{"id":6038,"date":"2024-05-15T13:53:25","date_gmt":"2024-05-15T18:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/blog\/?p=6038"},"modified":"2024-05-24T14:16:16","modified_gmt":"2024-05-24T19:16:16","slug":"are-dogs-allowed-in-old-navy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/blog\/are-dogs-allowed-in-old-navy\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Dogs Allowed in Old Navy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of us would take our dogs with us everywhere if we could \u2013 they aren\u2019t called man\u2019s best friend for no reason. However, many stores don\u2019t allow pets or have unclear policies about whether or not dogs are allowed.<\/p>\n

Today, we\u2019re going to be checking out Old Navy to see if they allow dogs in their stores. If you\u2019ve ever wanted to bring your dog to this GAP sister store, then this article will tell you everything you need to know about Old Navy\u2019s pet policies, so keep reading!<\/p>\n

Can You Bring Your Dog to Old Navy?<\/h2>\n

Can you bring your dog with you on an outing to Old Navy? The answer to this question is maybe. Old Navy does not have a pet policy posted online, and some stores are pet-friendly whereas others are not.<\/p>\n

Some Old Navy locations have hosted events that included dogs, such as the Super Safety Event which is meant to teach kids and families various lessons in staying safe. Pet-friendly locations have also been visited both by professional and amateur dog trainers who need to proof their dog\u2019s skills in public places.<\/p>\n

However, not every Old Navy is dog-friendly. Some locations may be within buildings, such as malls, that have no-pets policies that Old Navy has to abide by. Before bringing your dog to your local Old Navy, you should call ahead of time and make sure that it\u2019s okay. Old Navy locations that do allow dogs typically require that they be kept on a leash and are well-behaved.<\/p>\n

Are Service Dogs Allowed in Old Navy?<\/h2>\n

Service dogs are allowed in all Old Navy locations, even the ones that don\u2019t allow dogs. This is because service dogs are a necessity for their users.<\/p>\n

Service dogs perform various types of work that make it possible for people with disabilities to lead more normal lives. In some cases, the tasks service dogs perform are quite literally life-saving; for example, diabetic alert dogs are able to alert people to rising blood sugar, which allows their users to medicate and prevent their blood sugar from reaching dangerous levels.<\/p>\n

Because service dogs are so important, they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act<\/a> (ADA). This law states that service dogs are allowed to go anywhere the public is allowed (which obviously includes department stores like Old Navy). Denying access to a service dog without a valid reason is discrimination.
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Are Emotional Support Animals Allowed in Old Navy?<\/h2>\n

As we explained, only some Old Navy locations allow dogs. If you have a dog as an emotional support animal (ESA), you will be able to bring them to any of Old Navy\u2019s pet-friendly locations. However, ESAs do not have the same rights or privileges as service dogs, so if an Old Navy store doesn\u2019t allow dogs, then that includes emotional support animals.<\/p>\n

Though ESAs fit under the umbrella of \u201csupport\u201d animals, they are not the same thing as service dogs. Emotional support animals provide comfort to people with mental health disabilities, but they do so through companionship.<\/p>\n

Service dogs, on the other hand, are highly trained to perform specific tasks for users with disabilities. Psychiatric service dogs help people with mental health disabilities. They can help their users prevent panic attacks by employing grounding techniques such as deep pressure therapy.<\/p>\n

Though both service dogs and emotional support animals can help people with mental health disabilities, the former undergo a lot of training, including public access training. So, service dogs are afforded more privileges. Since ESAs are not service dogs, they can only enter pet-friendly Old Navy locations.<\/p>\n

Manners Matter<\/h2>\n

Just because you can <\/em>bring your dog to an Old Navy store doesn\u2019t always mean you should. <\/em>Most stores that allow dogs inside have expectations for how our four-legged friends should behave. Rowdy dogs with no manners may lead to a store changing its policy.<\/p>\n

Poorly-behaved dogs can sow chaos in a department store. They may knock things over, pick things up in their mouths (leaving slobber on merchandise), chew on things, bark or lunge at other customers, and\/or go potty in the store.<\/p>\n

All of these things can be a huge headache for employees. A well-behaved dog, on the other hand, is always a joy. These dogs are kept on leash and don\u2019t stray too far from their owners. They\u2019re unlikely to go potty in the store, they won\u2019t bark or lunge at other people (but will happily accept attention and pets), and they certainly aren\u2019t going to chew on anything.<\/p>\n

A well-behaved dog can follow you around the store without causing a commotion. They may sniff around and show a little curiosity, but they are overall calm and friendly.<\/p>\n

If you plan to take your dog to Old Navy for training purposes, they should be at a stage in their training where going into Old Navy isn\u2019t a huge leap in expectations. If you take your dog inside and they won\u2019t listen or even give you their attention, then you\u2019ve probably increased the difficulty of the training too quickly and need to go back a step.<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, you shouldn\u2019t bring an uncontrollable dog into Old Navy or any other store. As long as your dog is friendly and well-behaved on a leash, then everyone will be happy to see you there.<\/p>\n

Reasons Dogs May Not Be Allowed in Old Navy<\/h2>\n

Some Old Navy locations don\u2019t allow dogs. Sometimes, this is simply because they are located in a mall, and the mall as a whole doesn\u2019t allow pets. Other times, Old Navy may decide to prohibit dogs for other reasons. Let\u2019s talk about common reasons that stores don\u2019t allow dogs.<\/p>\n

Allergies<\/h3>\n

About 10 to 20%<\/a> of the world\u2019s population is allergic to cats and dogs. In order to make stores friendly, safe, and comfortable for all customers, stores decide to keep their doors closed to pets.<\/p>\n

Cleanliness<\/h3>\n

Though most people\u2019s dogs are housetrained, new sights and smells as well as the excitement of being in public may cause them to lift their legs. It\u2019s not uncommon for a dog who has never peed in the house in their adulthood to lift their leg in a store, especially if other animals have been in that store.<\/p>\n

For some businesses, keeping dogs out means no messes for employees to clean up, no bad smells, and no soiled inventory.<\/p>\n

Bad Behavior<\/h3>\n

Poorly behaved dogs can create extra work for employees and also ruin the shopping experience for other customers. Stores do not want to deal with dogs that are lunging, barking, or making messes.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t want to have to worry about a dog potentially harming someone. Even though lots of dogs are perfectly friendly, for some businesses, it\u2019s just easier to ban dogs altogether.<\/p>\n

Other Stores That Allow Dogs<\/h2>\n

There are a number of stores that are pet-friendly or have some pet-friendly locations. Just like Old Navy, these stores allow dogs but expect them to have good manners and be kept on a leash. Here is a list of other stores that allow dogs.<\/p>\n