Had an issue with Pet Circle? Get a real response.
How to submit a complaint with Pet Circle
Pet Circle has a dedicated Complaints Handling Policy that sets out your rights under the Australian Consumer Law and the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Before you reach out, gather your order confirmation number, any photos of damaged or incorrect items, and records of previous contact. Having these ready makes resolution significantly faster.
Live Chat (Fastest Method)
- Available 7 days a week, 7am–10pm AEST.
- Access via the Pet Circle Contact Us page.
- Best for urgent issues. Live chat consistently produces same-session resolutions for delivery and order problems.
Phone
- Call 1300 60 80 06 during business hours.
- Have your order number ready before calling to reduce handling time.
Email / Contact Form
- Submit non-urgent complaints via the Pet Circle Contact Us form.
- Allow up to 72 hours for a response.
- For matters involving competition or consumer law, email legal@petcircle.com.au directly.
Help Centre Request Form
- Lodge a formal complaint about Auto Delivery issues or order errors at the Pet Circle Help Centre request form.
- This creates a tracked support case and is useful for building a paper trail.
Before You Submit — Checklist
- Order number — required for all contacts.
- Photos or screenshots — especially for wrong items, damaged goods, or pricing issues.
- Dates and timeline — when you ordered, when the problem occurred.
- Desired outcome — state clearly whether you want a refund, replacement, or store credit.
Pet Circle's Customer Service team handles most complaints on first contact. The type of resolution offered (refund, store credit, or replacement) depends on the nature of the issue and your rights under Australian Consumer Law.
Key stages in the Pet Circle complaint process:
- Initial response: Front-line team attempts resolution as quickly as possible. Live chat typically resolves straightforward issues within the same session; email responses take up to 72 hours.
- Escalation to Senior Leadership: If the front-line team cannot resolve your consumer law complaint, it is escalated to Pet Circle's Customer Service Senior Leadership Team.
- Further escalation: Complex matters may be referred to Pet Circle's Compliance Officer, VP Finance, or Legal Counsel.
- Investigation commitment: Pet Circle commits to acting quickly, providing regular updates during the investigation, and informing you of the outcome with supporting reasons.
- External escalation advice: If you remain unsatisfied, Pet Circle is required to advise you of external regulatory bodies available to you.
Returns and refunds at a glance:
- Change-of-mind returns: 30-day window for unopened items in original packaging - outcome is an exchange or store credit (not a cash refund).
- Faulty, damaged, or misdescribed items: Under Australian Consumer Law, you are entitled to a full refund regardless of Pet Circle's change-of-mind policy.
For full policy detail, see the Pet Circle Returns Policy.
Common complaints against Pet Circle
Delivery Delays and Missed Deliveries
- Parcels arriving significantly later than estimated with no proactive notification.
- Deliveries marked "unsuccessful" despite customers being home, or packages delivered to wrong addresses.
- No proactive outreach from Pet Circle when delays occur.
Auto Delivery Billing Problems
- Customers charged without authorisation for Auto Delivery orders they did not place or confirm.
- Difficulty cancelling subscriptions; some customers report the app reverting changes.
- Pet Circle sends a reminder 7 days before processing, but some customers report not receiving these alerts.
Wrong or Missing Items
- Incorrect products received, or items missing from orders.
- Customers report needing to make multiple contacts before receiving a correct resolution. In some cases, the same wrong item arrives twice.
- Resolution timelines vary significantly depending on the channel used.
Refunds Offered as Store Credit Only
- Pet Circle frequently offers store credit rather than a cash refund, including in situations where Australian Consumer Law may entitle customers to a full refund.
- Under the ACL, store credit is not an acceptable remedy for major failures. Pet Circle must offer a cash refund if a product is faulty, misdescribed, or not of acceptable quality.
Slow or Unresponsive Customer Service
- Some customers report emails being ignored or live chat sessions ending without resolution.
- Reviews from 2024–2025 include cases of customers sending five or more follow-up emails with no response.
Pet Circle complaints submitted through Ajust
How other consumers Pet Circle complaints got resolved
Missing Supplement After Multiple Contacts
A customer ordered an Antinol supplement and a dog bed. Only the dog bed arrived. After contacting Pet Circle four times, neither a redelivery nor a Pet Circle refund was provided.
Auto Delivery Unauthorised Charge
A customer was charged $120 for two Auto Delivery orders they did not place or receive. Pet Circle initially declined to issue a refund. The customer escalated the dispute directly to their bank and recovered the funds via a chargeback.
Lost Parcel Replaced Within 24 Hours
A reviewer reported a significantly delayed order with no proactive communication from Pet Circle. On contacting Pet Circle via live chat, the team declared the parcel lost and dispatched a full replacement within 24 hours. The customer was also offered a list of local shelters to donate the original item to if it eventually arrived.
If Pet Circle's front-line team has not resolved your Pet Circle complaint, follow these escalation steps in order.
Step 1 — Request Senior Escalation Directly
- During any live chat or phone call, explicitly ask to have your complaint referred to Pet Circle's Customer Service Senior Leadership Team.
- Reference Pet Circle's own Complaints Handling Policy to support your request.
Step 2 — Submit a Formal Written Complaint
- Email legal@petcircle.com.au for Australian Consumer Law issues, or use the Pet Circle Contact Us form for general matters.
- Clearly outline the timeline of events, what outcome you are seeking, and set a reasonable response deadline (14 days is standard).
- Keep a copy of every email and chat transcript.
Step 3 — Contact Your State or Territory Fair Trading Body
State and territory consumer protection agencies can mediate disputes and, in some cases, compel a resolution:
- NSW Fair Trading: fairtrading.nsw.gov.au — Phone: 13 32 20
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: consumer.vic.gov.au
- Queensland Office of Fair Trading: qld.gov.au/law/fair-trading
- WA Consumer Protection: commerce.wa.gov.au/consumer-protection
- SA Consumer and Business Services: cbs.sa.gov.au
- ACT Access Canberra: accesscanberra.act.gov.au
Step 4 — Report to the ACCC
- The ACCC does not resolve individual Pet Circle complaints directly, but accepts reports that inform enforcement priorities - particularly for systemic issues or widespread conduct.
- Pet Circle has previously been subject to ACCC enforcement action on pricing. Lodge a report at accc.gov.au/consumers/complaints.
Step 5 — Dispute with Your Bank or Card Provider
- If you were charged incorrectly or received goods that did not match their description, your bank may process a chargeback under its own dispute resolution process.
- Contact your bank or card issuer directly to initiate a dispute.
Step 6 — State Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- For unresolved disputes involving a specific financial loss, each state has a civil tribunal that can hear small claims at low or no cost.
- Search for NCAT (NSW), VCAT (Victoria), QCAT (Queensland), or your state equivalent.
- Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC): The ACCC enforces the Australian Consumer Law covering misleading conduct, refund rights, and consumer guarantees. Pet Circle has previously been subject to ACCC enforcement — in 2023, it paid $26,640 in penalties and signed a court-enforceable undertaking after admitting it likely misled approximately 5,400 customers about pricing. The ACCC does not resolve individual disputes but accepts reports at accc.gov.au/consumers/complaints. The Pet Circle undertaking is on record at ACCC public registers.
- State and Territory Fair Trading Bodies: For individual Pet Circle complaints in Australia, your state or territory fair trading agency is the most practical escalation point. They can mediate disputes and enforce your rights under the ACL. See the full list in the Escalation Pathways section above.
- No industry-specific ombudsman: There is no dedicated ombudsman for online pet product retailers in Australia. Fair Trading agencies and the ACCC are the appropriate external bodies for most complaints.
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA): If your complaint involves a Pet Circle financial services product such as Pet Circle Insurance, direct your complaint to AFCA.
- Your Australian Consumer Law rights (summary): Under the ACL, you are entitled to a remedy if a product is not of acceptable quality, does not match its description, or does not perform as represented. For major failures, you are entitled to a full cash refund. Pet Circle cannot lawfully substitute store credit in these circumstances.
- Pet Circle Complaints Handling Policy — Pet Circle's formal complaints process and consumer rights commitments.
- Pet Circle Complaints Policy PDF — Downloadable version of the complaints policy.
- Pet Circle Contact Us — Live chat, phone, and email contact options.
- Pet Circle Returns Policy — Change-of-mind returns, faulty goods, and refund eligibility.
- Pet Circle FAQ / Help Centre — Common questions on orders, deliveries, and account management.
- Pet Circle Help Centre Request Form — Lodge a formal support request for Auto Delivery or order issues.
- Pet Circle Auto Delivery — Manage, pause, or cancel your Auto Delivery subscription.
- ACCC — Pet Circle Undertaking — Public record of ACCC enforcement action against Pet Circle.
- ACCC — Lodge a Consumer Report — Report systemic issues to Australia's competition and consumer regulator.
- ACCC — Where to Get Consumer Help — Guidance on which external body handles your type of complaint.
Pet Circle Complaints FAQs
Can Pet Circle offer store credit instead of a cash refund if my item was faulty or misdescribed?
Pet Circle cannot lawfully substitute store credit for a cash refund when a product is faulty, misdescribed, or not of acceptable quality under Australian Consumer Law. For major failures, the ACL entitles you to a full cash refund - this right exists regardless of Pet Circle's own returns policy. If Pet Circle offers only store credit in response to a faulty goods complaint, clearly state your ACL rights in writing and, if unresolved, escalate to your state Fair Trading body.
What is the fastest way to resolve a Pet Circle complaint about a missing or delayed order?
Live chat is the fastest way to resolve a Pet Circle delivery complaint, with many cases resolved in the same session. Pet Circle's live chat is available 7 days a week, 7am–10pm AEST via the Contact Us page. Have your order number ready, state clearly that the parcel has exceeded its expected delivery window, and ask Pet Circle to declare it lost. In verified cases, replacements have been dispatched within 24 hours of that request.
How do I stop Pet Circle from charging me for Auto Delivery orders I did not authorise?
If Pet Circle has charged you for an Auto Delivery order you did not place or authorise, contact Pet Circle immediately via live chat or phone and request a written itemised explanation of the charge. If Pet Circle declines to refund an unauthorised charge, you can dispute the transaction directly with your bank or card provider through a chargeback process. Keep records of all contact with Pet Circle before initiating a bank dispute, as this strengthens your case.
What external bodies can I contact if Pet Circle has not resolved my complaint?
If Pet Circle has not resolved your complaint, your most practical next step is your state or territory Fair Trading body, which can mediate disputes and enforce your rights under Australian Consumer Law. You can also report systemic issues to the ACCC, which has previously taken enforcement action against Pet Circle. For disputes involving a specific financial loss, state civil tribunals such as NCAT (NSW) or VCAT (Victoria) can hear small claims at low or no cost.
You’ve done your part, now it’s time to hold Pet Circle accountable.
Take the final step and submit a complaint that gets seen and responded to.