Jay Springer Shares His Wet and Wild Path from SoCal to Pet Supplies Plus
Aquarium retail stores are the primary ‘gateway’ to the hobby for many beginners. How do large retail chains work to ensure quality animals and to provide good fishkeeping information? My guest today, Jay Springer, is Director of Pet Services and Live Animals for Pet Supplies Plus, one of the largest pet store chains in the U.S. Join us, as Jay discusses his professional journey, dedication to quality service, industry challenges, and the future of the hobby.
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BIO:
Jay Springer grew up in Southern California, Huntington Beach and Green Valley Lake. He developed his passion for fish in Huntington Beach and his absolute love for reptiles in the San Bernardino Mountains. Jay has been in the pet industry since 1995 – over 25 years. He got his start at a Petland store in Heath, OH where he was in charge of reptile care, mainly green iguanas - the hottest reptile at the time. Soon after, he moved to Columbus, OH to work for PetSmart, first as a Pet Care team member, then Pet Care Manager. As he moved up in the company, all of his various roles focused on live animals. He was with Petsmart for 18 years prior to his move to Pet Supplies Plus (PSP), where he is currently Director of Pet Services and Live Animals.
Jay has owned or raised most varieties of pets in the industry over the past 25 years. Over the span of time, he has also kept an array of fish as a hobbyist – setting up and maintaining too many fish tanks to count! His passion for fish has grown over the years, as the industry has blossomed and done incredible things. Some of his memorable set-ups include goldfish and koi ponds and South American and African cichlid tanks. His new favorite fish is the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey, but his all-time favorite is the Electric Blue Johanni. Jay currently has a massive GloFish® aquarium for his daughter and a 250 gallon marine tank.
Following the different coral reefs over the years and seeing what the Reef Restoration Foundation has done and is doing to protect the Great Barrier Reef he finds amazing. He loves seeing and supporting coral reef protection. Jay is currently working on dive certification to make his dreams of visiting and diving some of the greatest underwater creations come true.
He is, however, in the business of selling and working to source fish of all kinds for PSP. Jay is a member of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council and loves what they are trying to do to promote and support sustainable and protected fisheries. He has been approached by the WOA and other aquarium organizations and wants to learn more to better support the fish world. He believes in sustainable fisheries which both support the trade and protect ecosystems. Jay has been big into coral fragmentation and always looks for great companies who have built amazing businesses for culturing coral as alternatives to wild collection. Although Jay admits there is always more he can learn, his work allows him to meet amazing people in this industry who help educate him – and this drives his passion for fish. Jay loves spending time convincing people fish are pets and should be viewed the same any scaled or four-legged creature! He jumps at any chance to support the tropical freshwater and marine fish industry.