Are Dogs Allowed in Walgreens? Important Rules to Know

Millions of customers visit Walgreens stores every day. So the question of whether you can bring your dog shopping with you has likely come up plenty of times. The pharmacy chain sees 5.9 million customers daily at its thousands of stores across America. But, is Walgreens dog-friendly? Typically Walgreens does not allow dogs inside stores. This applies specifically to pet animals. What about service dogs? Here are a few rules.

Is Walgreens Dog-Friendly for Service Animals?

You technically can’t bring your pet dog (or any other pet animal) into a Walgreens store. But when it comes to service dogs, it’s a different story. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service dog is defined as, “any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” Service dogs do not need certification or licensing by any state or local government.

Some kinds of duties a service dog performs include guide dogs, alert dogs, pulling or carrying things for a person with a mobility impairment, or assisting a person with mobility impairments by helping with balance. The ADA very clearly states that a service dog is not the same as a pet dog, and therefore receives access to public spaces with its handler that a regular pet may not.

By law, a service dog does not need to wear a special vest stating it is a service dog. However, employees at Walgreens can ask if the dog is a service animal that is required due to a disability. They can’t ask what the disability is, for proof or documentation, or for the dog to perform what it is trained for.

Rules for Service Dogs

It’s also important to note that all types of service dogs are protected, not just guide dogs. This is the law and stores must recognize it. However, emotional support animals, also called ESA’s, do not fall under this protection. ESAs provide emotional support and comfort for mental health conditions and are not legally the same as service dogs. An individual Walgreens location can decide if they allow ESA animals to enter or not.

In case you were wondering, yes, a service dog can be asked to leave a store for misbehaving despite the protection it receives legally. If the dog is barking, growling, acting aggressively, or disruptive the handler legally must remove the dog if asked.

Do Other Pharmacies Allow Pet Dogs?

Walgreens’ dog-friendly policies are similar to other pharmacy chains. For example, Walmart and Costco, both of which contain pharmacies inside their stores, do not allow dogs. Some CVS locations may allow dogs at the manager’s discretion due to no clear policy listed, but most do not. You can call the store directly and ask if you want to bring your pet.

Generally, most places that provide a health service do not allow pet dogs. Pharmacies, since they may offer vaccines or other health-related services, typically follow this trend.

If you choose to take your non-service dog shopping with you, luckily numerous other options are dog-friendly, such as malls, many clothing stores, or hardware stores. The most important things to remember, whether you bring a service dog or pet, are to follow store policies, be aware of your dog’s behavior, and keep your pet under control.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © skrotov/iStock via Getty Images