Superpetz assistant manager connects with animals, people

If you're a person who loves working with people and with animals, then Superpetz in Summerville is, well, a super job.

Jackie Hartnett, 25, first assistant manager at the store on North Main Street, is such a person. The West Ashley resident has been with the company, which bills itself as "the pet owners warehouse," for more than seven years.

Hartnett transferred to the Summerville store more than a year ago after first working for Superpetz locations in West Ashley and North Charleston. It's a great company to work for, Hartnett said.

"I get to play with the animals and talk to people," she said.

She said her job entails just about everything that's done in the store, from stocking shelves to operating the cash register, handling receipts and making sure animals are fed and their habitats are clean.

The best part of the job is spending time with animals and getting to know customers. Naturally, the worst part is cleaning up after the animals. "All the cages are cleaned twice a week," she said.

Superpetz stores average more than 25,000 square feet and stock more than 10,000 pet-related items, from food to toys, beds, tanks, cages and manuals for owners. They also sell pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, fish, ferrets, turtles, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, snakes and birds.

"Fish are big time around here," she said, referring to the type of critter that is sold most often by the store.

She said she's always been an animal lover and was raised in a household that kept dogs, cats and wildlife around. Despite opportunities to handle all sorts of animals, her favorite is the dog, and her only pet at home is a pooch.

She learned to work with animals "on the job" from co-workers and supervisors and read books and manuals. She picked up a lot from store patrons.

"You learn a lot from your customers," she added. "You learn a lot about animals once you start working here. You hear what other people have done, especially with fish tanks," she said.

Hartnett began her career at 18, just after high school, in the company's Sam Rittenberg Boulevard store in West Ashley. She has advanced through the ranks to her managerial position in Summerville.

"I started off as a cashier and then started working with the animals," she recalled.

Hartnett, who often rearranges displays, said she really enjoys merchandising — "moving stuff around and making it more appealing and more salable. You get to use your mind and be a little bit creative," she explained.

Reach Edward C. Fennell at efennell@postandcourier.com.