An Aussie shopper is slamming 'legitimate' dog owners for taking their pets to Bunnings after a large dog lunged at their child as he walked down an aisle.
The Northern Territory shopper was looking at wood stains with his son at Bunnings in Coconut Grove, Darwin, when the large dog snapped at him and his son.
The frustrated father explained that the aisle was so narrow that when the owner walked past with her “big dog,” the couple “had no room to move.”
He called out the owner in a post shared on Reddit on Tuesday, claiming he had to pull his son back when the dog “snarled” at him.
The Northern Territory shopper was looking at wood stains at Bunnings in Coconut Grove, Darwin (pictured), when a 'large breed dog' snapped at his young son
Many Aussies take their dogs to Bunnings. The photo shows a woman walking a dog in Sydney
“What about people now casually walking around Bunnings with big dogs?” he wrote.
“A big dog just snapped at my kids and the owner didn't care. The pure right of dog owners.
“I was like, 'Woah, what the heck,' and they just walked away like nothing happened… I had to pull my son back because the dog jumped at him when he snapped.”
The customer then questioned the retail giant's dog policy, claiming the animals can be unpredictable, making them a major risk factor and a 'recipe for disaster' for Bunnings.
Bunnings has allowed pets into its stores since 2015, as long as they are carried, on a leash or in a shopping cart.
'We always welcome service animals. We also welcome well-behaved pets on a lead,” according to the store information on the Bunnings website.
'We ask that you maintain full control of your pet at all times and clean up after it. Otherwise, you will be asked to remove your pet from the store.”
Many social media users agreed with the outraged father, with some claiming that dogs do not belong in the retailer's warehouses.
“Dogs don't belong in Bunnings or any other store except the pet shop… it drives me crazy, especially the ones that have to sit in the trolley,” one person commented.
'I think the right to dogs in Darwin has gotten out of hand. People don't train their dogs and they run loose everywhere. I usually avoid Bunnings on weekends. Over it,” a second person wrote.
A third added: 'I don't understand why Bunnings have changed their rules to allow dogs on leads without muzzles. Does not make any sense.'
Another suggested Bunnings introduce a 'dog-free time slot' for customers who are afraid of dogs, have allergies or simply don't want to shop next to the animals.
The customer claims he had to pull his son back because the dog was coming at him. Meanwhile, the female owner walked away after the ordeal as if nothing had happened (pictured, a dog at Bunnings)
Bunnings has allowed pets into its stores since 2015, as long as they are carried, on a leash or in a shopping cart (photo, dog at Bunnings)
However, others defended the dog owner, claiming the mistake may have been related to the child's behavior around the animal.
'If I may, I'll take my dog to Bunnings and there's nothing you can do to stop me. He's also huge. I hate whiny dog haters,” one person commented.
“Have you thought about teaching your children not to approach strange dogs? Your child wasn't bitten (thank goodness), take this as a learning opportunity,” wrote a second.
A third joked: 'Most of the dogs I see in Bunnings are much cuter and better behaved than people.'