The huge Bunnings problem that Australians are ignoring: 'Out of control'

An Aussie shopper has slammed 'entitled' dog owners for taking their pets to Bunnings after a large canine lunged at their child while walking through an aisle. 

The shopper was looking at wood stains with his son at Bunnings in Darwin's Coconut Grove when the dog snapped at them.

The frustrated dad explained the aisle was so narrow that when the owner walked past with her 'big breed dog', the pair had 'no room to move'.

He called out the owner in a post shared to Reddit on Tuesday.

'What's with people casually walking around Bunnings with big dogs now?' he wrote.

'A big dog just snapped at my kid, and the owner didn't care — the sheer entitlement of dog owners.

'I was like 'Woah what the hell' and they just walked away like nothing happened... I had to yank my son backwards because the dog lunged towards him when he snapped.'

The shopper then questioned the retail giant's dog policy, claiming the animals can be unpredictable, making them a major liability and a 'recipe for disaster' for Bunnings.

Bunnings has allowed pets into its stores since 2015 as long as they are carried, secured on a lead or in a shopping trolley.

'We always welcome assistance animals. We also welcome well-behaved pets that are on a lead,' store entry information on the Bunnings website reads.

'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 Aussies agreed with the outraged dad, with some claiming dogs don't belong inside the retailer's warehouses.

'Dogs do not belong at Bunnings or any other store except the pet store... drives me wild, especially the ones who have to sit in the trolley,' one person commented.

'I find the dog entitlement in Darwin out of control. People don't train their dogs, and they run wild all over the place. I mostly avoid Bunnings on the weekend. Over it,' a second person wrote.

A third added: 'I don't understand why Bunnings changed their rules to allow dogs on leash without a muzzle. Makes no sense.' 

Another suggested Bunnings introduce a 'dog free time slot' for customers who are afraid of dogs, have allergies, or simply do not want to shop alongside the animals.

However, others defended the dog owner, claiming the fault might have been with the child's behaviour around the animal.  

'If it's allowed then I'll take my dog to Bunnings and there is nothing you can do to stop me. He's f***ing huge too. I loath whiney dog haters,' one person commented.

'Have you considered teaching your children not approach strangers dogs? Your kid didn't get bitten, (thank God), think of this as a teaching moment,' a second wrote.

A third joked: 'Most dogs I see in Bunnings are far cuter, and better behaved than the humans.'

It comes after a Bunnings worker pleaded with customers to stop bringing their dogs to the store, saying they 'don't get paid enough to clean up' pee and poo.

'Dear everyone who brings their dogs to Bunnings,' user smallspringonion posted in the Sydney subreddit.

'Please for the love of God stop. I don't get paid enough to clean up your dog's p*ss and sh*t. 

'If you can't train your dog to not pee indoors or simply don't care enough to carry poop bags, for the love of God just don't bring your dogs to a literal shop. 

'I promise you, your pooch will be just fine at home. Go on a bush walk with them if they need the enrichment that bad. Sincerely, underpaid Bunnings worker.'

The message from the Bunnings worker generated hundreds of comments. 

'The amount of people that don't clean up after their dog in public is a joke. If they can't even be bothered to clean up dogs mess they shouldn't have a pet,' one wrote.

Another said, 'When we do take our dogs with us to Bunnings, I always put them in a trolley with cardboard to sit on. 

'I would never trust or even want them to walk around just on a lead. I'd be horrified if they peed or pooed in the store and I would want to clean everything up if they somehow did.

'I don't understand people who bring their dogs in knowing their dogs may p*ss or poo in store and not clean it up.'

 Others claimed it was up to Bunnings to change the policy.

'Yes, dogs shouldn't be p*ssing or sh*tting in store and the owners should be more responsible,' one wrote. 

'But that's a risk you take as a business when you allow pets inside. It doesn't make it right or wrong, it's just the risk you take.

'I used to work at Macca's through high school and uni and I can't even count the amount of times I had to clean strangers' kids' p*ss inside the playland slides. But what can you do, if a business has a playland and kids are allowed in, there's going to be downsides.'

Matt Tyler, general manager of operations at Bunnings, said the retailer stood by the policy. 

'Dogs are allowed in our stores if they are friendly, under control and comply with the conditions of entry. We try to use a common sense approach when welcoming dogs into our stores. This includes cleaning up after dogs, which in most cases, we find owners take responsibility for.'