If you haven’t been to REI, you’re missing out. The consumers’ co-operative is a great retailer if you are someone looking for outdoor gear. Camping, cycling, climbing, hiking, you name it.
REI also sells dog gear, such as backpacks, goggles, bowls, harnesses, and a variety of other outdoor accessories.
So, is REI dog-friendly? The answer is no, REI does not allow pets inside their store. If you are interested in having your dog try on dog gear, you can call ahead and ask the store to allow your dog to try out gear outside. Of course, due to ADA guidelines, service dogs are welcome (but pets are not). For more details, keep reading!
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Does REI Allow Dogs in Store?
The short answer is no. It is REI’s policy to not allow dogs in their stores, unless the dog is a certified service animal. This post on their Twitter page confirms the company’s policy:
Another post on Reddit confirms this. The post’s author was surprised that REI does not allow dogs. A commenter confirms that the official store policy is to not allow dogs, even though some stores may “incorrectly ignore” the rule:
Why doesn’t REI Allow Dogs in Store?
REI has answered customer questions before saying that the reason that dogs are not allowed in store is because they want “an inclusive environment for everyone, where everyone feels welcome and comfortable to visit.” As such, you’ll have to leave your pup at home, unless they are a trained service animal.
Can My Dog Try on Gear at REI Stores?
As we mentioned in the beginning of this post, REI does have a great selection of outdoor dog gear. So what should you do if you want to try something on in-person? (or should we say, on-dog?)
The answer is to ask a REI employee. Since you aren’t allowed to bring your dog in the store, you can call ahead or ask a store employee.
Once you find an employee, they’ll help you try dog gear on your pup outside of the store. So, pick a day with nice weather.
While some stores may allow dogs inside for trying on gear, this is not within company policy. To be respectful to everyone and to the company’s guidelines, you should work with store employees to try any gear on outside.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this post helpful! To reiterate, dogs are not allowed inside REI unless they are service dogs. But you can work with employees to let your dog try on gear outside the store. You might also be interested in REI’s dog guides for camping and other activities.
Happy shopping!
