Is Home Depot dog-friendly? Does it allow dogs?

Dog owners, everywhere they go, take their pets with them! And it’s not wrong to do so, we understand your feeling, but does Home Depot understand this, or does it have the same rules as Walmart and Costco?

Did you know that Home Depot comes in the 10 Dog-Friendly Stores in the United States, but its pet policy says something else! 

Did you know that the official policy remains the same, but applying it depends on the manager’s choice! Are you tired of digging into the guidelines for different locations? We have your back; after reading this article, you won’t need to spend hours on the internet for answers!

 

The reality: Is it okay to bring dogs to Home Depot?

Overall, Home Depot is dog-friendly, and there’s plenty of room for leashed dogs in the store’s large aisles. However, some owners say they were turned down for bringing their dogs; on the other hand, the Store kicked them and their dogs out.

 

Why such discrimination?

Well, calm down; it’s not discrimination; Home Depot has signs outside them on“ no dogs allowed inside” or” only service dogs are allowed,” but ultimately, the manager gets to decide! If you have a calm pet with his leash on, the manager would be happy to overlook the signs.

The decision of whether to allow your dog inside or not also depends on the following factors:

1. If hope depot is crowded, the authorities have full right to stop your dog from entering; you should willfully agree to it as a responsible pet parent.
2. If a person has dog allergies, they can ask the authorities to keep the dog away.
3. Your dog should be on a leash all the time.
4. It goes unsaid, but if your dog pees or poop on the floor,  no staff member would be responsible for cleaning it.
5. Dogs shouldn’t be allowed near food departments because the FDA food service code states unhygienic. This is because dogs drool, leave hair behind, and sniff around.
6. Some stores complain that few costumes think that Home Depot is not a place for shopping but a place to socialize their dogs; they would spend hours chit-chatting with others and leave without making any serious purchase.

 

Home Depot Pet Policy – What is it?

The official pet policy of Home Depot is that they only allow service dogs, yes, which means that officially they cannot let your pets or even emotional support dogs inside.

The pet policy is not clearly outlined on their website. Several customers have reported they did not receive a response to their question regarding pet policies!

Many customers have witnessed dogs on leash roaming inside the Home Depot, particularly in the Seattle area.

We have a few positive and negative experiences bringing the dogs inside Home Depot; while going through them, we found out that South center, west Seattle, lander, and Bellevue are dogs-friendly locations. 

If you happen to take your dog somewhere apart from these, it’s better to call and double-check.

 

What exactly are service dogs?

The objective of service dogs is to assist persons with impairments in fully participating in everyday life. For example, 

• They assist someone who has difficulty walking, 2—picking up objects for someone who uses a wheelchair, 3. Preventing a child with autism from straying away, and 4. Alerting someone with hearing loss when someone approaches from behind.

 

What are emotional support dogs, and why are they not allowed in Home Depot?

The dogs are primarily used by people with invisible disabilities.

They are not permitted in Home Depot since they do not fall under the category of service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

Store Dependent Policy: what is it?

Even though the pet policy of Home Depot states that only service dogs are allowed, it’s not strictly followed everywhere, and some stores are dog-friendly, so they don’t mind if you bring your pooch shopping with you.

Generally, dogs are cute and harmless, but being in a different social setting can trigger anxiousness. 

There have been incidents that painted a negative picture of dogs, in the past.

Some managers think it’s best to keep them away from places like Home Depot because of this.

So the bottom line is the store-dependent policy states that the Home Depot manager gets to decide if he wants his store to be dog-friendly or not, based on his beliefs, experience, and will. 

 

Home Depot in New York City allows dogs?

Yes, the Home Depot in New York City is pretty dog-friendly. It is a dog lover’s dream to take their dog’s with them for shopping as they will be the most fantastic partners, who would not rush you! 

There are primarily two categories of the store, 1. Stores that verify that they allow dogs at every in every location. 2. Stores that only officially allow service dogs but are fine with other dogs! So the Home Depot in New York falls in the second category! 

However, a concerned staff member of Home Depot in NYC states that:

“Dogs have no place in a business like The Home Depot, where there are toxic chemicals, insecticides, and other hazardous materials. Glass shards, nails, and other sharp things are common. It’s noisy, and there’s a lot of machinery going about.”

They do love dogs, but they don’t want to see them getting hurt!

 

Does Home Depot Canada allow dogs?

The short answer is no! Home Depot in Canada is not dog friendly; in fact, they strictly follow the policy, which means that your dog’s cuteness will not help to melt the authority’s heart and challenging decision.

Their customer’s safety is their top priority, and they believe that bringing a pet into Home Depot is a bad idea. Because it’s a warehouse, everyone has to wear steel toes. 

There are usually nails, screws, pieces of metal on the floor, and other chemicals and other waste. It’s okay for people since we wear shoes, but it might be deadly for animals who wander about barefoot.

If you must take your dog to the store, take him to a pet store.

 

Why does Canada follow a strict pet policy?

Home Depot in Canada was also like one of those places where the pet policy was not that strict. After an ugly incident took place, they updated their policy by strictly probating the entry of dogs; only service animals are allowed!

Home Depot was very quick to respond, and they decided to ban pets inside the store. Anne Riel greeted customers while welcoming a woman with her pet, a Shih-Tzu! He was sitting in the cart as soon as Anne Riel bent over to pet him; he got aggressive, jumped on her, and ripped off her nose badly. Anne Riel was taken to the hospital, where she received plastic surgery. Though she was healing quickly, The dog’s owner was also fined $610.

Even though the humble response of Anne Riel to this whole incident was that not all dogs are identical, she will miss some of the pets who used to visit her.

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Can dogs still be brought into Lowe’s?

Yes! Finally, a store to openly allow dogs! The official policy of Lowes states that “Service animals and pets are allowed in all US Lowe’s stores.”

Why are dogs allowed in Lowes?

The authorities of Lowes know the unique tie that people have with their pets and that they are considerably safer in the store with their owners than in a hot or cold car somewhere out in a large, impersonal parking lot. 

They additionally accept that it gives them an upper hand. They don’t want to alienate such customers, as dogs are part of the family at Home Depot, and they want everyone to feel at ease in the stores.

Also, Lowes is not a clothing or grocery store; that’s why there’s a low risk of contamination and destruction. Primarily, they are more welcoming towards the small dogs than the big ones.

 Their doors display notices welcoming leashed, vaccinated, and well-behaved dogs. 

 

What happens if your dog misbehaves in Lowes? 

Accidents happen sporadically, and even Lowes has his story of dog disobedience that turns into a dangerous incident. 

In 2014, the company was sued after a leashed Akita assaulted a boy, leaving him with more than 50 stitches. The boy’s family sued Lowe’s for $25,000 after the dog’s owner was charged with felony negligence.

Does the incident stop Lowes from being a pet-friendly store? Probably no! Wow! That’s both incredible and terrifying at the same time!

However, if your dog misbehaves, they will ask you and your dog to leave. If your dog hurts someone, you will have to take full responsibility from facing the police to chargers!

 

Costco: is it dog-friendly?

According to Costco’s stated dog policy, only service dogs are permitted within the shop; however, this does not apply to all locations. Some stores may allow typical dogs inside, while others may not.

So, just like Walmart or any other well-known store will only admit service dogs, this will be the case everywhere, regardless of location.

Some Costco locations may allow pet dogs under certain circumstances; however, this decision is entirely made by the manager, so check out if a Costco near you will allow your dog or not!

Why are pets not permitted in Costco?

Costco’s grounds for not accepting dogs are the same as other stores.

Let’s view typical reasons:

Animals should be kept out of locations where fresh food is prepared, according to the FDA, since they represent a danger of contamination.

Dogs drool a lot, shed a lot, defecate a lot, and bumble into people and things so quickly that it can cause a racket in the environment.

Some people are allergic to dogs.

Some individuals, particularly children, are easily frightened by dogs.

 Costco’s in the United States, the United Kingdom, and elsewhere may allow dogs in their stores, with the decision resting exclusively with the management. 

However, things are considerably different in Canada, or should we say a lot more rigid than everywhere else!

 

Does Target allow dogs?

The short answer is no, and you can’t bring your or emotional support dogs into the Target; only Service dogs are allowed! Several customers have complained that they and their dogs were thrown out of the store, indicating that it is not like other more pet-friendly establishments.

It doesn’t mean that pets are allowed just because there is no sign stating they are not. According to the FDA, pet dogs should not be allowed anywhere near or into grocery stores or locations that prepare food.

 

Does Ikea allow dogs?

The short answer is no, IKEA does not allow any pets; only service dogs are allowed. However, IKEA does have a  designated dog parking spot so that you can use it only in case of emergency.

Ikea is somewhat dog-friendly as long as your dog is a service dog. They maintain a high standard, focusing on well-run companies. IKEA may not permit any canine other than service canines in their stores; however, it doesn’t imply that they don’t love dogs or ain’t dog friendly!

They actively encourage service dogs to bring into the stores; they want people to shop in their stores no matter what.

They want service dogs to be very well demeaned because small children or other people can be afraid of dogs.

Apart from the safety and allergic reasons, the main reason IKEA strictly follows the no dog allowed policy is the lawsuit. They may be held accountable for their policy in case of an ugly dog bite accident.

However, IKEA policy does differ from location to location!

The strict policy of IKEA can go from being too tight to losing depending on the location. For example,  Los Angeles, CA, Brooklyn, NY, Canada, Austria religiously follow the policy. On the other hand, IKEA in the UK Switzerland tends to have a dog-friendly atmosphere.

You can do a lot of damage to your dog if you leave them in the car; in fact, it has happened in the past! IKEA, being thoughtful, made an alternative for dog owners by making a dog parking lot so that people can bring their dogs in case of emergency! But was it a good idea?

We don’t know what IKEA was thinking while building such an idea! People should be cautious while using it; carelessness could kill their innocent dogs.

 

Conclusion

So now you know where to take your dog and where not to! If you will mainly talk about Home Depot, then yes, it’s dog-friendly! But again, when the official policy states something opposite, you will always have to live in the conflict of taking your dog!

I think you should take your dog everywhere except into stores, and it’s a question of safety for both the dogs and other customers! If you have no one to look out for your dog while you go and run errands, local animal shelters or rescue groups can offer low-cost care for the time being.