Pet Stores in Berks County

The chains anchor this category: PetSmart in Temple and Petco in Reading handle the bulk food runs and the grooming appointments for a big share of the county's animals. But the list doesn't stop there. Reading holds the most pet stores of any town here, Wyomissing and Shillington add their own, and scattered among them are smaller shops built around aquariums, reptiles, and the feed the big boxes don't stock.

Choose by the animal, not the sign out front. Look for reviews from people who keep what you keep — fish people notice water quality, reptile people notice how the animals are housed, dog people notice whether the staff know their products. And ask any shop what they do when something you need isn't on the shelf. The good ones have an answer ready.