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PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. announces the grand opening of their third Orlando, FL store, located at 4616 Millenia Plaza Way, Friday, October 10 through Sunday, October 12. This three-day event will feature eight different animal welfare organizations in an effort to highlight adoptable animals.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030603/PETCOLOGO )

A significant part of PETCO's mission is to help find homes for orphaned companion animals, and this new store has really stepped up to the plate to drive that point home. Greyhound Ranch Adoptions, Ali-oop Adoptions, Orange County Animal Service, Pet Rescue by Judy, Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions (ORCA), Unwanted Neglected and Abused Animal Rescue, Gold Coast Greyhound and Friends for Life will all be on hand for this celebration of the human-animal bond, hoping to unite wonderful pets with loving families.

As part of the effort to encourage adoptions, PETCO stores offer Adoption Gift Booklets to new pet parents. All the new pet parents have to do is take their adoption papers to any PETCO, and they will receive a free gift booklet with savings of up to $180 on store products and services to help welcome their new family member home.

The event will also feature a number of pet-related games and contests, as well as a "Yappy Hour" offering treats for those with two legs and four. In addition, there will be opportunities to learn more about PETCO services, including obedience training, pet photography and grooming.

"PETCO has a great relationship with animal lovers in Orlando," says Store General Manager Danielle Dagnese. "This new store will help us serve the pets of this area that much better."

The 14,000 square foot store features a small animal and reptile area, fresh and saltwater fish aquariums, a bird area and a grooming salon. In addition, each PETCO store partners with a local veterinarian to provide care for the animals in individual stores, as well as to offer low-cost vaccination services to PETCO customers.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

To find this Orlando store, or for a complete list of Grand Opening activities, visit PETCO's website at www.petco.com.

PETCO is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services with a commitment to quality animal care and education. PETCO's strategy is to offer its customers a complete assortment of pet-related products and services at competitive prices, with superior levels of customer service at convenient locations, by hiring pet lovers and training them to become counselors to our pet-loving customers. PETCO generated net sales of $1.48 billion in the fiscal year ended February 1, 2003. It operates more than 640 neighborhood stores in 43 states and the District of Columbia, as well as a leading destination for on-line pet food and supplies at www.petco.com. The PETCO Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than $13 million since inception in 1999. More than 1,600 non-profit grassroots animal welfare organizations from around the nation have received support from the Foundation.

SOURCE: PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc.