Our Family/Our story
Since 1989, Pets-N-Pals has been proud to be a local and independently-owned business. Emily has had a passion for animals her entire life. When she was twelve years old, she volunteered at a local pet store in downtown, Staunton. Her passion for animals has grown stronger each day. Pets-N-Pals has been her “second home” since she was a teenager. Emily became the General Manager of Pets-N-Pals, in 2015, with the goal of purchasing the business that she loved so much. Before Emily’s Grandmother passed away, she told Emily, “Darlin’, you’re going to own that store one day!”, referring to Pets-N-Pals. She always knew how passionate Emily was about this store and the animals. On July 9, 2018, Emily and her husband, Chris became the proud owners of Pets-N-Pals. Chris served in the United States Marine Corps for six years. He is happy to serve not only his country, but his community. Emily and Chris share a love for animals. Their Siberian Husky, Cota-Bear likes to chase skunks as often as possible but Emily and Chris will always love him to the moon and back no matter what he smells like. They have other pets as well, one of which is a Blonde Naso Tang named Georgie. The pet store, in which Emily volunteered, also had a Blonde Naso Tang whose name was George. The Pets-N-Pals team takes their responsibilities seriously and are proud to open their doors every morning to offer the best customer service as possible.
At Pets-N-Pals, we specialize in puppies and spend many hours researching our breeders. Emily, Chris and other team members have personally met breeders that they partner with to ensure that they care for their puppies and the puppies’ parents with love and compassion. It is imperative that the breeders have happy, healthy, well cared for and well-socialized puppies and puppy parents. These breeders have to meet the strict store standards and government regulations. When you visit Pets-N-Pals, be sure to watch our breeder videos.
The Pets-N-Pals team is devoted to providing optimal care for every animal that they house. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right. The aquatics department is very enjoyable for Emily and Chris. They have expanded the selection of saltwater fish, corals, and invertebrates immensely. They aim to focus on the quality of their saltwater selection. The benefit of shopping at Pets-N-Pals for saltwater fish is being able to see the fish first-hand before making the purchase. We enjoy educating our community on animal care to ensure animal welfare.
When you support a local business, your dollar stays local. Did you know that each dollar spent at a local business returns 3 times more money to our local economy than one spent at a big box chain? This is a benefit we can all bank on. Thank you for supporting your locally-owned pet store!
Our Mission
To expand families by providing healthy, well-socialized companion animals. To make every visit an experience for pet lovers and children. To always trust in God.
Our Family
Mr. Claws wants to say thank you to everyone who comes to visit him! He is so loved by the community! Whether he jumps in your cart, rides on your shoulder, or just gives you love at the front counter, he loves all of the attention he gets! He even loves people who are “not cat people”. Come visit him today!
Scrappy-Doo is a French Bulldog. He loves saying Hello to customers every chance he gets! He enjoys dumping his toys all over office floor and oftentimes, we think he is the boss!
2015
General Manager
Bethany, Thank you for many years of continued dedication and commitment to being a great leader and team member at Pets-N-Pals! We appreciate Bethany’s knowledge of all animals, especially reptiles! She is always eager to learn more each day and loves matching her customers with the perfect pet. Bethany is always a go-to for your pets’ needs! Thank you Bethany! We appreciate you!
2017
Shift Leader
Kenly, thank you for being a great leader to your team and a wonderful animal care-giver, over the years. Kenly brings so much happiness and joy to Pets-N-Pals! She has a passion for all animals; her specialties are puppies, reptiles and tarantulas…yes I SAID TARANTULAS. Kenly has found that tarantulas are incredible creatures and there is always something new to learn about them. Kenly, thank you for always being wonderful! We appreciate you!
2020
Shift Leader
Jessie, Thank you for being such a great part of this team! Jessie loves to be around the animals. She has a passion for all animals, especially snakes, and is very eager to help customers learn about them and get the perfect set-up together. Like Patti, Jessie is also a fan of the Pug dog breed! Thank you for your dedication, Jessie. We appreciate you!
2013
Patti, thank you for the many years of dedication to this team, our animals and store! Patti is very knowledgeable with the puppies, small animals and reptiles. Patti is best known for her knowledge of Bearded Dragons. Many people know her as “The Bearded Dragon Lady” or the lady who loves Pugs! Patti is a blessing to Pets-N-Pals! Thank you for always sharing your knowledge and happiness with everyone! Patti, thank you for all that you do. We appreciate you!
2016
Tiffany, thank you for many years of being a great team member and animal care-giver at Pets-N-Pals. Tiffany is very knowledgeable about small animals, especially Chinchillas! She loves to show children the different animals when they visit the store to make it more than just a visit but an experience! Thank you for being such a great, reliable and caring part of our team Tiffany! We appreciate you so much!
2018
Tiana, thank you for your love for animals; You display your love for animals each day! She is very knowledgeable about many types of animals and loves to share her knowledge with customers, especially with aquatics. If you have any questions about aquatic plants, corals, or fish, Tiana is the one to see! Also, many of you may remember Malakai, the Alaskan Malamute….he is Tiana’s giant baby. Tiana is passionate about animal care and will help guide you on how to properly care for your next pet. Tiana, thank you for all you do! We appreciate you.
