Debate over Bunnings dog rule reignited by 'irritated' tradie
The cabinetmaker told Aussies he found the rule 'irritating and stupid'.
A “grumpy” cabinetmaker has reignited a debate about whether or not dogs should be allowed in Bunnings stores after raising concerns about the safety of the policy.
The tradie expressed his strong views about the rule and asked other Aussies what they thought. Hundreds were quick to respond to air their opinions.
“What’s the deal with all the people taking their dogs to Bunnings?” the tradie posted to Reddit. “I get that it’s allowed, but I just don’t understand the logic behind anyone wanting to bring their dog to a hardware store. The person went on to say that they find dogs in the hardware store “irritating and stupid”.
“Bunnings gets so busy, and people are carrying lengths of timber, tools, panels, plants etc. and people think “ah yes, perfect environment for my canine friend,” they said.
“It’s bad enough with the amount of people who wander slowly and aimlessly, with seemingly no awareness that they’re blocking the aisle. Now I find myself navigating around dogs. I’m a grumpy cabinetmaker who’s goal is to get in, get my s**t, and get out. Am I so out of touch? Or are the kids really wrong here?”
Aussies share their views on the divisive topic
Responding to the tradie’s question, one Aussie said: “It just seems like more trouble than its worth allowing access.”
Another said their partner enjoys bringing pets along for the shopping trip, but admitted that they “can’t stand it”. “They carry on, try to piss on everything, eat fertiliser, chew on random shit. It puts my anxiety through the roof. There's a time and place for dogs and the shops aren't it unless it's a service animal,” they said.
“If my dog stays within the trolley and doesn't do any of the above, is that okay?” one Redditor responded, “I'd rather have him with me than leave him in the car.”
“The only reason to take a dog to Bunnings is if it's already in the car, and you're popping in to grab something quickly,” added a third. “The alternative being leaving the dog in the car, which is often unforgivable. Bunnings is not a social outing with or without a dog.”
Bunnings hits back at calls to ban dogs in stores
Earlier this month, the hardware giant revealed that it's perfectly happy with how the majority of pets and their owners behave in stores, and has no plans to change its current policy.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Mike Schneider, Bunnings Managing Director, said the retailer had allowed dogs for several years and welcomes all feedback from the public concerning the policy.
"We’ve been welcoming pets into our stores for over seven years and love the feedback from customers about how much they enjoy bringing them along when they’re shopping with us," Schneider said.
"The ongoing positive feedback was one of the underlying factors in the launch of our pet category, our largest category expansion in two decades. The strong customer take-up of this offer has exceeded our expectations, underscoring the popularity of the category and its resonance with pet owners.
"Like many other retailers with similar pet ranges, we take a commonsense approach when welcoming pets into our stores. The feedback we receive shows that the vast majority of owners are respectful of other customers, and our team when they’re in store, and of course our team are always available to help if customers have any concerns about their shopping experience."
According to Bunnings, dogs are allowed in stores if they’re friendly, on a lead, under control and comply with the conditions of entry which may see unsociable pets asked to leave. Bunnings explained they adopt the same approach to dogs in stores as other pet retailers that allow pets.
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