Dumpster diving is gaining popularity quickly as people learn how to earn easily through others’ trash. Divers are always looking for salvageable objects of different types, and some specifically go after pet supplies.
Pet supplies are amazing for usage on your pet and can be sold on different online marketplaces.
Dumpster diving at PetSmart can be a fun way to find valuable pet supplies from the dumpsters near PetSmart stores and sell them online.
Dumpster Diving at PetSmart
PetSmart was established in 1986, and since then, it has been known for its wide range of pet products. Today there are over 1500 PetSmart outlets across the country, providing anything you need for your pet. You can not only get pet products, but you will also find:
- Guidance
- Service
- Adoption
- Training
- Grooming, etc., for your pet here
PetSmart also offers a return & refund policy for its customers. It means there will be a lot of valuable trash in the dumpsters at PetSmart and near it.
From the refunds to the products having no place at their stores, the employees throw all those items out, and if you grab those, you can have a good chance of earning money by selling the good ones.
Dumpster Diving Laws at PetSmart
With over 1500 stores, it gets extremely important for PetSmart to create some dumpster diving laws for the people to follow. While they don’t have any control over the stuff in the public dumpsters, if they put trash in the dumpsters on their private property (which they usually do), the officials at that PetSmart store may call the cops if you are found disobeying their rules.
The most common ones include the following:
- Installing a gate or fence around their dumpsters
- Installing no trespassing sign
It means you don’t have any rights to get in that property for dumpster diving, and you can be charged with illegal dumping, disorderly conduct, and other criminal offenses.
The best way to stay safe from criminal charges is to ask for the owner’s permission before getting inside their property.
If they don’t allow it, you can only wait for them to throw the trash in public dumpsters and collect all the items from there.
What happens if you are caught?
If you are caught at PetSmart while dumpster diving through their private property, you may face several criminal charges, including jail time and a fine, and in the worst case, you may get a permanent ban from visiting that store or area.
Is dumpster diving illegal at PetSmart?
Dumpster diving can be a great way to earn a little more or find the right items for your usage. When your dumpster dives at the PetSmart stores, you can find items for your pets’ usage, and you can also sell those online for huge profits. However, knowing if it is legal to do so or not is extremely important.
Dumpster diving is allowed in all 52 states while you stay on public property. If a dumpster is present on some private property, then it depends on the owner if they allow you or not. The experience will be mixed when it comes to PetSmart stores.
It is because some stores will have their dumpsters on their private property, and going through those without asking for the owner’s permission will be illegal according to state and local laws.
However, if a PetSmart store uses the nearby public dumpster to throw away all their trash, they will lose all ownership rights, and that trash will become public property.
It will be legal to go through that trash, but following your local city or municipality, rules will always be a better idea. If you are going inside their private property, they may ask you to leave, which you immediately should do; otherwise, you may get criminal charges for trespassing and theft.
How much can dumpster diving at PetSmart help you earn monthly?
When you are dumpster diving with a mindset of picking up everything, your earnings can be higher. The results will be different when you only focus on PetSmart dumpster diving. It is because you will go through fewer product types, and your customers will also be specific. However, it does not mean that you cannot earn a decent amount through it.
Dumpster diving for pet supplies requires a lot of knowledge of different products and luck to find the good stuff. On average, if you work as a full-time dumpster diver near all the PetSmart dumpsters, you can make around $1000 every month. However, this amount is not consistent, as you may find nothing valuable at all.
$1000 alone a month while working full-time may not be enough, so once you gain the expertise of dumpster diving, it would be a better idea to move towards general dumpster diving, where you go through different dumpsters and pick all sorts of valuable stuff.
This way, you can find more pet supplies and other valuable items for selling and personal consumption.
Best time to dumpster dive at PetSmart
Going to the PetSmart stores at the right time matters the most. If you are not visiting these places strategically, you may not find the most valuable items to collect. These stores stay open from 10 am to 9 pm.
So, the best time for visiting the dumpsters nearby is after the store closes because mostly the employees would take out the trash at that time.
You can also visit before PetSmart opens because some stores throw away their trash right before opening. The chances of finding good and valuable items will be higher. Ensure you are visiting these dumpsters before the garbage truck; otherwise, you will be unsuccessful.
The best items to look for when dumpster diving at PetSmart
The items you look for while PetSmart dumpster diving depends on what you want. For instance, you might be looking for something for your pet. Similarly, there will be people looking for things to sell.
Luckily, at the PetSmart dumpsters, you can find all sorts of stuff, from pet care to pet food and toys. Here is a list of the items that you must look for while dumpster diving:
- Leashes
- Tickers
- Toys
- Beds
- Webcams
- trackers
- Bowls
- Food
- Feeders
- Shampoos
- Accessories
Looking for all these means that you can find one for your pet to use. If you don’t find such items, you can easily list them online and find the right buyer. Interestingly, the stuff you sell online will have high resale potential as people always look for cheap pet supplies.
When do PetSmart employees remove stuff from the store?
The employees at PetSmart don’t follow any routine for removing stuff from their stores. It all happened unexpectedly when the employees frequently threw stuff away from the store to the nearby dumpsters. They are usually removing the following items:
- The goods that are not selling well
- Products near the expiration date
- Returned packages
- Products with broken packing, etc.
So, there is always a chance for you to find something useful and valuable near the PetSmart dumpsters. However, you cannot be certain when the employees would throw trash. So, it is better to visit before the garbage truck arrives.
Tips for dumpster diving in PetSmart
When you are specifically going for the dumpsters near the PetSmart store, you will have a slightly different experience. So, here are a few tips that will keep you productive while PetSmart dumpster diving:
- Always keep track of the expiry dates of consumable products. If expired, it will not be useful for anyone, and going for such products will only be a waste of time.
- Keep sharp cutting tools alongside, so you don’t waste much time if you need to remove something from its packaging.
- Always keep your smartphone alongside when you need to search online for something’s value before picking it up.
- Never take your pets while dumpster diving at PetSmart, as they may bring additional trouble for you.
- If you pick a pet toy, always clean it thoroughly and disinfect it before letting your pet play with it.
- Refrain from picking up items that are commonly available everywhere.
While the basics stay the same, there will be a few differences that you must follow according to the stuff you are picking. So, following the tips above will ensure you find the best items.
Final Words
Everything you find while dumpster diving at PetSmart will not be worthy of being picked. You need to stay a little conscious about what you are picking. For instance, there could be dangerous and bad food items that are expired now.
Similarly, there could be a shampoo that is expired and unusable for pets. So, keep an eye out for such things and stay away. This way, you will have a much better dumpster diving experience at the nearest PetSmart store.
