Burke Pet Center Offers Healthy Choices

When Omar Quintero bought Burke Pet Center five years ago, it was the start of an adventure. The store, a local staple opened its doors when the Burke Village shopping center opened and had been in business for 20 years. Quintero was new to business and new to pets. However, partnered with his son and a veterinarian daughter-in-law, going into the pet business seemed like the perfect venture.

Five years later, Burke Pet Center is a bustling hub for pet owners and pet lovers alike, who delight in the unique, personable atmosphere that the locally owned and operated store provides. The store is a lively and organized menagerie, complete with dogs, cats, mice, rabbits, reptiles, colorful fish, and even a talkative Severe Macaw named Wiley. The shelves are lined with environmentally friendly and healthy pet food, toys and treats, colorful cages, an array of leashes and collars, and helpful books, ranging in topic from chinchillas to zebra finches.

Pet owners feel comfortable bringing their leashed dogs into the store for a bit of shopping, and are even offered free samples and treats to keep their pets happy while they peruse the store’s many wares. Families come in to enjoy a fun evening browsing the store, often after enjoying a meal at Spartans or one of Burke Village’s other restaurants.

“People usually go to dinner and then come here to look around and play with the animals,” Burke Pet Center employee Catherine Marcus said.

The store aims to offer hard-to-find products that are unique, environmentally friendly, and a healthy option for pets.

"When we started five years ago, we started looking into information about food," Quintero said. "We changed the food we carry from the regular food that you can find in any supermarket to high-quality food that people look for, the healthy food. The idea is to bring better brands that will be good for the health of puppies and all animals in general."

Recently, adoption has also become an important aspect of the store. In the past month, Burke Pet Center made the transition from selling bred puppies to offering rescued puppies up for adoption. Though the store has been offering cats up for adoption for a long time, the transition to adoptable dogs has been a big success. 

“I have seen that people prefer adoptions than buying puppies from the breeders,” Quintero said.

The store also plans to hold adoption fairs in the future.

Quintero, who hails from South America, said that he first noticed a strong affiliation between pets and their owners when he came to America. The store’s employees often witness the bond between owner and pet.

“From what I’ve seen working in this store, people love their animals a lot," employee Christina Harduarsingh said. "They spoil them, carry them, dress them like little children."

Burke Pet Center hopes to provide an environment where employees help customers find the healthy option for their pets.

“I think we have quality over quantity, and that’s what people look for,” Harduarsingh said.

 Burke Pet Center, located in the Burke Village shopping center, is open seven days a week, and offers pet grooming, boarding, aquarium ph testing, and adoption in addition to their retail merchandise. More information is available at Burkepets.com.