I love shopping at Dollar Tree. A few times a month, my mom and I go to these stores, where most items are only $1.25. But do I bring our dogs to the Dollar Tree? The answer is no – because dogs are not allowed in the Dollar Tree; This chain is not dog friendly.
Why does Dollar Tree not allow dogs?
Dollar Tree is like Walmart and any other grocery store in the United States – dogs (except service dogs) are not allowed in the store due to health regulations.
Dollar Tree has a wide selection of candies, breads, frozen foods and more, although there is a wide range of cosmetics, crafts, decorations and more in the store, it still follows the rules like a traditional grocery store.
If you need something at the Dollar Tree, you’ll have to leave the dog at home – or Order online or via Instacart for home delivery.
But I’ve seen dogs at the Dollar Tree!
The same pet policy applies to all Dollar Tree stores, a chain of more than 5,000 stores with locations in the US and Canada dating back to the 1950s (and in 2015 the company acquired Family Dollar ).
However, some store managers may ignore the dogs in the store or may not ask customers if their dog is a service dog.
Or you may see a service dog but it is not obvious that it is a service dog.
Service dog is Not required to wear any kind of harness, vest, or tag – so it’s not always obvious that a dog is active.
Service Dogs can include Diabetic Alert Dogs, Epilepsy Warning Dogs, Hearing Dogs, and many more.
If your dog is not a trained service dog, do not try to misrepresent your dog as a service dog. Depending on where you live, misrepresent your dog as a service dog may be fined up to $1000.
Can I bring a service dog in the store?
Yes, you can bring service dogs into Dollar Tree stores.
Only what dogs are identified as a service dog? Follow Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been specifically trained to do work or perform duties for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability.
As mentioned above, you don’t need to wear a special vest or harness to identify your dog as a service dog, but store employees are allowed to ask you two questions:
(1) Is the dog a mandatory service animal because of a disability?
(2) What job or task has the dog been trained to perform?
According to ADA regulations, “An employee is not permitted to request any documentation about the dog, require the dog to demonstrate duty, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability.”
Can I bring a support dog to the Dollar Tree?
Emotional support dogs are not protected like service dogs under ADA regulations, so they cannot go to service dog-only locations.
Understandably, in some cases, it can be difficult to determine whether a dog is a service dog or an emotional support dog. ADA give this example:
If someone’s dog soothes them during an anxiety attack, does this dog qualify as a service animal?
One. It depends. The ADA distinguishes between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals. If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is imminent and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, that dog would qualify as service animals. However, if the dog’s mere presence is comforting, it would not be considered a service animal under the ADA.
Service dogs do not need to be professionally trained.
In short, don’t bring your dog to the Dollar Tree unless your dog is a service dog. Leave your dog at home for a quick run to the Dollar Tree or look for another dog friendly shop.
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