Bringing your dog into Costco may seem like a good idea for a day trip with your pup, but you may not be able to bring your dog inside this store, depending on specific policies that are in place. It’s important to learn about the Costco dog policy before venturing out to this store, as you don’t want to be turned away and have a peaceful day of shopping turned stressful. Our article gives you details on Costco’s dog policy and when you might be able to bring a dog inside this popular warehouse store.
Costco’s Dog Policy
The official Costco dog policy states that the store does not permit any dogs inside of the warehouses except for dogs that are legitimate service animals. This policy is in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which allows individuals who are in need of a service dog to be accompanied by their service animal into public and private spaces such as stores, restaurants, and malls.
If your dog is not a service animal, you cannot expect them to be permitted into a Costco warehouse alongside you, as this will likely be a violation of store rules, state restrictions, and health and safety policies.
Keep in mind while accessing a Costco with your service dog, you can utilize a vest or harness to indicate their work as a service animal, but this is not required of you under federal or state law.
What Is Costco Allowed to Ask Me About My Service Dog?
In order to make sure that dogs entering a Costco warehouse are legitimate service animals, a Costco employee may ask questions about your service dog. The only questions that you are required to answer, according to the ADA, include the following:
- Is your dog a service animal?
- What task or function has your service animal been trained to perform?
You can keep your answers to these questions limited to the basic facts, and you are not required to elaborate on your specific health conditions, even if an employee is trying to make you answer or provide details before you can enter a Costco warehouse.
Requests that your service animal demonstrates the tasks they have been trained to perform, demands of proof or identification cards, and requests that your service dog wears an identification item are a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
If a Costco employee is denying you entrance into a warehouse with your service animal even after you have answered the required questions, this can be considered illegal and a denial of your public access rights under the ADA. You may need to raise the issue with a legal professional and Costco corporate, depending on the circumstances of your denial.
Can Costco Deny My Service Dog Entry?
In limited circumstances, your service dog may be legally denied entry into a Costco warehouse. This typically happens if your service dog is not under your control, they are acting destructively, or your dog is aggressive and threatening other patrons of the store. In general, this will rarely happen as the majority of service dogs are highly trained and will focus completely on their assistance work instead of acting dangerous or uncontrollable.
Can I Bring My Emotional Support Dog to Costco?
Emotional support dogs are not service animals, as these dogs are not trained to perform specific disability-related tasks for their owners. Instead, emotional support dogs will provide assistance through the comfort and companionship that their presence brings to their owners. While emotional support dogs have protected housing rights so those in need can easily live alongside their support animal, they are not protected under the ADA for public access rights. This means you cannot bring your emotional support dog into Costco – you can only bring your emotional support dog into public places or areas with dog-friendly pet policies.
Where Else Can I Take My Service Dog?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, your service dog can accompany you into any public or private area. This means that you can have your dog accompany you to work, stores, malls, movie theatres, restaurants, and bars – these access rights are granted so that your service animal can help you access areas and stay supported while you are outside of your home. It is important to note that the only exception to the ADA’s protected access rights are certain religious spaces, and you will need to check with these spaces directly to ensure your service animal can accompany you inside.
Preparing Your Service Animal for a Costco Shopping Trip
Bringing your service animal to Costco for your shopping trip can be stressful, but your dog is most likely highly trained and prepared to complete their work even in a busy and crowded warehouse. If you are still working on training your service animal, you may be able to bring them into Costco as you train them.
The most important thing to prepare your service animal for a Costco shopping trip is ensuring that your dog can pass the Canine Good Citizen Test, knowing that they are focused on you and under your control even in such a bustling area and that you are handling them as you always do when out in public. All of these items will help your dog remain focused on their job and ensure their attention is on you as they provide you with assistance while you complete your Costco shopping.
Bringing Your Dog to Costco With You
While Costco doesn’t allow pets to enter into their stores, service animals are always welcome and permitted access to Costco under the federal protections of the ADA. If you are traveling to a Costco with your service animal, it is important to understand your access rights and what Costco employees are allowed to ask of you to ensure that your visit goes smoothly. Any concerns or questions about entering Costco with your service animal can be discussed with the customer service team in person or online.