With all the stories about dogs being left in hot cars (and soon it will be stories about dogs being left in cold cars), we are happy to hear that some businesses are looking out for the dogs of their customers by offering places to “park” your dog while you shop.
IKEA, Germany
I hope all IKEA stores adopt this amazing amenity post haste! For now, it looks like it’s just the IKEA in Germany that has created an amazing “dog parking lot,” where astro-turf lawns, water bowls, and posts for securing your dog create individual “parking spots” for your dog while you shop. I like this one because there is quite a lot of space between the dogs, so no fear of interaction.
New Seasons, Oregon
This is actually a New Seasons market near me. Located in Beaverton, Oregon, it has a place for dogs to wait for their owners, complete with water dishes. I personally feel it’s a little tight…if more than one dog is tied up and they don’t like each other, there could be trouble. But their intentions are good.
Telluride, Colorado
Amy Hunt visited Telluride, Colorado and said it was the most dog-friendly town she’s ever seen. She said many of the businesses have dog “parking.”
Los Angeles, California area Farmer’s Markets & Westfield Malls
Leave it to LA to have the cool stuff first!
Zingy, the “uber” of dog walking, has “DASH Stands,” at the LA area Farmer Markets. While not a parking spot, you can drop your dog off for some exercise while you shop, which is even better!
In addition, Zingy has partnered with the Westfield Malls in the area so you can drop your dog off with them while you shop at the mall.
“Since launching DASH Stands at farmers’ markets and office complexes earlier this year, we’ve received overwhelming demand from dog owners to increase our locations,” said Tobi Skovron, Zingy Founder and CEO. “Bringing Zingy DASH Stands (dog valet) to Westfield Centers is a pivotal step forward and in many ways officially makes the participating shopping malls pet-friendly. We solve a problem for dog owners, with the added benefit of ensuring dogs are no longer left in dangerously hot cars during summer.”
To book a walk from a DASH Stand, shoppers simply download the free Zingy app, available in both the iTunes and Google Play app stores, enter their dog’s information, and visit the DASH location for drop-off to a trained, trusted and educated walker for a 15, 30, 45 or 60-minute walk. Walks start from just $10, and once complete, owners can pick up their furry friend from the DASH Stand. Walks continue until the owner returns, so if lunch runs late, pets will remain in safe and loving hands with Zingy.
During a Zingy dog walk, owners receive real-time notifications, can monitor the walk live, and receive a care note and photo at the end. Pet owners can also take the service with them and book an on-demand dog walk from anywhere, at anytime. Visit their webiste for more information.
Do you know of other stores that have done this? If so, tell us in the comments!
