Kroger is one of the largest chain stores in the US that sells a wide range of products. If you have a dog and want to shop with them, knowing the pet policy of Kroger stores before heading off is essential since not every store allows dogs.
In this article, we’ll provide a detailed overview of Kroger’s pet policy. Continue reading to the end to learn if you can take your dog to Kroger.
What Is Kroger?
Kroger is a large grocery store company in the US that operates supermarkets where you can buy food, drinks, household items, and prescription drugs. Kroger also owns other store brands like Ralphs and King Soopers.
The company focuses on providing affordable groceries, fresh food, and a convenient shopping experience in all of its locations. With over 2,750 supermarkets across the US, it is one of the biggest grocery chains in the country, serving millions of customers every year.
What Is Kroger’s Pet Policy?
Kroger doesn’t allow pets in the stores due to health and safety regulations since food is sold in all locations, and Kroger must meet strict food safety standards. However, this doesn’t mean that you can take your pet with you to the parts of the store where food isn’t sold. Kroger has a strict no-pet policy that applies to all areas, whether your pet is a dog, cat, or any other.
Kroger’s pet policy also extends to pets in carriers. Even if you have a small pet in a carrier, you will need to leave them outside. While this overall answers whether dogs are allowed in Kroger, there’s more to it.
What About Service Dogs?
While regular pets, including dogs, aren’t allowed in Kroger, service animals are exempt from such restrictions due to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the ADA, a service animal is a dog trained to assist people with disabilities by performing specific tasks, like guiding someone blind or helping with mobility.
These assistance animals have public access rights as their handlers require them in their daily lives. This means that a service dog can accompany a handler with a disability in most public places, including grocery stores like Kroger.
Therefore, while pet dogs aren’t allowed in Kroger, service dogs are. These dogs are protected under the Americans With Disabilities Act and can accompany their handlers. Kroger is responsible for training employees to be respectful and avoid asking detailed questions about a customer’s service animal, as there are legal protections against this.
For instance, a Kroger employee cannot ask a customer with a service dog to demonstrate tasks the dog is trained to perform. The ADA has strict requirements on this and only permits the following questions to determine if a dog is a service dog.
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Additionally, service dogs aren’t required to wear special vests that indicate that they are service animals. At the same time, a dog wearing a service animal vest isn’t automatically a service dog. All service dogs must undergo training to perform tasks to benefit an individual with a disability. Service dogs must also meet certain requirements. Otherwise, Kroger (and other stores) can deny entry – more on that below.
Can I Bring My Emotional Support Dog to Kroger?
While service dogs are allowed in Kroger as per the Americans With Disabilities Act, the same can’t be said for emotional support dogs. The same protections don’t apply to emotional support dogs and other emotional support animals because they aren’t protected by the same federal law.
Therefore, emotional support dogs are subject to the same pet restrictions as regular pets. They aren’t allowed to enter Kroger, even if the customer brings their ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional in their state.
Why Are Service Dogs Allowed in Kroger but Not Emotional Support Dogs?
Emotional support dogs are a type of emotional support animal that provides comfort to an individual with a mental disability. These animals are recommended by a mental health professional to ease one’s symptoms.
For an animal to be legally considered an emotional support animal, the owner with a mental disability must obtain an ESA letter from a mental health professional licensed in their state. Without this document, their animal will be considered a pet.
While emotional support animals sound similar to service dogs in that they assist their owner, note that emotional support dogs aren’t allowed in Kroger because the Americans With Disabilities Act doesn’t cover emotional support animals. They aren’t trained to assist an individual with a disability and therefore, don’t fit the description of a service animal.
The only law that grants emotional support dogs protection is the Fair Housing Act. This law ensures that individuals with an emotional support animal aren’t discriminated against when applying for housing because of their emotional support animals.
Therefore, you can’t take an emotional support dog to shop with you in a grocery store like Kroger due to the store’s no-pet policies. However, you won’t be subject to the same no-pet policies when it comes to housing, including renting an apartment or living with your ESA in university housing.
Can Kroger Deny a Service Dog?
While the ADA grants service dogs public access rights that permit them to enter stores like Kroger, there are specific situations where a store can deny access to a service dog or ask the handler to remove their service dog.
These situations include the service dog posing a safety threat to others, such as barking or growling at other customers. The same applies when service dogs display uncontrollable behavior, and the handler can’t keep their service dog under control. Examples include the service dog barking repeatedly and lunging at other customers.
Additionally, service dogs must be housebroken. If a service dog urinates or defecates inside Kroger, the establishment can ask the handler to remove their service dog.
In these situations, Kroger and other stores have the right to ask the handler to leave the premises with their service dog. The handler is responsible for their service dog’s behavior and must ensure that they are under control at all times.
However, if you’re asked to leave a Kroger location due to any of the reasons above, the store must still offer goods to you without your service dog present. That means you can continue shopping after leaving your service dog with a friend or family member outside.
Are Dogs Allowed in Kroger Online Pickup?
Kroger doesn’t allow dogs unless they are service animals trained to assist their handlers with disabilities. If you want to shop at Kroger but can’t leave your dog home alone or must take it with you for any other reason, you can place a pickup order online.
Formerly known as ClickList, Kroger has an online service where you can place an order online and pick your order. You can shop for pretty much everything you can buy at the store but at the comfort of your home. You won’t need to enter the store when picking up your order, as a Kroger employee will bring your order to your car.
Since you won’t need to enter the store and instead park at a designated parking space for a Kroger employee to bring your order, this is the best way to shop at Kroger with a dog. It eliminates the need for leaving your dog home alone or in the car while you shop, which isn’t always an option, especially if your dog isn’t accustomed to being left alone.
Tips for Bringing Your Service Dog to Kroger
Since you can only bring a service dog into a Kroger, here’s a quick guide to ensure you’ll have a safe trip to Kroger.
Get a Service Animal Vest
Service dogs aren’t required to wear service animal vests or other identifying equipment. However, investing in a service animal vest can make everything easier when visiting Kroger and other stores. It ensures that you won’t need to explain that your dog is a service animal to Kroger employees, as they will see the vest on your dog.
This minimizes unwanted interactions with store employees and keeps you focused on shopping, as more than one Kroger employee will likely ask whether your dog is a service animal without a service animal vest as you shop in the store.
Practice Real-Life Scenarios With Your Dog
Stores as big as Kroger can be overwhelming for any dog, especially during busy shopping hours. It is critical for service dog owners to practice real-life scenarios with their assistance animals to ensure everything goes according to the plan. Otherwise, an overwhelmed service dog may exhibit behaviors like barking or aggression, resulting in the store employees asking the handler to remove the dog.
While professionally trained service animals undergo training to ensure they stay on task, service dogs trained by handlers may not have the same experience. Before visiting a Kroger store, practice real-life scenarios with your service dog, like using common grocery items as a distraction and navigating through crowds of people. Doing these will ensure your service dog has prior exposure to what a Kroger store might bring.
Keep Your Service Dog Under Control
Once you’re ready to shop at Kroger with your service dog, make sure to have your attention on your service dog at all times to keep them under control. This is particularly important for service dogs that aren’t trained by a professional dog trainer and service dogs that are newly graduated from service animal training.
Since any sudden movement, intriguing smells, and strangers attempting to give attention to your service dog can distract them, it is important to use commands to keep them engaged. For instance, command your dog to heel when checking different parts of the store and tell them to sit and stay when reading product labels or checking prices.
Kroger and Pets FAQs
Still have questions about Kroger and their pet policies? We answer them below!
Is There Any Kroger Store That Allows Dogs?
The pet policy of Kroger is the same across all 2,750+ stores. There isn’t a Kroger location that allows dogs. Only service dogs are allowed in Kroger locations. Unless your dog is a service animal, you will need to leave your dog at home or shop online.
Does Kroger Sell Pet Medication?
Yes, Kroger sells pet medication. You can purchase pet medication in the stores or order online. The company also includes pet prescriptions in the Health Savings Club that entitles you to up to 85% discount. This makes Kroger an affordable place to shop for pet medication, including generic and prescription drugs.
Can You Shop for Dog Supplies at Kroger?
Kroger sells a wide range of dog supplies. You can find everything from dog food and treats to toys and supplies for puppies. However, the variety varies significantly from one store to another. While some Kroger stores have large sections for pet supplies, others might only have a handful of options to choose from. Before visiting a Kroger to shop for dog supplies, check online to know what the store you plan on visiting has in stock.
Shopping at Kroger With a Dog
Kroger has a no-pet policy across all its locations in 35 states. Unless your dog is a service dog, you can’t enter and shop with your dog in Kroger. If you have a dog and can’t leave them home alone to go and shop for groceries, online shopping, and pickup services are your only options. You can order online to get items delivered to your door or pick up your order at the nearest Kroger store.