Are Dogs Allowed in Walgreens? Walgreens Pet Policy Explained (Updated for 2022)

Walgreens is one of the most popular drug stores in the United States. They have many locations and offer a variety of products and services. If you are out running errands with your dog, you may be wondering: “are dogs allowed in Walgreens?”

We’ll cut right to the chase. Walgreens has a strict no-pet policy. Walgreens stores prohibit pet dogs and animals from being in their stores, aside from registered service animals. For that reason, Walgreens is not a pet-friendly or dog-friendly store.

Walgreens has a pet policy that restricts the presence of dogs inside their stores. But that’s not all there is to know. There are many nuances to this pet policy and we’ve gone so far as to dig up testimonials and information from past employees to help us understand what the real Walgreens pet policy is.

In this post, we’ll explore Walgreen’s pet policy and try to understand why they don’t allow dogs inside, while also explore the nuances of the policy and whether you should try to bring your dog to your local store.

Walgreens Stores Pet Policy Breakdown

Now, it’s time to get into the details of Walgreens’ pet policy. The important thing that you need to know is that generally, most grocery stores and retail stores, including your local Walgreens store, do not allow dogs and other pets.

However, this isn’t’ the full story. Keep reading to learn more about pets, service animals, and emotional support animals.

Are Pets Allowed in Walgreens?

Walgreens is not a pet-friendly store. There are no pet dogs allowed inside Walgreens. Unfortunately, this answers your question: “Is Walgreens pet-friendly?”

Though the official Walgreens policy states that pets are not allowed, and most Walgreens stores adhere to this policy strictly, it seems that your store’s manager might view things differently.

Some customers and employees have reported that Walgreens has adopted an unofficial policy that is similar to that of hardware stores like Home Depot. Well-behaved leashed dogs may be allowed if you have a store manager willing to turn a blind eye.

Still, it’s best to simply leave your dog and other pets at home. Even if you lead a dog-centric lifestyle, you’ll find that it’s easier to just run to the store by yourself quickly rather than deal with a manager that doesn’t want your pet inside the building.

Are Emotional Support Animals Allowed in Walgreens?

Okay, we have our answer about dogs and other pets, but what about emotional support dogs? Though Walgreens allows service dogs inside their stores, emotional support animals are oftentimes caught in-between. This is the case at many retail stores, such as Walmart’s pet policy.

Emotional support animals are typically not individually trained to perform tasks and are not considered to be service animals. As such, they are not allowed inside Walgreens stores. If you’re looking to bring your dog inside Walgreens, calling them an emotional support animals is probably not the way.

Some Walgreens locations may be more lenient, especially if they happen to be located in shopping malls, but nothing is guaranteed. An emotional support animal may be well-behaved, but they still fall under the pet ban that Walgreens has enacted.

Are Service Dogs Allowed in Walgreens?

The only exception to the Walgreens pet policy that would allow you to bring your canine friend into a Walgreens location is for service animals. You’ll be happy to know that per the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), it’s required that Walgreens allow dogs that are service animals.

Walgreens can’t stop service animals form entering the store–and they don’t try! Most retail and many hardware stores are required to allow service dogs when they accompany customers shopping in their location. These are typically rare instances and dogs are allowed because they are almost always a well-behaved dog.

In addition, these dogs help customers to complete their shopping and tasks. The official Walgreens policy stating that service animals are allowed protects shoppers that fall under the American Disabilities Act.

What is a Service Dog?

Service animals are defined as any dog that has been trained to do specific work or tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. There are a few reasons that people might need a service dog.

These can include guide dogs for the blind or hearing dogs for the deaf. They can also be trained to help people who are mentally disabled.

What Walgreens Employees Say

At Pet Friendly Master, we believe in going the extra mile. That’s why we’ve gathered up testimonials from former and current Walgreens employees. Want to hear from a Walgreens store manager or Walgreens store employee? Well, you’re in the right place. Let’s see what they have to say…

Our store doesn’t care as long as your animal/pet (usually a dog) is on a leash. We’ve had some that aren’t on leashes, but they’ve just been carried from the entire time they’ve been in and out of the store. Lots of good service animals as well. It’s a joy to see all these pets that customers bring in, honestly. Prefer them to its entitled owners.

-Anonymous Reddit User

Official policy is only service animals. For safety issues, we seem to allow all animals so as to not get in a confrontation with some of these people. As long as the animal doesn’t defecate or cause a commotion, I don’t care.

-Anonymous Walgreens Employee

Service animals are legally allowed in the store, thus includes dogs and miniature horses. We are not legally allowed to ask if a dog (or miniature horse) is a service animal so we cannot be fined.

-Anonymous Walgreens Employee

If it’s causing a disruption (not housebroken, bites, jumps at people, or wanders away from the owner), you can ask them to bring the animal outside & say they can shop but only w/out the animal. They must obey local leash laws unless it impedes the service they perform. And if they’re barking constantly w/out provocation & it’s not part of a task it’s supposed to perform, you can ask them to remove the animal & say they can shop w/out the animal.

-Anonymous Walgreens Manager

Reasons For Walgreen’s Service-Dog Only Policy

Walgreens’ pet policy prohibits the presence of dogs inside the store. This policy is in place to ensure a safe shopping environment for customers and staff. The reasons why they don’t allow pets inside aren’t entirely stated, but it’s to be assumed that it’s due to health and safety concerns.

Allergy Concerns

Pets that enter retail establishments may pose a risk to customers who have allergies or other medical conditions that could be aggravated by pets in the environment. If a customer becomes ill after entering a pet-free environment, they may file a claim with their insurance company or seek legal action against the retailer. This is why health regulations often ban dogs from stores that serve food.

Safety Reasons

Another risk that is posed when allowing other dogs into the store is aggression. If a dog were to bite someone or cause a mess in the store, Walgreens would be held liable. And no business wants to deal with that kind of liability.

Bad Pet Behavior

Pets can cause a number of problems in the store, including attracting pests and diseases that are not safe for humans to interact with. Pets also tend to be messy, which can cause them to make a mess on the floor or countertops. 

Some pet owners also often have trouble controlling their pets when they get excited or upset—this could lead to an accident or injury if someone is standing near them while they’re unsupervised. It could even disrupt business and make it difficult for customers to carry out shopping and employees to perform their duties.

Service Dogs Exceptions to the Walgreens No-Animal Policy

Of course, there are exceptions to this policy. Only service dogs are allowed inside Walgreens to assist their owners while they shop, granted that they are on a leash and must have proper identification with them– most preferably a vest to easily identify them as service dogs.

Like any other publicly-accessible establishment, Walgreens is subject to follow Americans with Disabilities Act policies which state that service dogs are permitted in public spaces, including, but not restricted to open spaces.

The ADA was enacted to protect disabled people– including people with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities whether visible or not visible– from discrimination. 

The ADA requires that service dogs whose primary role is to assist their owners should be allowed in all public places, such as restaurants, hotels, stores, and government buildings– and even include areas of worship.

The ADA also requires that businesses and other public places make accommodations for individuals with disabilities. This includes allowing service animals inside establishments like Walgreens and other retail stores.

However, since it’s stated that only service dogs whose primary role is to assist their owners to be allowed, emotional support animals and therapy dogs are not considered in this category. Only service dogs are specially trained to perform certain tasks that their owners cannot do for themselves, such as guiding them around obstacles or fetching items that are out of reach. 

Employees from Walgreens might stop you and inquire about your service animal in addition to asking you a few other questions. For instance, they might inquire as to whether your dog qualifies as a service animal and what responsibilities it carries out in connection with your impairment. Employees cannot, however, request proof of your disability, ask your dog to help with any tasks, or ask you more detailed questions about it.

Tips For Keeping Your Dog Safe in Public

If you’re someone who brings their dog with them everywhere they go, it can be tough to adjust to a place like Walgreens that doesn’t allow dogs. Here are a few tips for keeping your dog safe in public places:

1. Keep your dog on a leash at all times. This will help to prevent them from running off and getting lost.

2. Be aware of your dog’s body language. If they seem stressed or scared, it’s best to remove them from the situation.

3. Be respectful of other people’s personal space. Not everyone wants to be greeted by a friendly dog, so make sure to ask before you let your dog approach someone.

4. Pick up after your dog. This is just a common courtesy, but it’s also important for keeping public spaces clean and safe for everyone. following these tips can help you and your dog enjoy a hassle-free experience in public places.

5. Keep your dog under control. If your dog is barking or jumping on people, you risk getting kicked out of the store or even getting banned from returning. Dogs are welcome in many public places, but Walgreens is not one of them. Be sure to follow their policy

Let’s Recap: What to Know About Walgreens’ Pet Policy

It is important to note that there are laws that govern the use of animals in public places. These laws are put in place to promote public safety, as well as protect people from being exposed to rabies and other diseases caused by animals.

In addition, there can also be some liability issues when an animal causes damage or injury at a store location. This could potentially result in lawsuits for Walgreens if someone were injured by an animal while inside one of its stores or pharmacies.

So, it’s understandable to want to bring your dog to the store with you, but you should remember to always be respectful of store rules and staff. The last thing that you want for your dog is to be stuck in a stressful situation if you choose to confront staff. Plus, you might delay that store from adopting a pet-friendly policy if they have a negative experience.