Ace Hardware is one of the most popular hardware stores in the United States, with over 5,700 stores across the nation. It is likely that you’ve had to go to Ace Hardware at one point to buy supplies or tools, as they are conveniently located, making Ace Hardware the neighborhood hardware store for many.
If you’re planning to visit an Ace Hardware store but worry that they might not allow your dog, our article is here to guide you through the store’s pet policies. Read on to learn if Ace Hardware allows dogs.
What Is Ace Hardware?
Ace Hardware is a chain of stores that sells hardware, grills, home improvement supplies, gardening equipment, and tools. The company is known as the neighborhood hardware store because most of the locations are owned by local business people and are conveniently located.
At Ace Hardware, you can shop for home repairs, whether small or large-scale, duplicate your keys, repair screens, refill propane tanks, and rent equipment. All of these things make Ace Hardware the go-to shop for DIY, home improvement, and many other projects that require hardware and tools.
What Is Ace Hardware’s Pet Policy?
Ace Hardware doesn’t have a nationwide pet policy, as most stores are independently owned by local business people. However, most locations allow customers to bring their dogs or other well-behaved pets inside while you shop.
Although most Ace Hardware stores allow dogs, it is best to call ahead and ask if the store allows pets before taking a trip there with your dog. Most Ace Hardware stores have a phone number you can find on Google Maps to call.
If pets are allowed at your local Ace Hardware, keep your dog on a short leash and navigate the store carefully while watching your dog, as the type of goods sold in Ace Hardware stores can pose safety risks if your dog gets into them. In fact, this can be the main reason why your local Ace Hardware store doesn’t allow pets.
it is entirely up to the management of your Ace Hardware location to determine if pets are or are not allowed; franchise owners have the right to set their own pet policies. There’s usually a good reason why dogs aren’t allowed, so it is best to respect the store’s policies and leave your dog at home.
Can Service Dogs Enter Ace Hardware Stores That Don’t Allow Pets?
Ace Hardware stores typically allow pet dogs, but it isn’t the same across all the locations. When it comes to service dogs, however, whether or not they can enter is different from pet dogs. In general, you can expect a service dog to be allowed into more public spaces than a pet dog would be.
What Is a Service Dog?
A service dog is a dog trained to perform tasks to assist an individual with a disability. The tasks these dogs are trained to perform are directly related to the owner’s disability. For instance, a service dog can retrieve objects from the ground or alert a hearing-impaired handler to specific sounds, such as doorbells. These tasks enable the handler to live more independently.
Service dogs are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law grants them public access rights, which means that they are allowed to accompany their handler in public places where pets are typically not allowed, such as stores, including Ace Hardware.
While this answers whether service dogs are allowed in Ace Hardware, it is important to note that service dogs must behave well in public and be under the handler’s control at all times. If the service dog behaves in a way that poses a safety risk, businesses can ask the handler to remove their service dog. We’ll cover the instances where a business, including an Ace Hardware location, may legally deny a service dog below.
What to Expect Visiting an Ace Hardware Store With a Service Dog
When visiting an Ace Hardware store with a service dog, expect a positive experience, as most employees are trained to understand and respect service animals.
This will ensure that you’ll have a smooth shopping experience as far as the management at the store goes, but you’ll need to be extra careful while you shop. Some of the aisles can be quite narrow and have products on both sides that can be dangerous for a dog.
When navigating an Ace Hardware store, keep your service dog on a short leash and ensure that they are under your control at all times. If your service dog can’t be on a leash or a leash will interfere with the tasks they’re trained to perform, you can always ask for assistance from Ace Hardware employees, who will happily help you find what you need.
Overall, expect a welcoming and accommodating experience when shopping at Ace Hardware with your service dog. To make the most out of this shopping experience, make sure your service dog is under control, and don’t hesitate to ask for assistance when needed, especially when looking for items in narrow aisles.
Can Ace Hardware Deny Entry to a Service Dog?
Ace Hardware cannot deny entry to a service dog due to no-pet policies. Service dogs are exempt from such restrictions, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, there are instances where an Ace Hardware store may legally deny entry to a service dog or ask the handler to remove their service dog.
An Ace Hardware store may legally deny a service dog if the service dog displays disruptive behavior, such as barking excessively or growling at shoppers. The service dog must also be under the handler’s control at all times.
For instance, the store may ask the handler to remove their service dog if the service dog walks away to explore the items on their own or doesn’t show interest in the handler (unless it is somehow connected to the task they’re trained to perform to assist the handler) and handler fails to recall their dogs.
Additionally, there’s a standard procedure that all businesses in the US must follow when it comes to determining whether a dog is a service animal. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, only the following two questions are permitted to ask:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Other than these two questions, Ace Hardware employees cannot require the handler to demonstrate what tasks the service dog is trained to perform or present documentation that proves the dog’s status as a service animal.
If an Ace Hardware employee still requires these and denies entry, it would be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In case you’ve been subject to discrimination because of your service dog, you can file a complaint at the Department of Justice’s website.
Are Emotional Support Dogs Allowed in Ace Hardware?
Now that you know more about Ace Hardware’s pet policy and that service dogs are exempt from these restrictions, here’s more on what these mean for emotional support dogs.
What Is an Emotional Support Dog?
An emotional support dog is a companion animal that provides companionship to individuals with a mental disability, such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Dogs aren’t the only emotional support animals; any animal an individual is legally allowed to keep in their state can become an emotional support animal.
However, emotional support animals require an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. These documents essentially prescribe an emotional support animal to improve an individual’s emotional well-being through companionship.
While both emotional support dogs and service dogs assist their handlers, they are different in federal law. Here’s a quick overview of the differences between them.
Differences Between Emotional Support Dogs and Service Dogs
The primary difference between emotional support dogs and service dogs is how they assist their owners. While service dogs perform tasks related to the handler’s disability, emotional support dogs simply exist and ease their owner’s symptoms through the companionship they provide.
Therefore, emotional support dogs don’t have training requirements; as long as the owner obtains an ESA letter from a mental health professional licensed in their state, they will have everything to become an emotional support animal. Service dogs, on the other hand, must be trained to assist the handler with a disability-related task.
Due to the differences in how they assist a person with a disability, the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t grant the same public access rights to emotional support animals. This means emotional support dogs don’t have the same protections to accompany their owners in places that don’t typically allow pets.
However, this doesn’t mean that emotional support animals don’t get any legal protections. The Fair Housing Act protects emotional support animals to live with their owners, even if there’s a no-pet policy in the lease or rental agreement. Using a copy of their ESA letters, emotional support dog owners can request reasonable accommodation from their housing provider.
Bringing an ESA to Ace Hardware
As covered above, emotional support animals are subject to the pet policies of businesses. If the Ace Hardware you plan on visiting allows dogs, you will have no problems shopping with your emotional support dog. If the store doesn’t, however, you will need to leave your emotional support dog at home.
While ESAs must abide by pet policies, you can call and ask if the store allows emotional support dogs. Many stores that typically don’t allow dogs or other pets make an exception for emotional support animals, and many Ace Hardware locations are included in this.
Tips for a Safe Trip to Ace Hardware With Your Dog
Whether the Ace Hardware location you’ll shop at allows dogs or you will go with a service dog, it is essential to have a safe trip. Unlike shopping with your dog in grocery stores or department stores, hardware stores can have potentially dangerous tools and equipment that endanger your dog. Here are some of our trips to ensure a safe shopping experience.
Keep Your Dog on a Short Leash
First and foremost, your dog should be on a leash when shopping at Ace Hardware, and as you navigate the store, keep your dog on a short leash. Holding your dog on a leash three to five feet in length will prevent your dog from wandering off away from you and sniffing hazardous materials or walking into narrow aisles.
Be Mindful of Potential Hazards
Ace Hardware sells a wide range of products. While it is great to have the variety Ace Hardware offers, you’ll find an abundance of sharp tools and chemicals. Be mindful of these potential hazards, and keep an eye on your dog to ensure they don’t interact with anything dangerous. Use commands like sit and stay to ensure your dog doesn’t get too close to items they shouldn’t at Ace Hardware.
Avoid Busy Hours
Another tip to ensure a safe shopping experience with your dog is to avoid busy hours. The narrow aisles of Ace Hardware can be dangerous when there’s a crowd of people you need to squeeze through with your dog. You can always call and ask the Ace Hardware employees to determine the busy hours. They will happily let you know what hours are the quietest to enjoy a calm shopping experience with your dog.
Ask for Help
Navigating hardware stores like Ace Hardware with a dog can be quite challenging, no matter how obedient and well-trained they are. If you’re looking for a specific item but can’t find it, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Ace Hardware employees can help you find what you’re looking for without digging through shelves and potentially dropping something on your dog.
Summarizing Ace Hardware’s Pet Policy
Ace Hardware doesn’t have a pet policy that applies to all its stores. Since most Ace Hardware stores are independently owned by local business people, each store decides on its own pet policies. Therefore, you’ll need to contact the store and ask if they allow dogs before visiting, but it is likely that you can shop with your dog because most Ace Hardware stores around the country allow dogs, and service dogs are always allowed inside Ace Hardware.