Bringing (non service) animals into the store

[LadyBarbossa]

I work at a Volde-Mart supercenter. We see a lot here, sometimes things we wish we didn't see, but it always makes for good breaktime stories and gives our FB friends a laugh. A frequent topic of discussion amongst myself and coworkers is the number of pets we see on a daily basis. And again, these are not service animals, at least to the best of our knowledge, since most service animals wear a harness and a special jacket so everyone is aware of their status. Besides the purse dogs that are becoming more and more common, here is a list of things we've seen, off the top of my head:

Snakes

A pit bull on a regular leash, no harness or jacket

Skunks

Chihuahua puppy being placed on the register conveyor belt

A capuchin monkey*

A wallaby*

Now, the owners of the last two tell me that the monkey is being trained as a service animal, but she does climb all over the shopping carts and such, however they do keep her dressed in a onesie and a diaper. The people with the wallaby claim that they breed them and then socialize them with humans so they can be therapy animals at nursing homes, rehab centers, and hospices.

I actually enjoy seeing all the different animals, but I do wonder, since a few years ago, most places would be adamant about sending security or a manager to the pet owner and telling them they need to remove the animal. I love my pets, but I leave them at home when I go shopping. I'm just a little concerned about the cleanliness of the matter, with the people handling their pets and then touching things in the store. My friend in produce said he witnessed this week a lady with a very pretty, fluffy little dog in his department. She'd pet the dog, then touch the produce, pet the dog, touch the produce. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Thoughts?

[AdminAssistant]

There's also the issue of other shoppers being allergic to animals or having severe phobias. I would freak the hell out if I was out shopping and was greeted by somebody's pet tarantula. My allergies would freak the hell out if I was shopping and picked up a shirt covered by cat hair left by someone's pet.

Unless you're in a pet store that is designed to allow in assorted animals, leave your pets at home.

[Arcade Man D]

Snakes

Actually, snakes can warn of oncoming seizures. They're not that common, but they can be service animals.

[LadyBarbossa]

The owner of this particular snake said that he brought it to the store to socialize it and get it used to large crowds, because his mother owns a daycare center and he wants to take it to show the kids. He was walking about with the snake coiled around his neck and sometimes his arm. I can imagine what would happen if anyone had a snake phobia.

[blas87]

I would imagine a service snake wouldn't be brought to stores just for fun, and the owner wouldn't be playing with it or trying to show it off.

[Eisa]

The owner of this particular snake said that he brought it to the store to socialize it and get it used to large crowds, because his mother owns a daycare center and he wants to take it to show the kids. He was walking about with the snake coiled around his neck and sometimes his arm. I can imagine what would happen if anyone had a snake phobia.

Like me. I have a snake phobia. *shudders* I'm also allergic to cats. REALLY allergic.

[anakhouri]

Ugh, purse dogs. Dogs are meant to run around and get dirty and eat their own vomit. Stuffing one in your purse all day is cruel because you're not letting it be a dog.

I have mixed feelings on animals in stores. I love animals but I don't think they belonged in an enclosed public space that is not a pet store or other animal-friendly area. I wish more stores would enforce the no pets rule.

[guywithashovel]

I was at Wal-Mart one time and some girl had a weiner dog with her. I think she was an employee of the store, and she'd stopped in to get something. Someone had stopped her on the way in, and there was an investigation going on to see if she could bring the dog inside. She didn't act mad about it, but she kept saying that she wasn't going to leave the dog out in the car because that was illegal and the dog would get too hot. She kept insisting that she only had to get one thing and it would be really quick.


When I worked with the public, I really hated it when customers put me in situations like this. Yes, I know it's technically no big deal if you run into a store really quick with your dog in your purse and buy one or two things. However, there was a store policy against bringing animals into the store, service animals excepted. I could either enforce store policy and look like a petty asshole, or I could not enforce it and risk getting static from management. This type of scenario happened with many other situations, too.

[Lace Neil Singer]

FFS. -.- Back when I owned a mutt, and if I needed to nip into a shop while walking the dog to get something, I did something really novel. I tied the dog up, usually to a signpost or something that wouldn't move, went into the shop, did the shopping, came out and after untying the dog, went on with the walk.

Look idiots, Fido won't have a heart attack from being left outside for a few minutes. And if it's shopping that's going to take more than a few minutes, then leave Fido at home.

[BlaqueKatt]

I saw a service goat in training at the movies-had a onesie and diaper on-adorable little thing-didn't even notice it was there until the lady walked out with it.....but armpit piranhas-no....just no...

[Lachrymose]

armpit piranhas..hahaha

[tabbyblack13]

FFS. -.- Back when I owned a mutt, and if I needed to nip into a shop while walking the dog to get something, I did something really novel. I tied the dog up, usually to a signpost or something that wouldn't move, went into the shop, did the shopping, came out and after untying the dog, went on with the walk.

Look idiots, Fido won't have a heart attack from being left outside for a few minutes. And if it's shopping that's going to take more than a few minutes, then leave Fido at home.

The only problem with that is there are people who will steal dogs. Most of them will get sold to other people but there is always the chance that the animal will end up in a lab.

I would never take a dog out shopping if I had a dog. There are dog friendly stores downtown but if I'm running errands then the dog can stay home.

[Eisa]

I want a service goat now. That sounds adorable. Plus, it would be awesome to go around campus with my very own service goat.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The only problem with that is there are people who will steal dogs. Most of them will get sold to other people but there is always the chance that the animal will end up in a lab.

I would never take a dog out shopping if I had a dog. There are dog friendly stores downtown but if I'm running errands then the dog can stay home.

That's very unlikely; rather like the chance that someone will steal your car if you leave it outside a store, or take your baby from its pram.

Btw, here's a service animal that I saw once in town; a service minature pony! XD

http://www.guidehorse.com/

Not very common round here, but I talked to the woman who had the service pony and she was allergic to dogs, so got a pony instead after a friend of hers read about it online. XD

[AdminAssistant]

Why even bring your animal at all? A dog should stay at home unless it's going to the vet or to a dog park or something.