Halloween is coming, and any animal lover wants to buy a magical costume for their four-legged friend.
If you are wondering where to go, Spirit Halloween, the largest Halloween retailer in North America with up to 1,400 branches in Canada and the US, deserves to be your number one choice.
However, many pet owners fail to determine their dog’s size, leading to difficulty finding pet costumes without trying them on.
So, does Spirit Halloween allow dogs to come in? This article gives you the answers and provides comprehensive information about this popular store’s pet control policies.
Spirit Halloween- Overview
Spirit Halloween can provide enough overwhelming booths to amaze any customer, including “four-legged customers.” First, let’s learn more about this brand and its pet policy.
What Is Spirit Halloween?
Spirit Halloween is an American retail brand specializing in Halloween products, including decoration ideas, accessories, props, and cute costume ideas.
Founded in 1983 in California, the brand offers more than 1,400 stores and a year-round website for direct and indirect shopping endeavors.
Spirit Halloween often posts videos introducing new products at the beginning of summer to create excitement for customers.
They officially open in early or mid-August, operating for about 60-90 days before closing 2-3 days after Halloween.
What Is The Spirit Halloween Pet Policy?
There is no company-wide policy for dogs at Spirit Halloween costume shops. They usually do not allow pets or emotional support pets but service dogs.
On Spirit Halloween’s official website, company managers have outlined the following pet policy:
- All pets need to be kept off-leash and under the owner’s control at all times.
- This shopping center always welcomes dogs on leashes with good behavior and non-barking.
- All disruptive pets should be kept in the vehicle or removed from the store.
- Some special attractions will not allow dogs.
Each store branch has policies to comply with federal, state, and local laws. But because of clear pet regulations, it is rare for non-service dogs to enter the store.
Does Spirit Halloween Allow Dogs?
“No,” except in special cases! According to Spirit Halloween policy, pet dogs and emotional support animals are not allowed in all physical stores under this brand, regardless of their behavior.
Meanwhile, dogs working as working service pets under the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (aka ADA) are specifically allowed inside these stores.
However, some customers have reported that their local Spirit Halloween store still allows four-legged friends to visit.
Store managers will also rely on individual situations to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Therefore, it is best to call Spirit Halloween customer service to discuss the matter before taking your dog there.
Why Does The Spirit Halloween Not Allow Dogs?
Surely, any animal lover would wish all stores to allow their dogs to visit equally and comfortably.
But for a commercial store like Spirit Halloween, they cannot allow pets for the following specific reasons:
- Some customers are allergic to dog hair and smell, which can cause sneezing, hives, rashes, etc.
- Many disruptive dogs become overly excited, fail to control their behavior, or cause chaos inside the store.
- One of Spirit Halloween’s top goals is to create a safe and comfortable shopping environment for customers. Therefore, limiting dogs inside the store will help reduce the likelihood of customers being disturbed or bitten by dogs.
- Spirit Halloween store employees must always keep the interior clean and pet hair-free. When dog hair and dog sheds appear everywhere, it can double a cleaner’s workload.
- There are no specific regulations on how to work with dogs in Spirit Halloween’s employee training process.
With the above reasons and its motto, Spirit Halloween has issued a final policy of preventing non-service dogs from entering their stores.
Though this policy does not benefit pet owners, it creates a healthy and safe environment for all customers.
What Are The Service Rules For Dogs At Spirit Halloween?
Service animals have a special connection to their handlers under the protection of the ADA.
To complete the job well (including commercial cooperation and disabled handler support), they are individually trained extremely thoroughly and never seem to act out of control.
Meanwhile, the top mission of Emotional support animals (ESA) is to provide their dependents with emotional support.
It does not receive ADA protection and will not be allowed in certain public places.
Service animals and ESAs are the only types of pets allowed inside the Spirit Halloween store only if they meet the following rules:
- The handler needs to apply measures to protect and control the dog, such as a rope, leash, or harness.
- When the handles can’t utilize restraint, they are forced to use voice commands or signals.
- When an external assessment shows that the dog poses a high risk to customer safety, it is required to wait outside
- The handler can get a shopping assistant to control the dog in case of trouble.
FAQs
Are You Allowed To Try On Costumes At Spirit Halloween?
Spirit Halloween allows all customers to try on clothes at the store’s fitting counter.
Besides, their short return policy period also makes customers choose to try it at the store instead of taking it home.
Is Spirit Halloween Pet Friendly?
There are no dog-friendly treats available! Spirit company policy prohibits all types of pets inside their stores, except for emotional support and service animals.
It helps create a safer and healthier shopping environment for all customers.
How Long Is Spirit Halloween Open After Halloween?
Normally, every Spirit Halloween store will open to the public two days after the spooky season. They will operate for internal staff for a few more days before closing completely.
Can Dogs Go Into Spirit Halloween?
Of course not! Spirit Halloween bans all pets to prevent the possibility of out-of-control dogs and customers with pet dander allergies and to reduce the cleaning workload for staff.
However, dogs with special functions can still enter the store, depending on the situation.
Our Final Thought
Spirit Halloween always puts customer safety and comfort as a top priority. Although shopping without your pet may make animal lovers feel a bit lost, it provides a clean environment and limits the dangers of pet disturbance.
So, does Spirit Halloween allow dogs to enter the stores? Don’t hesitate to contact customer service at your local store to get the most accurate answer.
And now, let’s get ready for the spooky celebration!
