A tradie has divided Australia after airing their grievances about dogs in Bunnings, despite being a pet owner themselves.
They accepted Reddit This week they were baffled as to why shoppers were taking their furry four-legged friends into a busy hardware store for safety reasons.
The comments come after a father claimed a large dog 'snapped' at his young son at a Bunnings store in Darwin last month.
The retail giant welcomes 'well-behaved' dogs on leads in store, but asks that shoppers maintain full control of their pet at all times and clean up after themselves.
But the tradie believes the dog-friendly rule doesn't mean shoppers should bring their pets indoors, describing it as annoying and stupid.
A tradition has reignited debate over whether dogs should be allowed in the store at Bunnings
'What's going on with all these people taking their dogs to Bunnings? I understand it's allowed, but I just don't understand the logic behind someone wanting to take their dog to a hardware store,” their rant began.
'Bunnings is so busy, and people are carrying pieces of wood, tools, panels, plants etc, and people think – 'ah yes, perfect environment for my canine friend.
'It's bad enough with the amount of people wandering around slowly and aimlessly, seemingly not realizing they are blocking the aisle. Now I navigate between dogs.”
The tradie was curious what other Reddit users thought.
“I'm a grumpy furniture maker whose goal is to come in, grab my stuff and get out,” they concluded the post.
'Am I that unreachable? Or are the kids really wrong here?'
The post has since gone viral with hundreds of comments.
Aussies were divided over whether dogs should be allowed in the store.
'I couldn't have said it better myself! It's really annoying that it's also considered a 'controversial' opinion,” one person wrote.
'Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, but from a distance you know there is a time and place for dogs and Bunnings is not one of them.
One dog owner added: 'I can't stand it. They keep going, trying to piss on everything, eating fertilizer, chewing on random things. It makes my anxiety skyrocket. There is a time and place for dogs and that is not the case in stores unless it is a service animal.
Many pointed to a shocking incident where a pit bull was put down after killing a cavoodle at a Bunnings store in Brisbane in 2021.
Dog owners who bring their pets to Bunnings claim the staff and other customers love them.
'I take my 37kg Samoyed because everyone loves him, and he loves everyone. My dog made a Bunnings worker make the highest pitched squeak I've ever heard as she rubbed her face in his fur while I bought the things I needed,” one person wrote.
In a statement previously provided to Daily Mail Australia, Mike Schneider, Managing Director of Daily Mail Australia Bunnings, said: “Customers have been bringing their dogs to our stores for many years and we often hear how much they enjoy their pet's company when shopping with us. '
Mr Schneider said dogs are allowed into the store if they are friendly, on a leash and meet the entry requirements.
The store relies on the common sense of customers.
“If customers are ever concerned about an experience they have in our store, we encourage them to ask one of our team members for assistance,” Mr. Schneider said.
WHAT AUSSIES SAY ABOUT DOGS AT BUNNINGS:
'I don't understand why people feel the need to take their dogs to Bunnings, but since they allow dogs, it's everyone's own choice I guess. I avoid people who have their dogs with them, especially the larger dogs. Many of them are within face height of my young children and I don't want to risk my children being bitten.'
'My dog loves a trip to Bunnings. He also gets a lot of attention and doesn't get in the way. It's one of the few shopping trips where I can take it with me, so why not? If he behaves well, he also gets a Sausage.'
“At least the dogs are on leashes or in carts…. I don't know how many times I've encountered an unsupervised child, or a toddler who has rammed the carts into me.”
'I work in retail, and besides, I love dogs, I have one myself. But dog owner entitlement is spiraling out of control and it seems like it's a common expectation that dogs should be allowed anywhere their owners want to take them. I can't wait until one destroys the herd and I can demand that the owners leave or pay for what the dog peed on. I get it, you love them, but they don't belong everywhere.'
DO YOU THINK DOGS SHOULD BE ALLOWED AT BUNNINGS? Share your thoughts in the comments