PetSmart expands Halloween push with 2026 Thrills & Chills line
Bottom line
PetSmart has launched its 2026 Thrills & Chills Halloween collection, expanding seasonal merchandise across costumes, toys, treats, and accessories for dogs, cats, reptiles, and small pets. In its August 6 announcement, the retailer said 71% of pet parents plan to celebrate Halloween with their pets this year, and 47% of dog and cat pet parents expect to dress their pets in costume. The collection includes classic pumpkin and bat looks, trend-driven options like pink cowboy and Highland cow costumes, Halloween-themed toys and treats, sub-$10 items, a seasonal salon package, and themed playdates scheduled for October 15 through November 2. PetSmart says the assortment is available in stores and online, and noted it now operates more than 1,700 stores across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. (prnewswire.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the launch is another sign that Halloween has become a broader pet retail event, not just a novelty category. That creates opportunities for clinics to reinforce practical safety guidance around costume fit, stress, choking hazards, toxic treats, and escape risk as pet parents bring seasonal products into the home. Recent AAHA and ASPCA guidance recommends skipping costumes for pets that show distress, avoiding outfits that restrict breathing, movement, sight, or hearing, and supervising pets closely during holiday gatherings. (aaha.org)
What to watch: Watch for how aggressively retailers tie seasonal merchandising to services and in-store events this fall, and whether clinics respond with more Halloween safety messaging as October approaches. (prnewswire.com)
PetSmart is leaning further into Halloween as a pet retail moment, unveiling its 2026 Thrills & Chills collection with costumes, toys, treats, and accessories for dogs, cats, reptiles, and small pets. In the company’s August 6 release, PetSmart framed the launch around a broader cultural shift: 71% of surveyed pet parents said they plan to celebrate Halloween with their pets this year, while 47% of dog and cat pet parents said they expect to dress their pets up. (prnewswire.com)
The move fits a longer retail pattern in which Halloween has expanded beyond a one-night event into a weeks-long merchandising season. PetSmart has rolled out dedicated Halloween collections in prior years as well, and its current online Halloween shop shows a broad mix of branded and licensed products, from costumes and collars to themed treats, cat scratchers, and plush toys. More broadly, the National Retail Federation has said its 2026 Halloween consumer survey will be released later in September, underscoring that the category remains important enough to track as a national spending event. (prnewswire.com)
This year’s PetSmart assortment is notably broad in species coverage and price points. The company highlighted pumpkin, bat, devil, angel, dragon, dinosaur, and hot dog costumes, along with trendier items such as pink cowboy and Highland cow looks. It also promoted Halloween-themed dog treats, cat toys, Chance & Friends plush toys that “give back to pets in need,” and a group of products priced under $10. Beyond merchandise, PetSmart tied the collection to service offerings, including a Halloween salon package with a plush toy, pumpkin spice latte spritz, and candy corn bandana, plus themed playdates running from October 15 through November 2. (prnewswire.com)
PetSmart’s messaging also reflects how retailers are using proprietary survey data to support seasonal launches. The company said its findings came from a June 2026 PN View survey fielded by Big Village among 1,558 pet parents age 18 and older, with weighting intended to reflect U.S. demographics. That doesn’t make the figures directly comparable with broader industry trackers, but it does give PetSmart a marketing rationale for stocking a deeper assortment and extending Halloween beyond dogs and cats. (prnewswire.com)
Outside the retail pitch, expert guidance is more measured. AAHA says costume safety depends on both the pet and the costume, and advises pet parents to avoid outfits that create stress or interfere with movement, breathing, hearing, or vision. The association also points to related Halloween risks, including toxic foods such as chocolate, xylitol, and raisins, plus escape and anxiety risks tied to door traffic and noise. The ASPCA similarly advises using costumes only if the pet appears comfortable, avoiding small detachable parts that could be chewed off, and making sure identification remains on the pet underneath the costume. (aaha.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary teams, seasonal retail launches like this one can drive a predictable wave of client questions and preventable emergencies. As pet parents buy costumes, treats, and decorative accessories earlier in the season, clinics may have an opening to push timely education on foreign body risk, food toxicities, stress-related behavior, and the importance of supervision. The growing normalization of Halloween participation also means clinicians may increasingly need to talk not just about what’s unsafe, but about lower-stress alternatives, such as festive collars or bandanas for pets that won’t tolerate full costumes. (prnewswire.com)
The business backdrop matters, too. PetSmart said it now has more than 1,700 stores across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, giving it significant reach for seasonal merchandising. If large retailers continue bundling products with grooming packages, events, and promotions, Halloween could keep evolving into a service-linked traffic driver rather than a simple impulse purchase category. That may be especially relevant for practices watching how consumer retail behavior shapes expectations around convenience, celebration, and pet inclusion. (prnewswire.com)
What to watch: The next signals will be September consumer spending data, retailer event execution through October, and whether veterinary groups amplify Halloween safety messaging as costume, treat, and party purchases accelerate. (nrf.com)