Publix Pet Policy (are They Pet Friendly?)

Publix is a popular grocery store in the Tampa Bay area. People like shopping there because it’s a convenient store and offers a great pet policy.

Â Publix knows that their customers want to have a great, enjoyable shopping experience with many different kinds of products. To help you along in that effort, you can bring in any kind of animals in the store provided they are well-behaved and they don’t disturb other customers or other pets.

Publix Pet Policy In 2022

The Pet Policy at Publix does not allow emotional support or companion animals. In addition, we are not considered a pet-friendly store because we do not allow dogs under the care of their owners to be disruptive to the shopping experience of our guests.

For a limited time only, you can bring your pet into Publix stores! And on top of that, you’ll find a delicious selection of specially marked and discounted pet-friendly foods that can be found next to the regular aisles!

Are Pets Allowed In Publix?

In order to service your disability, you must be accompanied by an approved service animal.
Your service animal will be permitted to accompany you in any location.
Your service animal will not be permitted on the floor, or if you enter the store on it’s own, without a direct order from a store employee.

Furthermore all Publix stores only allow for miniature horses, service dogs or assistance dogs inside their stores.

Are Emotional Support Animals Allowed In Publix?

That is unfortunate. Animals that make us smile are important, and they deserve good treatment, too.

What Are The Rules For Service Animals In Publix?

If the person with the service animal is not in the store, the store is not required to allow them to store their animal on the premises. The store has also been known to ask the animal’s owner for ID in order to have the animal’s name and the owner’s name in the store’s internal record.

Can Service Dogs Sit In Shopping Carts At Publix?

I’m not sure why dogs cannot just sit in a shopping cart. It seems like their legs could reach the floor
and then they could put them out the door of the cart when they are done.

We have been known to put pets in shopping carts before we have even put them into their carriers. There has been a long standing practice of allowing pets in shopping carts, however we are not sure why that policy was changed.

Additionally, they have to follow health codes for food safety at all their stores. It’s much harder to get an exception to those guidelines.

Where Can Service Animals Be Inside Publix?

Publix allows their staff to assist the public if they ask them to do it and the service animal does not interfere with any of their operation.

Do You Have To Show Certification For Service Animals Inside Publix?

When you go to Publix, make sure to ask the cashier if they have dog friendly items. You can ask specific food items, but ask the cashier if they have dog friendly items. Most Publix’ don’t have doggy bags, but some do.

If you’re found making a false statement about your dog, you could face fines and legal consequences ranging from $0 to over $250, depending on your state of residence.

This is the reason why only 3 states in America require public places to provide accomodations for people with disabilities.

It is against the law for Publix to ask for proof of training for a Service Animal or to ask a handler about a disability that the dog helps with.

Why Does Publix Allow Service Dogs?

Since it’s the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, workers cannot ask about a specific disability or dog training.

So, the Americans with Disabilities Act says, any dog can be a service animal, but any dog could work for a disabled person, or could even just be a good family pet.

There are a lot of things that these tasks can be doing, like telling a blind person that they are running out of a particular product so they can buy it themselves or alerting them to that they might be low on blood sugar, since they have diabetes.

What Are Some Pet-Friendly Stores?

Ikea
Walgreens
Burger King
Publix

There are of course many pet-friendly businesses beyond these, such as dog-supply stores, bookstores, pet-food stores etc.

No matter where you find yourself searching for pet-friendly stores, your best chances of finding them is going to be at retail stores, flower shops, and stores that cater to hunting, camping, and other outdoor adventures.

But, not all locations will allow dogs with you, so it’s best to call up your local store and confirm before taking the dog for a ride in the car.

If you do need to go to the store to purchase items, we also have a list of retailers that are dog-friendly and that will allow you to bring along your dog.

Conclusion

Pets in the store is a controversial topic. Some people do not believe that animals are necessary, while others think that the store should allow animals but only if they are service animals.

I’d like to report a false report made by a person I’ve never heard of about a person I’ve never met.

You should not let your dog enter your shopping cart or be in a shopping basket, they must be restrained or trained with commands.