Not my first post, have NC'd as Waitrose will be able to ID me now.
Really interested in people's opinions after this reply to my email, see below.
Perhaps I didn't explain it v well but my main concern was that a small dog tied up right by the entrance doors is not easily seen, especially with loads of people coming and going. It could lunge at a small child before the parents noticed it. Also poor dog of course.
I've never noticed the dog bars the email mentioned.
My email to Waitrose
re: dogs tied up outside the entrance while owner shops.
Tesco now has a notice on their doors advising customers not to do this. Could Waitress do the same?
I often see dogs waiting outside the store, usually small terrier types, today there was a dog tied up right by the entrance and it didn't look happy. Young children were walking close by and one even managed to pat it before the parents noticed.
It's not fair on the dogs to be put under this stress. Also if a toddler was eating sweets it wouldn't take much for a dog to snap and bite a child's face. Of course the owners should know better but they obviously don't.
Reply
Only Guide Dogs and Assistance Dogs are allowed inside our branches. With the recent hot weather and publicity drive about the danger of leaving dogs in hot cars, responsible dog owners arriving in a car may seek an area in which to to leave their dogs. There are bars for customers to leave their dogs for those arriving by car or on foot.
Whilst I am mindful that young children will be supervised by a responsible adult to advise them on the etiquette of approaching dogs that are unknown to them, I can understand your concerns. I've contacted the xxxx branch and we aren't aware of any other customer complaints about dogs outside our stores however I will ensure that your feedback on this is noted and the situation monitored closely.
Thanks again for your suggestion and giving me the chance to look into it for you.