Should Bunnings allow dogs inside?

HOME improvement chain Bunnings Warehouse has gone to the dogs. Customers have been informed they can now bring pets inside the store.

RSPCA NSW, TAFE NSW and Bunnings Warehouse will hold the Doghouse Challenge. Hoxton park bunnings - dog house challenge...

HOME improvement chain Bunnings Warehouse has gone to the dogs. Customers have been informed they can now bring pets inside the store.

Bunnings operations director Michael Schneider said while customers weren’t being encouraged to bring pets inside, “as long as pets are under appropriate control, are not aggressive and do not compromise the safety of our team or customers they are welcome”.

“Our team members have full discretion to deny any pet entry to the store,” he said, adding that assistance animals “have always been and will always be allowed entry into our stores”.

While a majority of readers supported the move in an online poll, some expressed concern. “I can see this backfiring very quickly,” wrote reader Chris.

“The concept sounds great, but kids rushing to pat some tradie’s rottweiler may not end so great. What if the dog needs to go to the toilet when in the store? The noise of dogs barking when they see other dogs? Customers may now have a reason to shop at Masters than Bunnings.”

A recent survey by Mars Petcare found Australia’s love affair with pets may be waning. Dog and cat ownership fell by 2.9 per cent and 11 per cent respectively, according to pet population data.

That’s 200,000 fewer cats and 100,000 fewer dogs over the 12 months to last year.

“There is still time to turn this situation around but we can’t take pet ownership in Australia for granted or lose sight of the enormous value pets bring to our lives,” Mars Petcare Australia research and development director Tim McCallum said.

The study also found 31 per cent of cat owners and 34 per cent of dog owners have “senior” animals, meaning numbers could soon fall further.