Is Old Navy Dog-Friendly? [Old Navy Pet Policy Explained 2022]

Old Navy is a retail clothing store and online shopping experience. Each year, more than 120 million people shop at Old Navy, and many of them want to know if they can bring their dog.

Bringing your dog shopping can be a fun experience for you and a healthy one for them. Being able to be around other individuals and pets can be enriching for their socialization skills.

Luckily, Old Navy is a dog-friendly store, in most cases. They have no corporate policy on dogs in stores, so it is left up to individual store managers. This means that you might not be able to bring your dog to every location, and you’ll want to call ahead to verify that your local Old Navy is dog-friendly before making the trip there.

Want to learn more about which dogs are allowed in Old Navy and how to bring your dog to Old Navy? Keep reading for our complete breakdown of the Old Navy pet policy.

Old Navy Pet Policy Explained

Okay, so let’s get right down to it. As we said before, Old Navy hasn’t published an official, corporate pet policy. That can make it difficult to know what is allowed and what isn’t.

So, we have to rely on what other people have reported when it comes to the pet policy of this very popular retailer.

Many people have reported success in bringing their dogs to Old Navy. That means it is encouraging for you to be able to do the same. Still, that doesn’t mean that every location is going to allow you to come with your dog.

The best thing that you can do is call ahead to your local store to see if they allow dogs. It is usually up to the individual store manager in these cases. So, getting guidance directly from them is always important.

The guidance that Old Navy has given is that all service and assistance dogs will be allowed. This means service dogs and guide dogs, not necessarily emotional support animals or therapy dogs. But if. your local Old Navy allows all dogs, it’s a moot point.

Old Navy is very accessible to those with service dogs, and they have gone out of their way to train their staff in dealing with and helping shoppers that enter the store with an assistance dog.

Their official accessibility policy states:

“We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.”

So, that is what we know about the official position of Old Navy when it comes to pets. Next, we’ll break down which types of dogs are protected under the ADA and thus, cannot be barred from any Old Navy or other retail store.

What is the ADA & Which Dogs Does it Protect For Bringing Your Dog Shopping?

If you have a service dog or guide dog, you are going to be allowed to enter Old Navy and other retail stores regardless of the individual store’s position on allowing animals.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities. Part of this law states that no one can be denied access to public places because they are accompanied by an assistance animal, such as a service dog or a guide dog.

So, if you have a disability and need the help of an assistance animal, you can be assured that Old Navy and other retail stores won’t be allowed to deny you access.

Old Navy doesn’t make any distinction between types of service dogs in their official policy, so if you have a service dog, it should not be denied entry.

For those with service dogs or guide dogs, you can almost disregard the pet policy of a store, unless you want to know in order to prepare your service dog to possibly interact with pet dogs that people have brought into the store.

How to Bring Your Pet Dog to Old Navy

Are you ready to go for a day of shopping with your furry friend? Here are some steps that you can follow to ensure that the trip is safe, successful, and fun!

Call Ahead

The first thing that you should do if you want to bring your dog to Old Navy is call ahead. As we said earlier, not every Old Navy location keeps the same pet policy. Oftentimes, it is up to the store manager of the location that you want to go to whether or not they are going to allow pet dogs into the store.

When you call, be sure to be polite and ask specifically whether pet dogs are allowed. You want to avoid any confusion, because they may think that you’re talking about service animals. Ask whether a pet dog will be permitted in the store and also ask what rules you need to follow once you are there with your dog.

Leash Your Dog (Even Service Dogs)

Another important step that you need to take is to leash your dog before entering the store. Not only does this help ensure the safety of your pet, but it also shows that you are taking responsibility for their actions.

Some stores may require that your dog is on a leash when entering, so be sure to ask about this before you go if possible. This way, you can be sure that you have all the necessary items with you in order to comply with the store’s policy.

Follow Protocol & Be Respectful

Once you are in the store, it is important that you follow all of the rules that were given to you. This includes not allowing your dog off leash or bothering any customers or employees.

Remember, a pet friendly store does not mean that your pet can do whatever it wants. Respect the store, the people inside of it, and your pet by following all rules given to you.

Clean Up After Your Dog

If your dog makes a mess inside the store or has an accident, that’s okay. What isn’t okay is not cleaning up after your dog.

Be sure to bring pet wipes and bags with you so that if your dog does have an accident, you can clean it up quickly and efficiently. This will ensure that the store remains a pleasant place for all of its customers.

Old Navy has been kind enough to allow dogs in most of their stores, but that privilege can always be taken away if owners are not responsible with their dogs and don’t pick up messes. If you want to be sure that Old Navy continues to be a dog-friendly place to bring your friend, then make sure to always clean up after them.

Reward Good Behavior

The final step to bringing your dog to Old Navy is to be sure to reward good behavior. When your dog is in the store, be sure to give them treats and praise for staying calm and following directions. This will reinforce good behavior and make it easier for them to behave going forward.

Bringing your dog to Old Navy local stores can be fun for you, but it can also be educational for your dog. By teaching them how to act, you can be sure that you can continue to bring your dog to other pet-friendly stores with peace of mind. This is a favor to all pet parents that want to bring their well-behaved dogs to the store.

Other Dog-Friendly Stores

Are you planning a day of shopping and want to be sure you maximize your dog-friendly visits by going to a particular store that allows you to bring dogs shopping? If so, you will be interested to learn more about which stores allow dogs in their pet policies.

Staples is one such store. Staples has a very similar pet policy to Old Navy. They generally allow pets, but it is always up to the store management.

One store that makes no such reservations is Lululemon. Lululemon is a very pet-friendly store that allows you to enter with your dog as long as you follow basic rules.

One store that you might want to avoid if you are going shopping with your dog is TJ Maxx. TJ Maxx is not a pet-friendly store and will ask you to leave if you try to bring your dog into the store. They allow only service dogs and will not allow pet parents shop with their dogs.

Can an Old Navy Store Manager Ask Me to Leave?

If you are bringing your dog to the store, you will always want to make sure that you are prepared for every possible outcome. One of those possible outcomes is that the store manager could ask you to leave the store with your dog. There are a few reasons that this could happen.

Here are some examples of instances which might prompt an Old Navy store manager to ask you to leave the store with your pet dog and bring your dog’s shopping experience to an end for the day.

Dog Isn’t Behaving

One of the main reasons that you could be asked to leave the store with your dog is that your dog isn’t behaving or following store rules.

If your dog is barking, running around the store, or not following commands, then it’s likely that the store manager will ask you to leave. This type of behavior presents a safety risk for your dog, other dogs, and all the shoppers in the store.

Most dog-friendly stores have this same rule, and it applies to dog lovers that want to bring their pets, even if they have an official pet policy that allows dogs.

You’re Not Cleaning Up After Your Dog

Another reason you could be asked to leave is if you’re not doing a good job cleaning up after your dog or your dog is showing that it is not potty-trained.

Old Navy has a strict policy about cleaning up after your pet and will not allow messes or accidents to remain in the store. If you are seen leaving messes behind, then it’s likely that the store manager will ask you to leave.

Store Doesn’t Allow Dogs

The final reason that you could be politely asked to leave is if the store that you have gone to does not allow dogs. This shouldn’t really happen that often, since most stores allow dogs and you should call ahead to verify that your store does before you go there, but it could happen if you don’t verify the store’s pet policy beforehand.

If your dog is causing a disturbance or not following store rules, then it’s important to be courteous and oblige the store manager’s request. Leaving the store with your dog is the best way to ensure that Old Navy remains a pet-friendly place for everyone else.

Are Cats Allowed in Old Navy?

Like with dogs, Old Navy doesn’t have an official policy on this. They will likely leave it to the individual store manager. Cats certainly don’t carry the same weight in society as dogs, so they aren’t as “protected” by social norms.

However, it shouldn’t really be a problem to bring your cat to Old Navy. If you’re going to do this, just make sure you keep them in a backpack carrier. That’s going to be the easiest way to bring your cat to Old Navy.

Let’s Recap

Old Navy is a pet-friendly store and allows you to bring your dog as long as they are well behaved. If you’re looking for other pet-friendly stores, then Staples and Lululemon are great options.

At Old Navy, there’s always a chance that the store manager could ask you to leave if your dog isn’t behaving or you’re not cleaning up after them. If this happens, it’s important to be courteous and oblige the request.

As far as cats go, Old Navy doesn’t have an official policy on them. However, it shouldn’t be a problem to bring one if you keep it in a backpack carrier.

Now that you know the rules of Old Navy when it comes to dogs, you can feel confident bringing your furry friend to Old Navy shopping with you!