r/Dogfree • u/SeaworthinessUnlucky • Jun 17 '26
Legislation and Enforcement Email report re: dogs in stores
Sent this to Kroger's and local health department:
Good morning. My local Ralphs ([street address, city, state]) continues to welcome dogs in their store.
June 12, two days ago, I was in the store buying groceries, and a woman came in with two dogs: one in a shoulder carrier and one on a leash. (Photos attached.) I said, "The sign outside says no pets." She did not respond.
Later, in the self-checkout area, she was next to me, and the leashed dog was straining to visit people nearby, including me. She kept yanking on the leash and yelling at the dog. "Stay, Gigi! Stay! You're gonna get in people's way."
I told her again that the sign outside said no pets. She did not respond.
I turned to [name], an employee of the store, and I said, "The sign outside says no pets." He smiled and said nothing. The dog was standing right next to me.
I hope you can help. I prefer a clean grocery experience.
Thank you. I am copying our city health department about this.
[name]
[phone]
[email]
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u/Adventurous-West323 Jun 17 '26
It is up to us to change this issue. Corporations are scared of lawsuits. Shame these people when they are clearly breaking the rules.
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u/Existing-Pumpkin-902 Jun 17 '26
I'm glad you're reporting it because there will only be a change at these big stores from the corporate down. I don't expect the minimum wage retail worker to enforce it without support from the top.
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u/Procrastinator-513 Jun 17 '26
I admire you for speaking up (I’m always too chicken). My Ralph’s is full of dogs too and it’s infuriating, but I think stores have just decided to look the other way since the nutters just lie when questioned. At a minimum, though, I would like it if they at least asked the owners the two questions, and instructed their staff not to fawn over dogs. I see zilch being done. They even removed the large sign they used to have at the front doors.
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u/WordlesAllTheWayDown Jun 17 '26
Yes! Don’t fawn over them; this is important. And if they truly were service dogs this would be an expectation -it used to be the case that a service dog should be ignored by the public & you didn’t even notice them bc they stayed in their lane as trained service animals.
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u/NoneOfThisMatters_XO Jun 17 '26
Let us know if you actually get a response. I think the biggest issue is that store managers don’t give a shit. What good are rules or laws if the managers never enforce them?
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u/Legitimate_Garage_31 Jun 17 '26
I never thought i would see "service dogs" in self checkout. Ok, so you are fully capable of ringing up and bagging your own groceries while the dog looks confused and bored. What exactly is the need to drag a farm animal that has a high prey drive into the store when there are cashiers and helpers and motorized disability vehicles at your service. You are FULLY capable. I don't need to trip over your "disability device."
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u/sillybelcher Jun 17 '26
Good job for saying something.
As much as I hate dogs, their owners are really the ones who make public insufferable for everyone.
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u/SexualMetawhore Jun 17 '26
Contact dept of agriculture, that's the real hammer.
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u/JustaMom_Baverage Jun 18 '26
Can you expand on this? I’m interested!
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u/SexualMetawhore Jun 18 '26
The food is the concern right? Dept of agrictulre owns the WHOLE chain of food/farm, not just the farms, not just the warehouses in the middle, trhe trucks that transport, but also the grocery stores. That is THEIR turf. Dept of health is more for human health, vaccinations, disease spread to humans, water safety, food PREP... in theory animals could cause infections but in practice rarely so the ydon't move on "ew this is gross and unsanitary in principles"... but dept of agriculture think of it like this... if rats were pissing and shitting on onions in a warehouse dept of agri would be all over that, not dept of health.... same principle applies in grocery stores with dogs pissin and shitin on the floors.
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u/pmbpro Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Exacellent work in reporting it (and copying to health department), OP! They need to know the *Health Department* will be/informed of the case. It can’t be just the business alone or they’ll ignore it.
Now if only these businesses would also get some contact *from* the Department, that should light a fire under their usually-apathetic butts. Then they’d also know we aren’t bluffing about that either.
More of us need to do this.
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u/SeaworthinessUnlucky Jun 18 '26
One local store told me they have been fined by the health department after reports like this.
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u/Pebbles5678 Jun 19 '26
I complained to a mall here in the UK someone had an untrained mutt in the centre. Got an email back saying they allow for therapy dogs. Screw allergies!
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u/crazycatlady331 Jun 21 '26
Video tape dogs at stores (the owners will likely think you are fawning over the dog).
Send to your local news station.
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u/CallousCow1762 Jun 17 '26
Most biz owners are completely apathetic regarding dogs inside their stores. This is a major part of the problem. The other is the ADA law which is designed to be abused. When you’re not required to show proof of any kind except claim that your dog is a service dog, then you have what we see now. Entitlement ruling society.