days of issuance date for Vital Care Core members. Vital Care Rewards can be redeemed in any Petco retail store; on Petco.com; or within the App. Vital Care Rewards cannot be redeemed at Just Food For Dogs Kitchens, or at any third-party partner. Vital Care Rewards will be applied prior to any other coupons at point of sale.

  3. Points and Reward Coupon Return Policy

    If Member returns merchandise that was purchased with Vital Care Rewards, the returned value of the merchandise will only equate to the total cash or credit originally charged. Vital Care Rewards and/or coupons applied to the original transaction will not be credited back to the Member. If a Member returns an item that earned the Member Vital Care Points, the applicable number of Points will be deducted from their Account.

  4. General Terms

    Vital Care Rewards are based on total Member spending at any Petco retail store; online at Petco.com; and/or via the App. Points will not accrue for money spent by Member on tax or shipping or via coupons or promotions. Neither Points nor Vital Care Rewards have any cash value. Members must provide their Vital Care Core number at checkout to receive Points for their purchase. For purchases at Petco.com or via the App, Members must be logged into their Vital Care Account (“Account”) to earn Points. Members are responsible for maintaining accurate and updated contact information online at Petco.com, at Petco.com/VitalCare, or within the App.

    Vital Care Rewards are not assignable, saleable, transferable, replaceable, or redeemable for cash. Petco is not responsible for Vital Care Rewards not received as a result of Member's failure to provide an accurate email address and/or update Member's contact information.

    Petco may email Member regarding Vital Care Core from time to time, including but not limited to providing Member (1) Vital Care Core Account statements, (2) Vital Care Rewards notifications, and/or (3) other transactional information. Member consents to these email notifications which are required as part of Vital Care Core membership. Member consents to receive these emails at any time of day to the fullest extent allowable by applicable law. Members may opt-out of promotional email messages anytime at Petco.com, Petco.com/VitalCare, or within the App. Vital Care Core is continuous and no subsequent registration is required. Vital Care Rewards earned on a purchased item which is then returned or exchanged may be deducted from Member's Account balance. Returns may cause a negative Vital Care Rewards and/or Points balance. If, for any reason, Member or Petco cancels an order that was paid in whole or in part using Vital Care Rewards, Petco will return the applicable value of the Member's Points back to their Account.

  5. Cancellation and Termination Policy

    Petco maintains the right to terminate Member's participation in Vital Care Core at any time. Upon termination, Member will forfeit any Points and/or Vital Care Rewards Repeated returns of merchandise for which Points and/or Vital Care Rewards Dollars have been awarded may result in termination of Member's participation in Vital Care Core if, in Petco's sole discretion, such behavior is determined to be fraudulent.

  6. Modification of Policy

    Petco reserves the right to modify and/or terminate Vital Care Core and/or these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions at any time without notice. Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions for the will be posted at Petco.com. Member's continued participation in Vital Care Core, including use of an Account, Points and/or any Vital Care Rewards, shall indicate Member's acceptance of these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions.

  7. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

    Petco's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy shall apply to Member's membership in Vital Care.

    Colorado Residents

    If you are a resident of Colorado, the table in Section 1 of our Privacy Policy describes the categories of personal information that we collect and process for targeted advertising via the Vital Care Core and Vital Care Premier programs. Section 6 of the Privacy Policy describes the categories of third parties that receive personal information as a result of your participation in the Vital Care Core and Vital Care Premier programs. In addition, Section 6 of the Privacy Policy discloses how we share certain information with data brokers to supplement or verify our customer records and improve our marketing. Third parties that provide benefits to our Members, and the benefits made available to Members, change regularly and frequently. For questions about benefits provided by third parties, please contact vitalcarepremier@petco.com. If you request deletion of your personal information under applicable privacy laws, we cannot maintain your membership in the Vital Care Core or Vital Care Premier programs, because we need your contact information in order to issue and deliver the rewards, credits and perks you earn under the programs.

  8. Release of Liability

    Member releases Petco Animal Supplies Stores, Inc., its affiliate entities, and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all liability relating to Member's Vital Care Core membership and/or these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions.

  9. Mandatory Dispute Resolution (Including Arbitration; Class Action Waiver; Jury Trial Waiver)

    PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY - IT MAY SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY HEAR YOUR CLAIMS. IT CONTAINS PROCEDURES FOR A MANDATORY EARLY RESOLUTION PROCESS, BINDING ARBITRATION, A CLASS ACTION WAIVER, AND A JURY TRIAL WAIVER.

    • Disputes

      Any dispute or claim arising out of or relating to these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions, your use of the Services, or your relationship with Petco or any past, present, or future subsidiaries, parents, affiliates, employees, officers, directors, agents, successors, representatives, or assigns, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory (each a “Dispute”) will be resolved through binding individual arbitration as set forth in these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions, except that either you or Petco may initiate a Dispute in or take a Dispute to small claims court, so long as that Dispute is not removed or appealed to a court of general jurisdiction. Whether a Dispute falls within the jurisdiction of small claims court is for a small claims court to decide in the first instance and for a court of competent jurisdiction to otherwise decide. The term “Dispute” shall be interpreted broadly and includes, but is not limited to: (a) any dispute or claim that arose before the existence of these or any prior Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions (including, but not limited to, claims relating to advertising); (b) any dispute or claim that is currently the subject of purported class action litigation in which you are not a member of a certified class; and (c) any dispute or claim that may arise after termination of these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions. “Dispute,” however, does not include disagreements or claims concerning patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, or other intellectual property, and claims of piracy or unauthorized use of intellectual property.

      In any Dispute, the arbitrator shall decide all issues except the following (which are for a court of competent jurisdiction to decide): (a) issues that are reserved for a court in these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions; (b) issues that relate to the scope, validity, and/or enforceability of the arbitration provision, class action waiver, or any of the provisions of this Mandatory Dispute Resolution clause; and (c) issues that relate to the arbitrability of any Dispute. These Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions and their arbitration provision do not prevent you from bringing a Dispute to the attention of any government agency. You and we agree that these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions evidence a transaction in interstate commerce and that the arbitration provision herein will be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act and federal arbitration law.

    • Early Resolution Process

      You and Petco agree to work together in a good-faith effort to informally resolve any Dispute that might arise between us using the early resolution process described herein (“Early Resolution Process”).

      The party initiating a Dispute must first send the other a written notice (the “Dispute Notice”) that includes all of the following information: (a) information sufficient to identify any transaction and/or account at issue in the Dispute, including any Vital Care account information (formerly known as Pals Rewards); (b) contact information (including your name, address, telephone number, and email address); and (c) a detailed description of the nature and basis of the Dispute and the relief sought, including a calculation for such relief. The Dispute Notice must be personally signed by the party initiating the Dispute (and their counsel, if represented). If you are the party initiating a Dispute, you must send us the Dispute Notice via email to arbitration@petco.com. If Petco has a Dispute with you, we will send a Dispute Notice to you at the most recent contact information we have on file for you.

      For a period of sixty (60) days from receipt of a completed Dispute Notice (which can be extended by agreement of the parties), you and we agree to negotiate in good faith in an effort to informally resolve the Dispute. The party receiving the Dispute Notice may request a telephone settlement conference to aid in the early resolution of the Dispute. If such a conference is requested, you and a Petco representative will personally attend such a telephone settlement conference (with counsel, if represented). The conference will be scheduled for a mutually convenient time, which may be outside of the 60-day period following receipt of a Dispute Notice. This informal Early Resolution Process is a condition precedent to you or Petco commencing a formal proceeding in arbitration or small claims court.

      If the sufficiency of a Dispute Notice or compliance with this Early Resolution Process is at issue, such issue may be raised with and decided by a court of competent jurisdiction at either party's election and any arbitration shall be stayed pending resolution of such issue. The court shall have the authority to enforce this condition precedent to arbitration, which includes the power to enjoin the filing or prosecution of arbitrations, and to enjoin the assessment or collection of arbitration fees. Nothing in this paragraph limits the right of a party to seek damages for non-compliance with this process in arbitration or to raise non-compliance with a AAA process arbitrator. All applicable limitations periods (including statutes of limitations) will be tolled from the date of receipt of a completed Dispute Notice through the conclusion of this Early Resolution Process. You or we may commence arbitration or a small claims court proceeding if a Dispute is not resolved through this Early Resolution Process.

    • Arbitration Procedures

      The arbitration of any Dispute shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), including the AAA's Consumer Arbitration Rules and Supplementary Rules for Mass Arbitration, as applicable (“AAA Rules”), as modified by this arbitration provision and these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions. The AAA Rules are available online at www.adr.org. You and we understand and agree that the AAA's administrative determination that this arbitration provision comports with the Consumer Due Process Protocol is final, and that neither a court nor an arbitrator has the authority to revisit it. If the AAA is unavailable or unwilling to conduct the arbitration consistent with this arbitration provision and these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions, the parties shall agree on a replacement arbitration administrator that will do so. If the parties cannot agree on a replacement arbitration administrator, they shall petition a court of competent jurisdiction to appoint an arbitration administrator that will conduct the arbitration consistent with this arbitration provision and these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions. An arbitration demand must (a) include all of the information required to be provided in the Dispute Notice above; (b) be accompanied by a certification of compliance with the Early Resolution Process above; and (c) be personally signed by the party initiating arbitration (and counsel, if represented). When initiating arbitration, you shall personally certify to Petco and to AAA that you are a party to this arbitration provision and provide a copy or link to it. By submitting an arbitration demand, the initiating party and counsel represent, as in court, that they are complying with the requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b). The arbitrator is authorized to impose any sanctions available under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 on represented parties and their counsel. You may choose to have the arbitration conducted by a phone, video, or in-person hearing, or through written submissions, except any Dispute seeking more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00 USD) or injunctive relief shall have an in-person or video hearing unless the parties agree otherwise. You and we reserve the right to request a hearing in any matter from the arbitrator. You and a Petco representative will personally appear at any hearing (with counsel, if represented). Any in-person hearing will be held in the county or parish in which you reside or at another mutually agreed-upon location. An arbitrator may award on an individual basis any relief that would be available in a court, including injunctive or declaratory relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by that party's individual claim. To the fullest extent allowable by applicable law, you and we agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or our individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative proceeding. Further, unless both you and we agree otherwise, an arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of class, collective, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative proceeding. You agree that you shall personally participate, along with your counsel if represented, in the initial conference with the arbitrator unless the parties agree otherwise. An arbitrator must follow and enforce these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions as a court would.

      IF, AFTER EXHAUSTION OF ALL APPEALS, ANY OF THESE PROHIBITIONS ON NON-INDIVIDUALIZED INJUNCTIVE OR DECLARATORY RELIEF AND CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDINGS ARE FOUND TO BE UNENFORCEABLE WITH RESPECT TO A PARTICULAR CLAIM OR REQUEST FOR RELIEF (SUCH AS A REQUEST FOR PUBLIC INJUNCTIVE RELIEF), THEN SUCH A CLAIM OR REQUEST FOR RELIEF WILL BE DECIDED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION, AFTER ALL OTHER CLAIMS AND REQUESTS FOR RELIEF ARE ARBITRATED.

      The arbitrator shall issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain essential findings and conclusions. The arbitrator shall apply the cost-shifting provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 68 after entry of an award. Judgment on any arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction, except an award that has been satisfied may not be entered. An award shall have no preclusive effect in any other arbitration or proceeding in which you are not a named party.

    • Costs of Arbitration

      Payment of arbitration fees will be governed by the AAA Rules and fee schedule. You and we agree that the parties have a shared interest in reducing the costs and increasing the efficiencies associated with arbitration. Therefore, you or we may elect to engage with the AAA regarding arbitration fees, and you and we agree that the parties (and counsel, if represented) will work together in good faith to ensure that arbitration remains cost-effective for all parties.

    • Additional Procedures for Mass Arbitration

      You and we agree that the following “Additional Procedures for Mass Arbitration” (in addition to the other provisions of this section) shall apply if you choose to participate in a Mass Arbitration (as defined below).

      If twenty-five (25) or more similar Disputes (including yours) are asserted against Petco by the same or coordinated counsel or are otherwise coordinated (a “Mass Arbitration”), you understand and agree that the resolution of your Dispute might be delayed and ultimately proceed in court. The parties agree that as part of these procedures, their counsel shall meet and confer in good faith in an effort to resolve the Disputes, streamline procedures, address the exchange of information, modify the number of Disputes to be adjudicated, and conserve the parties' and the AAA's resources. If your claim is part of a Mass Arbitration, any applicable limitations periods (including statutes of limitations) shall be tolled for your Dispute from the time that your Dispute is first submitted to the AAA until your Dispute is selected to proceed as part of a staged process or is settled, withdrawn, otherwise resolved, or opted out of arbitration pursuant to this provision.

      • STAGE ONE: If at least one hundred (100) Disputes are submitted as part of a Mass Arbitration, counsel for the claimants and counsel for Petco shall each select fifty (50) Disputes to be filed and to proceed as cases in individual arbitrations as part of this initial staged process. The number of Disputes to be selected to proceed in Stage One can be increased by agreement of counsel for the parties (and if there are fewer than one hundred (100) Disputes, all shall proceed individually in Stage One). Each of the one hundred (100) (or fewer) cases shall be assigned to a different arbitrator and proceed individually. If a case is withdrawn before the issuance of an arbitration award, another claim shall be selected to proceed as part of Stage One. The remaining Disputes shall not be filed or deemed filed in arbitration nor shall any arbitration fees be assessed or collected in connection with those claims. After this initial set of proceedings, counsel for the parties shall participate in a global mediation session with a retired federal or state court judge jointly selected by counsel in an effort to resolve the remaining Disputes (as informed by the adjudications of cases in Stage One), and Petco shall pay the mediator's fee.
      • STAGE TWO: If the remaining Disputes have not been resolved at the conclusion of Stage One, counsel for the claimants and counsel for Petco shall each select one hundred (100) Disputes per side to be filed and to proceed as cases in individual arbitrations as part of a second staged process. The number of Disputes to be selected to proceed as part of this second staged process can be increased by agreement of counsel for the parties (and if there are fewer than two hundred (200) Disputes, all shall proceed individually in Stage Two). No more than five (5) cases may be assigned to a single arbitrator to proceed individually. If a case is withdrawn before the issuance of an arbitration award, another claim shall be selected to proceed as part of Stage Two. The remaining Disputes shall not be filed or deemed filed in arbitration nor shall any arbitration fees be assessed or collected in connection with those claims. After this second set of staged proceedings, the parties shall engage in a global mediation session of all remaining Disputes with a retired federal or state court judge jointly selected by counsel in an effort to resolve the remaining Disputes (as informed by the adjudications of cases in Stages One and Two), and Petco shall pay the mediator's fee. Upon the completion of the mediation set forth in this Stage Two, each remaining Dispute (if any) that is not settled or not withdrawn shall be opted out of arbitration and may proceed in a court of competent jurisdiction consistent with the remainder of these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, counsel for the parties may mutually agree in writing to proceed with the adjudication of some or all of the remaining Disputes in individual arbitrations consistent with the process set forth in Stage Two (except Disputes shall be randomly selected and mediation shall be elective by agreement of counsel) or through another mutually agreeable process.

      A court of competent jurisdiction shall have the authority to enforce these Additional Procedures for Mass Arbitration, including the power to enjoin the filing or prosecution of arbitrations and the assessment or collection of arbitration fees.

      These Additional Procedures for Mass Arbitration are essential parts of this arbitration provision. If, after exhaustion of all appeals, a court of competent jurisdiction decides that these Additional Procedures for Mass Arbitration apply to your Dispute and are not enforceable, then your Dispute shall not proceed in arbitration and shall only proceed in a court of competent jurisdiction consistent with the remainder of these Terms.

      • Opting Out of the Arbitration Provision

        Petco's updates to these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions do not provide you with a new opportunity to opt out of arbitration if you previously agreed to and did not validly opt out of arbitration. Petco will continue to honor any valid opt outs if you previously opted out of arbitration with Petco. To opt out of arbitration, you must send a personally signed, written notice via U.S. Mail to Petco at: Petco Legal Department, 10850 Via Frontera, San Diego CA 92127, or via email to arbitration@petco.com, and you must provide the following information: (a) your name, (b) your address, (c) your phone number, and (d) a clear statement that you wish to opt out of this arbitration provision. This opt-out notice must be sent within thirty (30) days after the date you first become subject to this arbitration provision. If you opt out of this agreement to arbitrate, all other provisions of these Vital Care Core Terms & Conditions, including other provisions of the Mandatory Dispute Resolution section, will continue to apply to you. Opting out has no effect on any other arbitration agreements or provisions that you may have entered into with Petco or may enter into in the future with Petco.

      • Future Changes to the Arbitration Provision

        If Petco makes any future changes to the arbitration provision (other than a change to our contact information), you may reject any such change by sending your personally signed, written notice to the following address within thirty (30) days of the change: Via U.S. Mail to Petco at: Petco Legal Department, 10850 Via Frontera, San Diego CA 92127; or via email to arbitration@petco.com. Such written notice does not constitute an opt out of arbitration altogether or impact any other portions of this Mandatory Dispute Resolution section. By rejecting any future change, you are agreeing that you will arbitrate any Dispute between you and Petco in accordance with this version of the arbitration provision.

      • Class Action Waiver; Jury Trial Waiver

        YOU AND WE EACH AGREE THAT ANY PROCEEDING, WHETHER IN ARBITRATION OR IN COURT, WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. YOU AND WE AGREE TO WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO BRING OR TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH AN ACTION IN ARBITRATION OR IN COURT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, THE PARTIES RETAIN THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS-WIDE SETTLEMENT.

        TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AND PETCO WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.