Is Home Depot Dog Friendly? Stores Pet Policy
If you have a dog at home, you will invariably consider it to be a part of your own family. In such matters you are certainly not alone. There are many other dog owners who share the same feelings towards their pets. You will find most of the dog owners sharing their foods with their pets and also taking their canine friends with them wherever they go. However, there are several places that have strict policies regarding animals. Take the example of a local store. It will never allow you to take your pet dog inside.
Home Depot – Is It Dog Friendly?
You will be pleased to know that the majority of the Home Depot locations let people bring in their pet dogs inside. This is true even though it is not their official corporate policy. Many of you may have heard about Home Depot but do not know what it exactly is. Home Depot happens to be a home improvement store. It is also the largest home improvement retailer in the entire world. In the US, Home Depot happens to be the largest retailer of any kind.
If there is a Home Depot in your community, it is one of the most likely places for you to shop for anything that you want. If you have a pet dog at home, there will be several situations wherein you will feel convenient to bring your pet along with you to the store. It is good to know that most of the Home Depot stores are dog friendly. You will find wide aisles in most of their stores that makes it very simple and convenient for you to bring your dog with you on a leash.
Home Depot carts are also pretty large that enables you to place your small breed dogs inside while you shop. This will be much better compared to pulling your dog along with you while you push the heavy carts. You will come across many people with different opinions when it comes to letting dogs enter Home Depot stores. There are many people who are against such permissions, even if they like dogs.
There are people who have suggested that people should not just consider dogs biting others, but the fact that there are some individuals who may be allergic to dogs. There are some who are of the sole opinion that there are stricter policies pertaining to service dogs. They feel that many people may put a brightly colored vest on their dogs and claim that it is a service animal. There are also some who believe that store employees should verify certifications and papers to distinguish between real and fake service dogs.
On the other hand, there are some groups of people who have a different opinion. On hot summer days, keeping a dog locked at home or inside a hot car is brutal on the animal. Thus, it is better to let the dog owners bring in their pets to the Home Depot stores. It will be much simpler this way and if the dog is on a leash there should not be any problem at all.
Official Pet Policy at Home Depot
If you ever visit a Home Depot store, you will notice that there are many people who bring in their pet dogs inside while shopping. When it comes to the official pet policy of Home Depot. It states that only service dogs will be allowed inside. When you talk about a service dog, it basically refers to a canine that is specially trained to help people who suffer from some sort of disability.
It is crucial for you to remember that service dogs and emotional support animals are different from each other. You should also remember that service dogs are not just trained to help customers. There are several employees working in Home Depot stores who have their service dogs that help them with their work. There are some employees who have problems with their vision. Services dogs are kept permanently in the stores to help such employees carry out their daily job duties.
Even though only service dogs are officially allowed in Home Depot stores, you will find several stores that do not enforce this policy across the US. As long as dogs are on a leash and their owners are there to ensure proper cleaning after leaving the store, the storekeepers have no problem. This official policy is made at the corporate level.
This signifies that individual stores are given a lot of leverage when it comes to following the policies of Home Depot. Sometimes, store policies may change depending on a number of situations.
Does The Policy Change By Location?
It is good for you to note that the Home Depot’s policy regarding dogs seems to differ from one location to another. You will find some stores that have notices on their websites stating that they welcome dogs in their stores. This may easily give rise to stipulations. This may include ensuring that the pet is kept on a proper leash all the time while the owner is inside the store. Nonetheless, dogs are usually allowed in the majority of the stores through the US.
You will not find any specific statement in the websites of different Home Depot stores. However, they still let dog owners bring in their pets along with them to the stores. It may seem that it is completely on the discretion of the individual managers of the different stores. Most of you dog owners may be wondering whether you can take your pet dog along with you to the Home Depot store near you. It will be a good thing to know a few things in this matter before you head to the store. Check the website of that specific store. Look for any information on their website regarding animals in the store.
If you do not notice anything pertaining to pet dogs on the website, better discuss the matter with one of the store managers to find out their policy towards allowing dogs inside. Always make sure that your dog is on a leash at all times inside the store. This is applicable even if you have a small breed that can be placed inside the cart.
Although the Home Depot stores in the US may have a lenient policy regarding letting dogs enter their store with their owners, the situation is a bit different in neighboring countries, such as Canada. They have an official policy that lets just dog owners with service dogs enter the store with their pets. This is completely different from the store policies followed in the US.
When it comes to Canadian Home Depot stores, they are quite strict when it comes to enforcing this policy. Unless a dog is certified as a service dog and the owner has valid papers to support this fact, the pet will not be allowed inside any of the Canadian Home Depot stores with the owner. It is mandatory for owners to prove that their dogs are indeed service dogs and not otherwise. There are several reasons in Canada for this strict rule. In 2011, there was a case that involved an unlucky incident in one of the Home Depot stores in the country.
One of the employees of the Home Depot store in Ottawa had her nose seriously bitten by a dog entering a store. It was a small breed dog that was being carried by the owner in a shopping cart. Considering the fact that such a small dog could cause such a serious injury, all the Home Depot stores in Canada started enacting strict policies towards pets.
