Dogs aren’t usually allowed in grocery stores. But some employees are too scared to say anything about it. So this Sam’s Club customer took the confrontation into his own hands.
Are dogs allowed in grocery stores?
For the most part, dogs and other pets are not allowed in grocery stores and other places (like coffee shops and restaurants) that sell prepared food due to hygiene issues.
Aside from possibly contaminating the goods, having a dog inside an establishment that’s open to the public can create an uncomfortable or unwelcoming atmosphere for other shoppers.
Some people are allergic to certain animals and may be hit with an allergic reaction that they weren’t expecting to have in the fruit aisle. Other people are simply scared of the four-legged companions.
Do places enforce the rule?
It can be hit or miss whether a grocery store or restaurant will enforce the no pets rule, depending on who’s working and how strict the establishment is.
Some workers may notice that there’s a furry friend who really shouldn’t be there. But if they’re conflict-averse, they may just look the other way.
As we saw during the pandemic with stores enforcing mask mandates, some people become outright belligerent when asked to follow a clearly stated rule. So employees may just want to save themselves the headache.
However, some establishments have security or managers who are more adamant about enforcing the rules.
A dog’s viral moment
In a viral TikTok, Sam’s Club shopper @dsquared_doubleds takes it upon himself to confront a fellow customer. His video has over 1.7 million views.
“Y’all, look at this [expletive]. People just bring their damn dogs into the store. That don’t look like no damn service dog,” @dsquared_doubleds says, acknowledging that he’d feel differently about the situation if it was a service animal that needed to be there.
As he approaches the woman, a dog is chilling in the middle of the woman’s cart in a pink vest. The dog is surrounded by food, including muffins, meat, and greens.
“Just barking and [expletive]. Next time take that damn dog outside and leave it in the damn car,” @dsquared_doubleds tells the woman.
She immediately gets between @dsquared_doubleds and her dog, raises her hand to block the camera, and tells him to walk away.
Meanwhile, someone’s auntie was in the next aisle, cackling and clearly tickled by the interaction.
“Pets don’t belong in the supermarket!!!” @dsquared_doubleds said in the caption.
This isn’t the first time someone has berated a shopper for having a dog in a store. But in this other incident at Target, the confronter came across poorly because she was attacking the presence of a service animal.
What about service animals?
Sam’s Club’s online policy states that service animals are welcome in their locations.
Businesses, non-profits, and state and local governments that are open to the public must allow service animals “to go most places where the public can go.” That’s even if they have a “no pets” policy, per the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Several private businesses offer service animal certification. However, there is no certification a person can get through the government, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In fact, service animals are not legally required to go through any kind of professional training program. They are also not required to wear a vest or ID stating they are service animals. To be classified as a service animal, they must meet the following requirements: be a dog of any breed or size and be trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. For example, they should be able to retrieve an object or detect the signs of an oncoming seizure.
Commenters react
“PSA this needs to be announced at every supermarket,” a top comment read.
“You’re just doing what the managers won’t do,” a person said.
“The way the dog immediately popped off,” another observed.
@dsquared_doubleds Pets dont belong in the supermarket!!!
♬ original sound – Forks & Flavors
The Daily Dot reached out to @dsquared_doubleds through TikTok direct message and comment. We also reached out to Sam’s Club’s parent company Walmart via email.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
