Recently, as I walked into a second hand store, I noticed a sign on the door. The sign said that pets were no longer allowed in the store unless they were work pets (such as a Seeing Eye dog).
I recall going to that store and seeing, on a few occasions, an older lady who had her dog in the seat of her cart. I saw her on a few occasions with her dog. I believe I recall seeing her in other stores as well.
I am fairly certain that this sign was aimed at her. I am also fairly certain that the sign was a result of some people complaining to staff about her dog.
Who is right in this scenario?
Should people be bringing their pets into stores with them?
Does the kind of pet make a difference in this equation?
What if the pet is in a carrier?
People on each side of this issue are quite adamant they are right. If an employee of a store who let a client come in with their dog gets bitten, one camp will say it is the employee’s fault, the other will blame the dog and its owner.
Ethically, the statement: “Ones rights end where another’s rights begin” should prevail.
I mention this lady that I recall seeing. I feel that the sign I saw on the door of the store was aimed at her.
Why is that?
I recall her, specifically because she had her dog with her. If it was common practice for people to bring in their pets to stores, I would not recall her specifically. I would not assume that the sign was targeting her specifically.
Some pet stores allow people to bring their companions of the furry/scaly kind with them. I can assure you that in those stores it does not faze me at all to see a pet there and I do not recall the people.
A home renovation store used to not object to people bringing their pets. They had a policy against it but did not enforce it. Still very few brought in their pets. One day a little dog bit an employee. Reading the comment section of the news articles, it was astounding how many people blamed the employee and the store and how few blamed the owner or the dog.
Comments such as “My pet is part of my family. It should be allowed to go everywhere I go.” were predominant. I kept thinking my child is part of my family, yet I do not bring them into bars or strip clubs with me, why would I bring my cat?
Other commenters stated that it was not safe to leave an animal alone in the car. It is also not a good idea to leave a child alone in the car.
True, I am not prone to bring my pets with me. I leave at home, just like I leave my children at home when I am going somewhere where they should not be going. I think a very large section of the population behave this way. Why is it that some individuals see and cat differently? Why do some need to be told? Are they the ones who are right?
Whose rights should prevail?
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