Let’s be honest: We sometimes look at a trip to Costco as a family outing. We’re all together (bonding time), getting our steps in (family exercise), grabbing a snack or two (hello, free samples!) and maybe, just maybe, agreeing on what everyone wants for dinner for the next two weeks. Whoever votes for the $4.99 rotisserie chicken is clearly the favorite child. But wait, what about the furriest member of your family—can Fido join you on that Costco run too?
Given that the family dog (or dogs) is just as much a part of your household as the humans, it’s perfectly reasonable to want them to tag along. And particularly if you have a small dog, what’s the harm? They’re tiny, and it is a warehouse, after all.
Well, your opinions on the matter may differ from Costco’s, so let’s investigate the warehouse club’s policy on four-legged friends. Read on for the final word below.
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Can you bring your dog to Costco?
Service dogs are a go, but regular pets? That’s a no at Costco. (Sorry, we’re just the messenger!)
According to Costco’s Customer Service page, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the retailer has adopted a service-animal policy, giving Costco members accompanied by service animals access to their warehouses. But if your dog is not a service dog, it is not allowed through the membership warehouse’s sliding doors. Additionally, even if your dog is small enough to fit in a bag or cart, that isn’t allowed. This goes for service dogs as well—they also need to have their feet on the ground.
One important distinction: Emotional support dogs are not considered service dogs, per the ADA, so they’re not allowed into Costco. It may seem like splitting hairs, but there are some important differences here. A service dog is trained to do specific tasks—like guiding someone who is blind, alerting them to an impending seizure or fetching needed items. These animals can go almost anywhere with their handler. Emotional support dogs, on the other hand, don’t need special training; their job is simply to provide companionship that helps ease anxiety or other emotional challenges. Basically, all service dogs can give emotional support, but not all emotional support dogs are service animals.
And before you ask, it doesn’t matter if you have a letter from a licensed mental-health professional—Costco still will not let your dog in with you. In fact, emotional support dogs are mostly only protected by the Fair Housing Act, which allows people to have emotional support dogs reside in buildings that typically don’t allow pets. Even airlines generally treat emotional support animals as pets, not as service animals.
Why does Costco have this policy in place?
The biggest reason is because of health codes. While Costco looks different than your average grocery store and sells a wide variety of products, it still sells food—and lots of it. And the bottom line is that allowing non-service animals into an establishment that sells food is against the law.
ASPCA Pet Insurance breaks it down very clearly on its website: “Even though Costco does not resemble a traditional grocery store and the warehouse setup may seem similar to a Lowes or Home Depot, Costco still sells food, so animals are not welcome.”
You also need to consider the liability factor. While your dog may have never harmed a soul in their sweet life, there’s no way for Costco to be sure of that. Additionally, about 3 in 10 people in the U.S. are allergic to dogs and cats, so that has to be taken into account as well.
What will happen if you bring your dog to Costco?
Costco employees will ask you two questions in order to ascertain whether your dog is actually a service animal and can be allowed in the store. Those two questions are: “Is that a service animal?” and “What task or function is it trained to perform?”
It’s absolutely legal for Costco employees to ask these questions, so try not to get testy if they do. They’re just doing their job.
Can you fudge the truth a little to get your dog through the front door?
In theory, sure—after all, you don’t have to provide a certification or designation for your service animal, just answer the two questions—but it really isn’t worth the potential consequences. There are some serious potential legal repercussions for misrepresenting your dog as a service dog. What you’ll be charged with depends on the state in which you’re bringing a dog into a Costco warehouse.
There are 23 states that impose penalties for saying your dog is a service dog when they are not. Generally, these penalties come in the form of fines. In California, specifically, it’s a misdemeanor “punishable by a fine of up to $100 and/or up to six months imprisonment.” Yikes! We’re guessing you’d probably also be banned from Costco forever. Double yikes!
Can Costco ever deny entry to a service pet?
It doesn’t happen often, but yes, Costco employees are allowed to deny entry to a service pet or ask the owner and their pet to leave if the service animal is not under the control of their owner. Think: jumping up on the food on display, lunging at other customers, barking—you get the idea. This all comes back to protecting other members and keeping things comfortable for everyone in the store.
So, for better or for worse, now you know Costco’s dog policy. Maybe not exactly what you wanted to hear, but at least now you know the “why” behind the rules.
RELATED:
- Costco Is Limiting Free Samples for Some Shoppers—Here’s How the Unwritten Rule Might Affect You
- Here’s Why You’ll Never Find Kirkland Mayonnaise in Costco
- Here’s the Real Difference Between Costco Business Center and Costco Wholesale
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Sources:
- Costco Customer Service: “Are service animals allowed in Costco warehouses?”
- Fast ESA Letter: “Planning to Bring Your ESA Dog to Costco? Read This First”
- ASPCA Pet Insurance: “Shopping with Pets”
- Cleveland Clinic: “Pet Allergies”
- New Life K9s: “California’s Penalties for Using Fraudulent Service Animals”
- Reddit: “Service dog in the wild”
- American Service Pets: “Can I Bring My Dog Into Costco? A Clear Look at Their Pet Policy”
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