A Bunnings customer has taken aim at the hardware giant’s dog policy after witnessing misbehaving mutts peeing and trying to fight in store.
Tony Evans said he saw a dog urinate on merchandise and two other dogs behaving aggressively towards each other when he visited Bunnings at Maroochydore one Sunday earlier this month.
“I was there for about half an hour and I saw five big dogs. I’m talking not pit bulls but that type of dog, being led around by the owners,” he said.
“There was a cavoodle with a group of four people. They didn’t even buy anything. They just wanted to take the dog to Bunnings.
“The dogs were freaking out a little bit. They really didn’t know what was going on.”
Mr Evans said one dog owner did nothing when their dog urinated on merchandise and the owners of two dogs had to hold them back when they began barking at each other.
Bunnings’ website says dogs are allowed on leads, and owners must clean up after them.
In a statement, Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider said the retailer took a common-sense approach to dogs and tried to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all.
“We’ve been welcoming pets into our stores for many years and love the feedback from customers about how much they enjoy having their companions while they shop with us,” he said.
“Like many other retailers that offer pet products, we take a common-sense approach when welcoming dogs into our stores.
“The feedback we receive shows that the vast majority of pet owners are respectful of other customers and our team when they’re in our stores.”
Mr Evans said the situation was unhygienic and unsafe and there was no need for dogs in store since “they’re not buying hammers”.
“I don’t have a problem with dogs or animals in general but I’m amazed Bunnings would allow big dogs, and I’m talking aggressive dogs, into the store unmuzzled but on a lead. I’m flabbergasted,” he said.
He said “little old ladies taking Fluffy to Bunnings to buy a pot plant” were of no concern but he was worried about the risk of a large dog attacking a small dog or child.
“You’ve got four-year-old kids walking around Bunnings pushing trolleys and we’ve got dogs that are bigger than them walking around with girls holding them back. It’s a recipe for disaster,” he said.
Bunnings confirmed that staff could ask dog owners to leave if their pets were aggressive or unsociable.
Bunnings also confirmed that dog owners were asked to clean up in the event of a dog having an accident in store, and that bags and cloths were available upon request.
The retailer did not address a question about how many incidents involving dogs had occurred in stores.
There were calls to ban dogs from Bunnings after an unrestrained dog killed a smaller dog in a Bunnings store in Brisbane in 2021.
Mr Scheider encouraged any customer who experienced something Bunnings should be aware of to contact a team member so the issue could be addressed.
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