"Maggie Was Turned Away"
 

I'm as mad as a blood drained ole bat. My husband and I went to Petsmart today to purchase the Outward Hound Walk 'N Roll Pet Stroller. It is very nice, with mesh sides, zipper top, pockets, sun shade and very easy to roll. We bought it so that we could shop the new Cabela's Store in Fort Worth. We were met at the door by an employee asking if he could put our dog in the kennel. I said "No", she is just fine and secure in her stroller. I thought he was asking a question, instead it was an order. He said that the dog could not shop the store. I told him "Since When". Well, here came the manager and said that our little Yorkie could not shop with us, regardless of the stroller or not. My husband told her, "You just lost our business".
Maggie was a lot cleaner and smelled better than the majority of the customers there, including the employees. I have already written Cabela's and Outward Hound. The stroller box said take your pet anywhere you would take a stroller.

Okay I feel better. But final word, "Our babies are not welcome, everywhere". :mad:

That's unreal - if a baby can be IN a stroller why NOT a yorkie ? I don't get it - it's not like you were holding her in your arms or on a leash ?

I'll say this - it's probably the first time they EVER saw a cute little yorkie in a stroller and probably had no idea what to do and just said no to cover their butts....I hope you let Maggie out for a nice poop in front of the store. ...just kidding ...but it's a nice thought :)

I would have been so upset too! Poor Maggie, I hope she didn't take it personally?! I get so upset if my girls are not allowed somewhere too - had to laugh when you said Maggie was a lot cleaner than many there as this is always my argument too! I thought dogs were allowed in Petsmart? Wish we had one in Wales..! We do have a largish pet store (nothing by your standards) and our girls always go in with us. Don't let it upset you too much, Maggie's too good for them! Ana xx :aimeeyork

I do wish more businesses in our country were dog friendly as there is no reason for them not to be. Dogs do go everywhere in a lot of places in Europe and I think if we start taking our dogs everywhere and doing just what you did by not ginving them our business then businesses will be foced to change these ridiculous policies.

I don't have the problem because all of mine are service dogs and have to be allowed unrestricted access with no charge to any place that is open to the public. I am not blind, but my disability is such that I can use a dog to help me with my normal daily activities such as picking things up, retrieving items, alerting to certain situations and sounds, etc. It is a great law and I would never encourage anyone who did not have a condition which qualifies under the law to do this, but most of us have some malady that our dogs could assist us with and so for them it is the best. They can have their baby with them always.

We have a long way to go to educate the public about the health benefits of dogs, as evidenced by some of the negative feedback I've gotten even here on this forum, but it is a proven fact that dogs reduce stress and can even give people a reason to live. Our legislators recognized this when they enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act and I am trying my best to educate everyone about the law. It helps everyone...the disabled, the dogs and the able-bodied. It harms no one. It's a win win.

I agree! We should be allowed to take our babies anywhere we go in a stroller or a bag. I mean, if you put a baby in a stroller and let them in the store, why not a Yorkie? A Yorkie might actually be less trouble and less noisy. Gosh! People can be so rude!

Our local pet stores are generally good, we have a local store called Jollys and you see loads of dogs in there! We also have a local store that used to be a Pet Smart but is now a Pets at Home (I think they bought out Pet Smart in the UK) and she has always been allowed in there on a lead. We don't even need to carry her! I cant see what the problem is to be honest, especially if you had her in a stroller! I mean, what could she do??!! :confused:

I understand totally how angry that made you!! We have had several incidents similar and my husband reacted the very same way!! :) If business owners only knew how much they lose because of that attitude maybe they would change some of their rules! Is Cabela's the same one that sells sporting goods?

I just HATE it when people look at my dogs and give them that "evil" look as if they carry some kind of disease with them - we have a "family member" that thinks her english stafford pees perfume and looks at our babies as if they craweld out of the garbage can :mad: - my friends and cousin have yorkies, when we have something going at my house they bring their dogs on my request, they all welcome!! last week when we had a birthday party at my house, she was here too and she told my cousin that shes pathetic to bring her dog along to MY house, to say the least i was furious about that comment and decided that this specific human small dog hater is NOT welcome in MY house anymore - i could not believe the "look" on her face.... it disgusts me to no end!!
She also told my cousin that she is NOT to bring her dog to HER house because her stafford is affraid of small dogs, yet when her friend brings her two small dogs along for a visit at her place she sits back and smiles :confused:

Like they say: u can chose ur friends but not ur family :( :mad:

Wait a minute I thought all places like petsmart and petco allowed dogs. When did this change?

well how rude they should of just let her she wouldnt of hurt anyone those people are mean
allison'n'belle

Hope I didn't type the thread wrong. Maggie was welcomed with open arms at Petsmart. Should be :D , I think I own most of the store now. :D She even PP'd on the floor, and they thought that was so cute. The store employee even cleaned it up. It was the huge sporting store Cabela's that she was not welcome.

Around here, several of our downtown shops have 'shop dogs' little precious ones that run around the store. It is really cute.

There is a problem with taking pets into stores. You have to remember the people who's dogs have no business in public places. How do the stores keep them out and let us in. At least a service dog has training, one part of the training is being able to behave in public. Just a different thought - I remember a thread recently about a schnauser jumping out of a cart at PetSmart trying to attack a yorkie. :teeth:

Yes, Bettyeanne, it's the same one. This is a brand new store. It is one of their biggest in the nation. I couldn't believe it when we drove up to it. This is so funny. Cabela's called our home about one hour after I sent the email letter to administration. My husband talked to them and told them they would never have to worry about our little Yorkie again, because he was taking his business to Bass Pro Shops.

Way To Go Maggie's Daddy!!! :thumbup:

Too funny! I think I would go back and make sure she had her potty break!

That's SO dumb! Oh my gosh, what an idiot on a power trip! I just don't understand ANY reason that they would turn you away like that!!!!!

Ok, so if dogs shed, they don't want dogs in their store. - Well, people shed more than yorkies do, it seems, so that shouldn't be a problem.

People can be allergic to dogs. - But not yorkies, so that's not a problem.

Dogs can pee on things or chew things up - but not a cute yorkie in a stroller!

Even children make messes, run thru the aisles of the store hiding in the racks, disrupting customers.... We love kids, but I'm just saying it's possible. We all know that, of course...which only makes us more mad at the fact that they turned you down.

We're all with you! They suck for doing that!!!!

Sounds like a really cute new stroller tho! You ought to post a pic of Maggie in it! I would love it see!

That is the very first time I've heard that animals can't shop with you at a Pet Smart or Pet Supermarket!!!??? I could understand if you brought a dog that did not behave and then they ask if you could please put it in a kennel there . I would have been very upset and would have walked out as well. I don't dare bring Cookie or Mimi into other places anymore. I do bring them to pet supply stores.Does this store have a sign outside that says " Behaved Pets Welcomed,leashed" Or something like that? I have seen those signs on every sliding door of Pet Supermarket or PetSmart.I went once to the Post Office ,not to wait in line to ship something out. I went to where all the P.O Boxes were and they have a shipping/label machine there. I had Mimi in one of those Front carry packs, she was 1 lb at the time! As soon as the guy saw me his eyes turned insane and he told me " You cant bring that in here!" He just motioned me to come over to his counter and rolled his eyes and was still going to help me.
I was going to ask him something about shipping and I was so pissed off that I told him "FORGET IT" I drove out of my way to another Post Office.

Genie

This reminds me of a trip to Tractor Supply. I was looking for a scale to weigh the puppies. The girl said, 'you could bring them here and use our scale!' I think I probably will in a few more days. They are getting too big and wiggly to weigh on my postal scale.

Thanks, Brenda!
Just wanted to be sure it was the sporting goods store! When we get their next catalog, I intend to mail it back to them with a letter explaining why!! ;) I am sick and tired of our babies being treated that way! We have never, ever taken her in any store unless she is either in her bag or in our arms!! I just can't understand what their problems are! :(

That's a huge store by the way, I saw it on the news. I just don't think we should expect everyone to treat our pets like we would. You allow a yorkie in then you have to allow a great dane, next thing you know employees are cleaning poop up off the floor. Pets simply aren't allowed to go everywhere we want them to and I think it's unreasonable to expect everyone to be accommodating.

I have to agree with you on this one. Where do you draw the line on what pets are allowed in a store. I brought one of my dachshunds, weighed 4 pounds with me to work. My mother owns the business and I was the only one working that day so Cinnamon was keeping me company. An older lady came in and bout had a heart attack when Cinnamon ran up to her, so she could pet her. the lady was just about in tears. Cinnamon was just looking at her wagging her tail. I had to put her away til she left. Not everyone is an animal lover like we are and most stores are here to accomidate us(people) not dogs. Sorry ya'll, I'd like to take my dogs everywhere too, but wouldn't get upset if asked not to bring them in. :aimeeyork

I have to say that i can understand why stores do not want pets to enter. Imagine if everyone took their pets into stores (any store) and you find pee and poop all over the place. maybe the cleaning staff didn't see an area that needed cleaned up or whatever. although I do think they need to welcome the pets that are carried or in strollers or bags. I see no harm in that. (or continuous barking) Like my Ahia did in an office supply store recently. LOL. I did however take her out side when i couldn't make her stop barking. (She was upset over the prices.)
I think they should allow those small pets if contained or controlled. They should accept them along with guidelines.
One store that tees me off is Target. They don't allow pets inside but have started this whole line of pet gear. They expect you to spend gobs of money on your pet but won't let them come in to pick it out!

I think it would be nice if there were a way to certify a dog to be people and store friendly, that they could come in if they were properly contained on a leash, in a carrier or stroller, etc. I just know too many inconsiderate dog owners, who don't really care about their dogs or anyone else, would bring their dog to the store with fleas and who knows what. Soon there wouldn't be a store fit to shop in. And that's not even mentioning cats or other pets. :eek:

What a novel idea Laura. That would be cool. Like a dog shopping license where they are proben to be trained to be in public places and not bite, bark or pee or poop. Soemthing like that. Hmmmmmm......

There is a sign on the door at the Petsmart I go to that says something to the effect that all leashed pets are welcome. :confused:

EXACTLY! Then we could take our good little ones everywhere :luvu:

I was stopped at a Walmart,, can you believe that? The woman who had just started there was so snotty. Gus was in his bag being a good boy. He has never given me any promblems,,, well, one time at the mall, a kid wasnt watching where he was going a bumped into his bag. Gus did not like it one bit and growled at the kid. But anyway, this lady was a being a witch. I told her that I always shop there and I have never been told anything before. In fact quite a few employee's know me and Gus. She then told me that there is a no pets sign in front. So she called the Manager, who I also knew,,, All he told me is what I already knew. As long as he's in the bag it was fine. So I went on my way and did my shopping. When walking out she just gave me a dirty look and I couldn't help myself,,, as I past her I laughed and said haha!

The other day I went in and there she was,,,, I gave her a big smile and she just looked the other way. And to top it off one of lady's who's just inlove with my Gus had to stop and say hi.

You know what? You are so spoiled - and this I am saying only because I am freaking jalous of you, living in a country where you can take your dog shopping. ONLY service dogs are allowed in Danish stores - and I mean ONLY!And in food stores not even servicedogs are allowed, they will rather spend money on having people help the disabled person...

I never have and I never will be shopping with my girls. Not even pet stores allow dogs....go figure...it's a germthing...we're big on that in Denmark.

I hope there will always be stores where your babies are welcome, just because my kids are a little hairier than other kids doesn't mean they are filthy or filled with germs =(

OOOHHH! That makes me so mad! Fortunately, I have lots of friends that are business owners and they welcome Rocky with open arms! But, I have been tossed out of Target before! I have found several places where I live that don't have a problem with it, if Rocky stays in his purse. Some people are just so hateful! Who wouldn't want a Yorkie near them??? They just don't know how great they are!

I'm sorry you feel that way. However, Maggie was totally enclosed (all six sides). Maggie is tiny, versus a Great Dane horse. Her poo would fit in a gum wrapper. Better have a bucket for a Great Dane. Sorry this was a Sporting Goods Store, with hunters and animals in mind. I do not see the comparison of a Yorkie and a Great Dane.

If a pup is enclosed completely- in a stroller or carrier, what's the big deal?You can't put mammoth dogs in carriers, so I think that would weed them out.

I was at the "posh" mall in my town a few weeks ago and saw a lady with a medium/large dog on a leash. No harness (Service dogs have to have their special harnesses here), no state certified tags. No one seemed to have a problem with it.

I was in a store in Galveston petting the sweetest little Cairn boy (he was in a harness) and this stupid b**** in line behind me gave me this nasty look like he was filthy! I just gave her a nasty look back and said "Good boy! You're so FRIENDLY!!!" Unlike SOME people!