1. Dog-friendly shopping
As this is the December/January issue and it is again Christmas
shopping season, I thought I’d share my experience of dog-friendly
shopping in the state of Colorado, where I recently travelled for
my business.
Colorado is a state that clearly values the companionship of
dogs. They were everywhere: in trucks, cars and – unlike New
Zealand – they were welcomed in many shops and public shopping
areas. On my flight from San Francisco to Denver, there was even
a passenger who had a small dog in a carrier. (Many U.S. airlines
now allow small dogs into the cabin as carry-on luggage.)1
I wished my Daisy could have travelled with me to enjoy the sites
(but she wouldn’t have appreciated the long flight or the required
three-month quarantine on our return
to New Zealand).
Dogs welcome
Dog owners could easily
identify shops where their dog
would be allowed to enter. These
shops displayed a Dogs Welcome
logo in their window. Interestingly,
these shops sold clothing and footwear
for people and were not just pet stores. An outdoor mall in Castle
Rock went a step further by providing grassed park areas and
dispensers of plastic bags for dogs to have a ‘comfort stop.’
Other shops made up their own signs, such as one retailer whose
sign proclaimed, “Four Legged Friends Welcome.”
I asked a shop attendant if they get many shoppers accompanied
by their dogs. She replied, “Yes. Lots. Particularly on weekends
when people who work all week want to be out with their pet.”
Dog rest stops
I noticed that many communities welcomed dogs in their
shopping areas by providing bowls of water for passing dogs to
drink from. I quickly became accustomed to seeing these ‘dog rest
stops’ in virtually every town that we visited.
Rest stops varied in style and offerings. Some were simply a
single water bowl or raised water bowls. Pet shops would often
include extras, such as a bench for owners to sit in. In Manitou
Springs, a popular tourist destination at the foot of Pike’s Peak
(elevation 4,800 m), a sweet shop provided vending machines with
dog treats. For 25 cents, a passing dog owner could purchase a
handful of treats.
Good behaviour required
In all of the communities I visited, dogs and owners acted
responsibly. There was never a pile of poo left on the footpath
and dogs didn’t jump on passers-by. Responsible dog ownership
is clearly essential for communities to embrace dog-friendly
shopping.
And so, I leave you with good wishes for the summer holiday
season and encourage you to think: Is dog-friendly shopping
appropriate for New Zealand and, if so, what will it take to get
dog-friendly shopping established here?
by Kathleen Crisley, CSMT, CTMT
www.caninecatering.co.nz
1 The dog carrier is considered the single piece of carry-on luggage for the owner; the dog
must have current vaccinations and is not allowed out of the carrier during the flight.
80 NZ Dog World December 2010/January 2011
NZ DOG WORLD
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